Freshwater · Valley
Catfish - Channel catfish
These notes are district-general defaults. Search your lake or stream first — special waters override these rules. Full booklet: 2026 Freshwater Guide. Catch reports: Fish data.
Species group
CATFISH
Season
Open All Year, except for closures listed under special regulations. SEE DFG FISHING GUIDE FOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS
Season notes
Open All Year, except for closures listed under special regulations. SEE DFG FISHING GUIDE FOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS
Daily bag limit
No Limit, except for closures listed under special regulations. SEE DFG FISHING GUIDE FOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS
Minimum size
No Limit, except for closures listed under special regulations. SEE DFG FISHING GUIDE FOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS
Gear restrictions
Unknown SEE DFG FISHING GUIDE FOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS
Identification
Channel catfish has a blue and gray tail, silvery-gray sides, and a white belly. Channel catfish possess very keen senses of smell and taste. At the pits of their nostrils are very sensitive odor sensing organs with a very high concentration of olfactory receptors.