# Blue or Channel Cat???



## FlashGordon (Mar 19, 2014)

Hey guys, I need help identifying this fish.....

Caught this guy in a small creek on a 6" sucker. He came in at 29" and just under 9 lbs. 

My first inclination is that he's a channel cat. But there's a few things that make me scratch my head. First is that the anal fin was very straight. Second is the coloration: blue-grey and absolutely no dark spots (I assure you any spots you see in the photo is dirt/sand).

Although he was caught in a small creek, there's a lake nearby which a conservation officer told me was stocked with a few dozen blue catfish 4-5 years ago.

I apologize if this is a stupid question. I just moved to Ohio and we had absolutely no blue catfish around my previous home so I never had to worry about it before.

I'll be happy either way....If it's a blue, then I caught a species I never caught before. If it's a channel cat, then I just earned my first Fish Ohio pin. 

Caught, photographed, and released.


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## Boxingref_rick (Feb 8, 2005)

CRAPPIE .... uh ok, I dunno either! 

Great catch sir!


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## Bandy (Mar 30, 2014)

Judgeing by the anal fin its a blue. That and the mouth looks right. 

Blue cats have the straight fin like the edge of a knife. And as you stated "its very straight"
Channel cats have the very broad fin. Looks like a paper plate cut in half. Also the number of 'spines' in the anal fin itself. Im not excact but I think Blues have up to 30 and Channels max out at 28.

Anyway nice catch!


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## Certified106 (Mar 17, 2014)

Very nice catfish!


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## timmyv (Apr 26, 2006)

To me, the body looks just like a channel cat but that anal fin says Blue. Cat guys what do you think?


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

I agree its a channel with a straight fin, the body shape is all wrong for a blue, and the coloration is that of a channel, most channels don't have spots when they get bigger BTW. Im 100% positive its a channel, and a pretty nice one. Good job!

Salmonid


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## WISH IT WAS YOU (Jul 25, 2006)

its a channel you can tell by the caudal fin really a blue will have a forked caudal fin almost similar to ocean species of fish if you can imagine that but not near as dramatic that channel you have in that pic doesnt have the fork more of just a slight indent. and their is really only a hand full of places that has blues in ohio except for pay lakes hoover has them the muskingum river and some of its tribs the ohio river and some of its tribs their is one more lake i cant think of that the odnr put them in it starts with a L


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## MickFisher (Apr 7, 2013)

That is definitely a channel cat.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Wish it was you,, Dillon Lake is the other place stocked with Blues, also found up the lower Scioto, Great Miami and even the lower Little Miami Rivers at least the lower few miles of about any bigger trip to the Ohio River will have a few. 
Salmonid


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## Boostedawdfun (Sep 15, 2012)

Channel. Nice catch.


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

Assuming it is not a freak of nature I would say Blue. The anal fin is straight and the tail looks forked. Two things I do know absolutely; its not a bull head and it's not a flattie! LOL

Mr. A


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## Boostedawdfun (Sep 15, 2012)

To me there is nothing that shows signs of a blue. Color is not a blue, tail is forked and the anal fin isn't strait enough in my opinion to be a blue. Also blues usually are fat and round shaped.


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## Thompsonm7325 (Mar 13, 2012)

I've been fishing for cats for most of my life and im only 23 lol .... but based on my experience with Channels and Blues I think it looks more like a Channel Cat. 
Just the overall look gives my the indication that it is. And I have only personally seen 1 blue cat caught my entire life and that was around 15 years ago at Alum Creek lake. 
But I could be wrong.... again I'm still young and wouldn't consider myself and kind of expert, I am just basing my decision on my experiences with Cats over the years. 
It is a NICE catch though !!!!!


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## jwfish (Jan 28, 2005)

It is a channel cat nice fish.


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## BigFishHunter (Dec 14, 2011)

If i was i betting man i'd say it's a blue x channel hybrid. It has characteristics of both a blue and channel and hybridization is possible since they are of the same genus (ictalurus), but pretty rare in the wild.


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## FlashGordon (Mar 19, 2014)

I'm hesitant to argue that I caught something particularly unusual, especially since I'm new to these waters......but I gotta say that hybrid has a striking similarity. 

Thanks for the input so far guys. 

I don't feel so bad about being uncertain anymore, seeing as I'm getting a variety of different answers. I wish I had taken better photos, but I didn't want to keep him out of the water too long.


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

I'm 1000% certain, black crappie and a big one!


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## Fish hook feddie (Jul 22, 2021)

FlashGordon said:


> Hey guys, I need help identifying this fish.....
> 
> Caught this guy in a small creek on a 6" sucker. He came in at 29" and just under 9 lbs.
> 
> ...


First off, I don't care what anyone says...there ARE Blue catfish in Lake Erie. I have caught them all my life. I just watched somebody last week pull one out of the Detroit River at Detroit. That was a shocker! No Channel Cat has a flat head and fin configuration such as a Blue catfish and no Channel Catfish can get to 50 or 100 pounds and 3 to 5 feet long. People have official records of Blue cat catches out of lake Erie. However, that appears to have a different fin configuration and is not nearly dusky Blue/Grey enough...so, I'm not sure...


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## One guy and a boat (Aug 8, 2018)

Fish hook feddie said:


> First off, I don't care what anyone says...there ARE Blue catfish in Lake Erie. I have caught them all my life. I just watched somebody last week pull one out of the Detroit River at Detroit. That was a shocker! No Channel Cat has a flat head and fin configuration such as a Blue catfish and no Channel Catfish can get to 50 or 100 pounds and 3 to 5 feet long. People have official records of Blue cat catches out of lake Erie. However, that appears to have a different fin configuration and is not nearly dusky Blue/Grey enough...so, I'm not sure...


Welcome to OGF Fish hook freddie. Good group of guys on here and can definitely learn from all the experience. One downside of new format is the recommended reading and older threads. This thread you replied to is from 2014. Just wanted to let you know. Tight lines.

Kip


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## Fish hook feddie (Jul 22, 2021)

One guy and a boat said:


> Welcome to OGF Fish hook freddie. Good group of guys on here and can definitely learn from all the experience. One downside of new format is the recommended reading and older threads. This thread you replied to is from 2014. Just wanted to let you know. Tight lines.
> 
> Kip


Oh, I know. But it was about Catfish varieties and that was my interest. Thanks....


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