Channel Catfish in Alabama
ADCNR rules and Alabama water for channel catfish.
- no daily capcreel
- 40 lbs., 0 oz.record
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channel catfish across the Yellowhammer State
In the 2026-27 freshwater limits, channel catfish sit on the line labelled "Catfish (under 34 inches)". Put plainly, no daily limit, open all year. One creel covers the whole group combined. Scientific name: Ictalurus punctatus.
Record weight on the Alabama list: 40 lbs., 0 oz. (Donald R. Cox, 1967, Inland Lake). Of the 35 Alabama pages naming it, Lake Martin, Millers Ferry Reservoir and Wilson Lake come first.
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| Row as printed | Waters | Creel and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish (under 34 inches) | Public fresh waters statewide | No daily limit | open all year |
| Catfish (over 34 inches) | Public fresh waters statewide | 1 a day | open all year |
This size limit shall not apply to catfish harvested from the Perdido, Conecuh, Blackwater, Yellow, Choctawhatchee, Chipola, and Chattahoochee rivers basins. It shall be unlawful to transport live catfish 34 inches in length or greater beyond the boundaries of this State.
Limits as printed in the Official 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest (ADCNR, eRegulations edition) (limits page; digest PDF), read November 1, 2026.
channel catfish on the ADCNR record list
| List | Weight | Angler | Water | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| freshwater | 40 lbs., 0 oz. | Donald R. Cox | Inland Lake | June 17, 1967 |
ADCNR (Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division for freshwater; Marine Resources Division State Record Fish Committee for saltwater); freshwater list, saltwater list, read November 1, 2026.
Where Alabama channel catfish turn up
Alabama lakes listing channel catfish
- Lake Martin39,180 acres
- Millers Ferry Reservoir17,200 acres
- Wilson Lake15,500 acres
- Woodruff Lake12,510 acres
- Lay Lake12,000 acres
- Demopolis Lake10,000 acres
- Warrior Lake8,580 acres
- Coffeeville Lake8,500 acres
- Lake Jordan6,800 acres
- Gainesville Lake6,400 acres
- Cedar Creek Reservoir4,200 acres
- Holt Lake3,296 acres
- Yates Lake1,980 acres
- Inland Lake1,557 acres
- Bear Creek Reservoir670 acres
- Lake Tholocco640 acres
- Point A Lake600 acres
- Thurlow Lake585 acres
- Chambers County Public Fishing Lake183 acres
- Walker County Public Fishing Lake163 acres
- Lee County Public Fishing Lake130 acres
- DeKalb County Public Fishing Lake120 acres
- Madison County Public Fishing Lake105 acres
- Dallas County Public Fishing Lake100 acres
ADCNR reservoir, river and public fishing lake species lists, the record waters and the MRD inshore species; largest waters first.
Species ADCNR groups with channel catfish
- Blue Catfishfreshwater
- Flathead Catfishfreshwater
- White Catfishfreshwater
Pictures of the fishing water around Channel Catfish
Photo: Joshua Berry, CC0 1.0
Photo: Erin Brierley, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Curtis Palmer, CC BY 2.0
Photo: benuski, CC BY-SA 2.0
channel catfish across Alabama: what anglers ask
What does ADCNR allow per day for channel catfish?
No daily limit, with the season open all year.
What is the Alabama record channel catfish?
It weighed 40 lbs., 0 oz.; Donald R. Cox, 1967, Inland Lake.
Which Alabama waters list channel catfish?
35 Alabama pages, Lake Martin, Millers Ferry Reservoir and Wilson Lake first.
Where does the channel catfish rule change in Alabama?
No water changes its limit.
Which Alabama dates matter for channel catfish?
The listed season is open all year.
Which ADCNR license lets me keep channel catfish?
Freshwater anglers need an Alabama fishing license from 16 on ($17.45 resident, $68.20 nonresident for 2026-27); residents 65 and older are exempt.
How is a record channel catfish checked in Alabama?
ADCNR wants a biologist identification, certified scales, two witnesses and the form within three months of the catch.
What else is channel catfish called in Alabama?
It appears as Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus).
Pick Alabama water for channel catfish
The waters above each carry access and limits.