Freshwater lure fishing from a Lake / Pond / Reservoir
Channel Catfish: Retrieve parallel to banks and inflows, changing depth and speed if there is no response. Follow local invasive-fish handling rules.
Waters: Rivers & lakes
Fish
Channel Catfish チャネルキャットフィッシュ
Ictalurus punctatus ・ Ictaluridae (North American Freshwater Catfishes)
Catch season
- Catchable
- Peak
Months for Channel Catfish are a broad Japan-wide guide and shift with region, temperature and conditions; prefer local reports and rules.
About
Whiskered catfish native to North America. In Japan they have become an invasive species that threatens native wildlife. Found in rivers and lakes.
Basics
- Scientific name
- Ictalurus punctatus
- Family
- Ictaluridae (North American Freshwater Catfishes)
- Japanese name
- チャネルキャットフィッシュ
- Kana
- ちゃねるきゃっとふぃっしゅ
- Waters
- Rivers & lakes
- Size
- 50 cm (max 90 cm)
- Time of day
- Dawn, Dusk, Night
- Depth (tana)
- Around bank cover and through mid-water, changing depth with season and temperature.
How to catch it
Kit for this fish
Freshwater lure starter kit ・ Kit total ¥17,000–50,000
- 6.6 ft ML freshwater lure rodVersatile spinning rod for bass and medium or small trout. ¥6,000–22,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Spinning reel, size 2500The most versatile size for pier fishing: one reel covers sabiki, float fishing and eging. ¥4,000–15,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- 8 lb fluorocarbon lineGeneral freshwater lure line; adjust strength for cover. ¥800–2,400AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Freshwater minnow and soft lureFish- or crustacean-shaped lures; check water-specific tackle restrictions. ¥600–2,500AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Fishing pliers / hook removerEssential protection from venomous spines and sharp teeth. Most injuries happen when someone unhooks a fish bare-handed. ¥800–4,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Cap and polarised sunglassesAlso safety equipment, protecting your eyes from a flying rig. Polarised lenses additionally let you read the bottom. ¥2,000–20,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Life jacket, adult (Japan Craft Inspection approved)The first thing to buy, and worn on piers, rocks and boats alike. Boat fishing requires the government-approved type marked with the cherry-blossom stamp. ¥5,000–20,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
First check the permit, lure and hook rules, and handling requirements for invasive fish.
Product links may be affiliate links. Prices move, so treat the ranges as a guide.
Handle with care
This fish is dangerous to handle bare-handed.
Sharp spines
Hard fin spines can puncture skin; do not grip the fish in a bare hand. Reliable primary evidence of venom was not confirmed, so this guide does not label the spines venomous.
Dangerous fish and animals — what to do when you are stung or bitten
Eating
Food use varies locally. Check harvest rules and water quality, avoid raw consumption and cook thoroughly.
Rules
Channel Catfish is regulated as a designated invasive alien species. Keeping, live transport and release are generally restricted. Local no-release rules and disposal methods vary, so also confirm permits, closed seasons, size and harvest rules.
Closed seasons and size limits — how to find the numbers, which differ by prefecture
This article organises general information and is not legal advice. Rules differ by municipality and by fishery cooperative, and they change. Always check the current rules for where you are going.
Other fish taken the same way
Other fish from the same kind of place
Seasons, sizes and eating quality are general guides. Rules change, so check the latest prefectural, fishery-cooperative and site rules before fishing. This app provides general information, not legal advice.