Species Info

Brown Bullhead

Type:  Catfish

Appearance:  Chin barbels on browns are pigmented brown or black, not whitish as with yellow bullheads. The sides of brown bullheads have a distinct, irregular brownish mottling over a light background. The belly is creamy white. They have square tails.

State record:  7.02 lbs.

BigCatch:  To qualify your catch needs to exceed the listed weight OR length (not necessarily both).

Habitat:  Browns generally inhabit still or slowly-flowing warm waters in ponds, lakes, reservoirs, large rivers and sluggish streams.

Behavior:  They are primarily bottom feeders, feeding mostly at night. Highly sensitive barbels enable them to smell a wide variety of food such as insects, plant material, carrion, small fish, snails, crayfish, worms and leeches.

Tips:  Fair fighters, they are easy to catch with baits such as worms, minnows, shrimp, chicken gizzards and stinkbaits. They bite throughout the day, but fishing is best at night.



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