Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Flathead catfish in small lake

That is definitely not a flathead catfish. It is one of the bullheads. Flathead catfish have a more slender body with a less bulky head viewed from the side. The head of a flathead is depressed or flattened between the eyes. Flathead mouth is short but wide with a diagnostic protruding lower jaw. The jaw projects forward beyond the upper jaw. Usually flatheads have a distinctive white or light colored patch on the dorsal or upper back top corner of the tail. A flathead has only 16 to 17 anal fin rays compared to all bullheads that have 21-28 anal fin rays. All the barbels on a flathead are usually fairly light brown, to cream colored and very rarely if ever all black and dark as shown in the 1st picture. The brown bullhead usually has dark chin barbels as noted in the 1st picture. The three common bullheads usually have some all black or very dark barbels. I think your fish is probably a big old brown bullhead that has been known to grow to 20" long and 7 lbs as noted by 'nehunter' above.