# Average Size For A Small River Channel Cat



## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

This has been a rather heated discussion here lately on the southeastern section so i thought id make a poll and see what you all think.


what would you all say is a AVERAGE size for channel catfish in length from a small river ???

Choice 1: under 20 inches
Choice 2: between 20-24 inches
Choice 3: between 24-26 inches
Choice 4: OVER 26 inches

comments welcome.


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## Fishing-Miller23 (Jul 16, 2005)

20-24 inches, that is what I think just by reading the posts by many catfisherman on here like you. But I don't fish for catfish, so I don't know.


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

ive never measured a fish, let alone a channel, but i'd say about 4lbs.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

I agree w/ Dink from the GMR the avg ones we catch re 3-4 #'s. 
TCBS, I know what posts your talkign about and I hope you dont get offended by me saying this, but while a 26inch type Channel is a quality fish it just isnt that uncommon. Now I am not saying that a 26 inch Channel (est 7-8 #'s) is not a nice fish, becasue it tuely is & I hope that your not upset by me sayin that. As always, good luck to you.


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

tcba, those channel cats you are catching are quality fish for sure..With that being said I think they ought to raise the fish ohio limit to 30 inces for channel cats.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

or lower it to say 15 inches (that way FLATHUNTER could get credit for a FISH OHIO award!!!!)  Ha, Ha, Ha


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## husky hooker (Apr 6, 2004)

i 100 percent agree with flathunter!! 30 inchers for sure.


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

I'd have to say 20-24'' for an average sized channel. 

I've catfished the SW OH lakes a lot the last 3 years as well, and would add I think the same average holds true there. I do actually measure and weigh the larger channels I catch before releasing them. I think they could raise the fishohio to 30''. I'll admit I don't catch channels that size all the time, but they are certainly out there. Even fishing with large live baits, most of the channels will be between 18-28 inches, with a few over the 28 inch mark. I've found the average weight for a 28 inch channel to be around 10-11 lbs. I've seen them as large as 20 lbs in the SW OH lakes.


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

interestingly enough i have this poll running on 3 fishing groups that i run on yahoo and 2 other fishing forums and the results are as follows so far:

under 20 inches: 14 votes
20-24 inches: 17 votes
24-26 inches: 6 votes
OVER 26 inches: 1 vote 

i think what we are seeing here is what i was saying about the average size for channels and got into this arguement that spurred this poll: 

the average fisherman catches a majority of their fish in the under 24 inch size range , with a few fish caught in the 24-26 inch size range. which in my opinion shows that a 26 inch channel or better (which qualifies for a FISH OHIO AWARD is a damn nice fish !!) and not just a average evey day normal catfish.


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

Thanks guys for the comments, i really appreciate everyone taking the time to take the poll and throw out a few comments and thoughts.

TCBA 1987


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## rockbass (Apr 16, 2004)

That's awesome you took the time to poll what people's average catch is!

Now I can do a jig cuz my average catches are above what everyone else averages


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

Dance away i promise i wont laugh.  i guess you are just a "special" catfisherman, i didnt figure youd say you were wrong.


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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

I would say that it depends on what river and what time of the year...On the tusc at one hole I fish I can catch 14-18 inch channels from the time I wake up til the time I go to sleep...


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

i havent voted yet, how long is a 4-5lb channel?


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

Dink

id say between 20-23 inches


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

Well I often fish for cats in rivers up north, and thought I might add my 2 cents in. When we are catching channels they are usually about 16". But sometimes we pull some good ones, my biggest is 22" and my buddy caught a fishohio on ultra light which was pretty cool.


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## rockbass (Apr 16, 2004)

Me say I am wrong? For what? I see and catch averages prob between 23-26 inches or so. I am not wrong, that is what I see. sorry bud



4-5 lb channels are prob anywhere from 23-26 inches depending on how healthy, or fat they are. I have caught 27 inch channels that only weigh 6 lbs, and have also caught 26 inchers that weigh 8 lbs plus


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

I'd say 4-5 # Channels in the GMR Dink are 23-24 inches long. I just put two rulers together & judging by that length, it's safe to say 23-24 inches are average for what our par tof the GMR produces for average Channels. 

Now please understand, we don't normally use baits such as chicken livers or worms, we use live bait fish or cut shad,skipjack, etc.... That will prob have a lot to do with it.

I plan on boating 20 channels between Flathunter & I on Saturday, We'll keep track of this & report bakc.


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

Like i said YOU must catch and average a heck of alot better fish then most anglers in the state then. ATTABOY !!! the poll CLEARLY shows that a 26 inch fish or bigger is a darn nice fish !! i knew you wouldnt look at the poll from a constructive point of view and say ok....i guess maybe a 26 inch fish (fish ohio ) is a pretty good sized fish. by looking at this i guess maybe i must be lucky to be catching that many fish in that size range. NOPE not you, can't be wrong !! 

CONGRATS on the fish ohio channel on the ultralight to your buddy liquid. "I" appreciate a nice fish when i hear of one or see one !!


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## rockbass (Apr 16, 2004)

Funny, I never said a 26 inch fish wasn't nice


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

actually i think you have said several times that they are : everyday, average, nothing special, no big deal, nothing to get excited about, typical, tuscarawas river channel cats. LOL


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## rockbass (Apr 16, 2004)

Sorry bud, I don't think I ever use that many words or phrases to describe a fish. I know I said they were nice.....but also said not that uncommon. you knwo I said that


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

yeah whatever, actually i think you used a few more words to describe just how average and not special they were but i couldn't remember them all, LOL.  just like all the little pokes about people's fish ohio fish they catch, you write it then deny it, you crack me up !!!


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

the vote is kinda leaning to a 26 inch fish being nothing special...........NOT..............what is it now 23 votes for fish under 24 inches being average and one vote for your everyday average 26 inch channel cats.  guess you were WRONG, WRONG, WRONG practice saying that word maybe someday you will be able to say you are WRONG !!!


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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

Easy Fellas....See Brian to people like us the 26-30 inch channels are nice fish but to professional fisherman like Rocky a 26-30 inch Channel is just an average, everyday, ordinary, nothing special, Tusc River Channel...it just depends on who you are/where you fish/ and what time of the year...


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Flathunter & I hit the GMR on Sat for Channels, here were our results: (We only got 1/2 of what I had planned on, but did manage two very nice ones)

Flat: Me:
1-10.5# 1-6.0#
1-11# 1-5.5# 
2-3# 1-4.0# 
1-2.5# 1-3.5#
1-2.5#

So, 10 total fish, a total weight of aprox 52.5 #'s that gives an average of 5.25# per fish. I'm not usually concerned with length, I'm more concerned w/ weight. A 20inch Channel can differ greatly from another 20 inch channel, where as a 4.5 # fish , is well.... a 4.5 # fish.

Here is a couple pics of the larger ones from Sat: The better pics are on Flat's camera, sorry.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

*Now as far as the poll goes:

I feel sorry for the guys fishing for the <20 inch channels, but on the other hand Iwant to know where I catch channels averaging >26 inches !!!


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## rockbass (Apr 16, 2004)

Wow, Brian, I see you are still on the kick  I don't remember ever saying a 26 inch fish was not nice. The only thing I have said is that a 26 inch channel is a nice fish. I did however say I did not think they were uncommon. You can say what you want. They are not that uncommon from what I see and hear......or read for that matter. You fella's sure do write a lot of crap about channels, but I just say they are nice. Nothing unordinary about a channel catfish, but if you say that is what I said, then ok, I said it !$ I don't care what you think or say, I think a 25 inch plus channel is nice. For me, they are not uncommon at all. a 30 inch channel as BUmbachuck mentioned is not something I see very often. I hope to hit that mark again this year in the Tusc though.


Mellon, way to go on the fish! nice ones! :B


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## rockbass (Apr 16, 2004)

tcba1987 said:


> the vote is kinda leaning to a 26 inch fish being nothing special...........NOT..............what is it now 23 votes for fish under 24 inches being average and one vote for your everyday average 26 inch channel cats.  guess you were WRONG, WRONG, WRONG practice saying that word maybe someday you will be able to say you are WRONG !!!



Say I am wrong for what?  giving my opinion? if that's the case, grow up man. So in other words, you are saying the other 2 that voted the same way just on this board are also wrong. Tell them their opinion is wrong too, I don't care


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## rockbass (Apr 16, 2004)

H2O Mellon said:


> *Now as far as the poll goes:
> 
> I feel sorry for the guys fishing for the <20 inch channels, but on the other hand Iwant to know where I catch channels averaging >26 inches !!!


 I can't help ya on the ones averaging >26, but anywhere from around 22,23 to 26-27, come fish the tusc. It looks like you have some nice ones where you go already though. I don't see too many 10's come from the Tusc, but that is just me, some people might catch more of them


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Geez, who'd a Thunk this would turn into a pizzing match??? anyways I fish with Mellon and Dink on the GMR and when we fish in big holes with cut or live bait, the ave fish is about 23-24". But when I fish shallower water with my flies, I take about a dozen or 15 channels every year and they average about 16-19". I think it all depends on the types of water your fishing, the bait used and the size of the river. The GMR is a pretty big river and in your poll question, you said a small river so Im thinking like 100-250 CFS only. Smaller pools,less food etc so I leaned towards the average on a smaller body of water would be smaller. 

Dink fishes the downtown dayton area like I do when I catch my fish on flies and he would agree ( im pretty sure) that in that stretch, (shallower, less habitat) that the fish average size is smaller then the bigger pools we hit outside of the channelized section of the GMR.
I hope that makes sense......

Good luck to all!
Salmonid


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

> Geez, who'd a Thunk this would turn into a pizzing match???


 yes,and i think it's about time for the "main players" to settle down.the thread was started with good intentions(i think)so i'll leave it alone for now.

but.................................rocky and brian,remember what i said,and keep the games private.consider that before you start again.that includes any other thread.


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## rockbass (Apr 16, 2004)

Good deal misfit. I wondered why this started other than to try to say my opinion was wrong  I replied because people are saying I said things I didn't say....other than that, I have no problems with anyone


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

Salmonid said:


> Geez, who'd a Thunk this would turn into a pizzing match??? anyways I fish with Mellon and Dink on the GMR and when we fish in big holes with cut or live bait, the ave fish is about 23-24". But when I fish shallower water with my flies, I take about a dozen or 15 channels every year and they average about 16-19". I think it all depends on the types of water your fishing, the bait used and the size of the river. The GMR is a pretty big river and in your poll question, you said a small river so Im thinking like 100-250 CFS only. Smaller pools,less food etc so I leaned towards the average on a smaller body of water would be smaller.
> 
> Dink fishes the downtown dayton area like I do when I catch my fish on flies and he would agree ( im pretty sure) that in that stretch, (shallower, less habitat) that the fish average size is smaller then the bigger pools we hit outside of the channelized section of the GMR.
> I hope that makes sense......
> ...


yep, the bigger and deeper the water= bigger fish. just like chubs in creeks, you always find the biggest ones in deep pools or in the creeks with deeper water.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

thread closed.



don't ask.


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