Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Slot limit for Catfish

My family and i love to eat, and catch catfish for sport, that's why we stocked channel cats in one of our ponds. However, catfish are hard to come by in Arizona from hatcheries. We are encouraging the cats to spawn and would like to place a slot limit to protect the spawning size catfish. Can someone tell me what the best spawning size for channel catfish is for maximum production?

Thanks - Jighead

Jighead,

Check SRAC publication #180

http://search.hp.netscape.com/hp/boomfra...ckedItemRank%3D 2%26userQuery%3Dchannel%2Bcatfish%2Bspawning%26clickedItemURN%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Faquanic.org%252Fpublicat%252Fusda_rac%252Fefs%252Fsrac%252F180fs.pdf%26invocationType%3D-%26fromP age%3DHPSidebar%26amp%3BampTest%3D1&remove_url=http%3A%2F%2Faquanic.org%2Fpublicat%2Fusda_rac%2Fefs%2Fsrac%2F180fs.pdf

This PDF file will open to Adobe Acrobat reader and will give you information on Channel Catfish spawning.

Good luck,

Bruce

Let me know if this doesn't open. You should just cut and paste (Cntrl C, Cntrl V) the address and press enter.

thx Bruce for the link but it doesnt seem to be working it says there is an error

Try Google search following keywords

Channel
Catfish
spawning

The number two recommendation is SRAC publication on CC life history. Try that.

SRAC's online list of links to their fact sheets, including all the catfish articles, is at:

SRAC Fact Sheets

Thanks guys for help,
i found what i needed and more. I also found another really helpful site - [URL=http://www.uaex.edu/aquaculture2/FSA/FSA9009.htm][/URL]

Theo,
While reading pond fishing rules by muddy fork i noticed you mentioned that you take out all catfish 17" to 20". Why was this one of your rules?
Again thanks for all the help.

- Jighead

hmm my URL didnt seem to work.

Lets try again - spawning channel catfish info

Also, have one more question can you give me a rough length of a 4 pond channel catfish and a 6 pound channel catfish?

- Jighead

2005 Nebraska Fishing Guide "Fishing Regulations and Public Waters" says 4-pound CC equates to 22 inches and 6-pounder equates to 25 inches.

Wow Bruce! You been tons of help, thanks alot

Thanks to you and Theo Im goin to input a slot limit of 20" to 24" to protect fish from 3lbs to 5lbs for spawning.

- Jighead