Actually there is a big difference in taste as well. If you catch the bullhead any time other than spring, the bullhead will have a muddy unpleasant taste due to the muddy water conditions they like to live in. During their spring spawning run they are in clearer water that tends to clean up the flesh a bit and they get a sweeter and firmer flesh than other times of the year. Some people catch the bullheads and put them in a cage in cleaner water and let them sit a week or two prior to eating them to clean up the flesh.
The catfish does tend to have a very strong flavor but less pungent than the bullhead. In a channel catfish you have to be careful to only take the shoulder meat. If you cut too deep you will hit the belly flesh and that has a very strong and shall I say nasty flavor. The shoulder meat on a larger catfish can be cut into steaks or chunks to be grilled or beer batter dipped ( my personal fav ). The over all texture of the meat is firmer and sweeter than the bullhead.
Now I bet all you good southern ladies and gentlemen thought that the only thing us Yankees appreciated was a good YP or Walleye!!
