Flathead Catfish

Eighty-three pounds of Georgia catfish

Screven general contractor Jim Dieveney had extra motivation as he fought the catfish the size of a runway model.

“I was by myself,” Dieveney, 55, told the AJC. Would anyone believe him if he didn’t produce the 83-pound flathead catfish?

He said it took 15 to 20 minutes to land the monster he caught on the Altamaha River in Wayne County Sunday morning. The catch ties the state flathead catfish record set four years ago by Carl Sawyer on the same river. It’s a record that could easily be broken, as flathead catfish can weight up to 125 pounds.

“I was pretty shocked when I saw it,” said Dieveney, fishing with a saltwater shark rod. “I got him up about three to four times before finally getting him on my dock.”

The next step was to find a certified scale — not easy on a Sunday morning. “Everyone I knew who had one was at church,” Dieveney said.

He kept the fish alive in a children’s wading pool before finally getting up with the state Wildlife Resources Division. Dieveney donated his catch to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources but hopes to have a mold made of the beastly fish, which has a tasty reputation.

“Cleaning it would take awhile,” Dieveney said. “Gotta get all the fat out.”

Also known as Appaloosa cats, the flatheads are one of five varieties of catfish found in Georgia. They typically nest in deep, murky pools with light currents, said Bert Deener, the DNR’s fisheries regional supervisor. Live bait, like the bream used by Dieveney, is advised if you want to catch a flathead, which are prevalent in the southeast Georgia river.

Dieveney told the AJC he hopes to break his own record. No doubt an 84-pounder would suffice.

Flathead Catfish Facts

Common Names – yellow cat, mud cat, shovelhead cat, johnnie cat, goujon, appaluchion, opelousas

Description – A flattened head, tiny eyes, squarish tail and protruding lower jaw distinguish the flathead from other catfish and contribute to it being placed in a genus of its own. They are yellow-brown and usually mottled above, with a creamy-white or yellow belly. Small flatheads may be confused with yellow or brown bullheads.

Subspecies – There are no known subspecies; however, they have been known to hybridize with channel catfish.

Habitat – Flatheads are found mainly in large rivers and their major tributaries. They prefer long, slow-flowing, moderately-turbid streams. Adult flatheads are solitary and spend most of their time in deep water near cover such as log jams or fallen trees.

Spawning Habits – Spawning occurs in late spring when water temperatures reach 70 to 80 degrees. One or both parents excavate the nest that is usually made in a natural cavity or near a large submerged object. Females lay a golden-yellow mass of up to 100,000 eggs. The nest is guarded and the eggs are agitated by the male to keep them clean and aerated. The young remain in a school near the nest for several days after hatching, but soon disperse.

Feeding Habits – Flatheads are predatory fish and will consume bass, bream, shad, crayfish and often feed on other catfish. The young rely more extensively on aquatic insects and crayfish than do the adults. Large flatheads sometime congregate where food is plentiful such as near tailraces of dams. They often feed at the surface or in shallow water at night, returning to their residence in a hole or brush pile to rest during the day. They rarely eat dead or decaying matter.

Age and Growth – Although flatheads have been aged by biologists to 19 years, the species is probably capable, based on its maximum size of about 56 inches, of living much longer. They grow faster than any other catfish except blue.

Sporting Qualities – Extremely strong fighters. Their solitary lifestyle, however, makes them more difficult to catch than other catfish. They bite best at night while in shallow water looking for food. To catch flatheads, anglers typically fish on the bottom using heavy tackle with live or freshly cut fish. Trotlines are effective in catching this species.

Eating Quality – The species is highly regarded as a food fish when taken from clean water. The meat is white, firm, and flaky, with an excellent taste.

Records – World Record: 91.25 pounds, caught on Lake Lewisville, Texas, in 1982.

Courtesy of floridaconservation.org