Minnesota DNR Fisheries has been stocking a number of metro lakes with Channel Catfish since 1997. Some catfish stocked are yearling size (6 to 10 inches) and some are stocked as adults in the 1 to 3 pound range. Yearling catfish reach harvestable size in about two years, though they can be caught the same year they are stocked.
Catfish are a fun species to catch and popular fish to eat. Channel Catfish can be easy to catch if you use the right techniques. Live bait such as worms and minnows work good as well as stink baits. Other popular baits are chicken livers, cheese and shrimp. Try fishing around cover such as docks or trees in the water. Know the difference between Channel Catfish and bullheads, look for the forked "V" shaped tail of the Channel Catfish.
If you are interested in channel catfishing, try Minnesota's rivers or check out this clickable map of metro catfish lakes!
