Channel Catfish in Louisiana
Louisiana channel catfish: what may be kept and where to look.
- 100 a daylimit
- 30.31 lbrecord
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Louisiana channel catfish: limit, record, water
Louisiana rules for channel catfish sit in the freshwater table, on the line headed “Catfish (blue, channel and flathead)”. That row allows 100 daily in the aggregate. an angler may possess up to 25 undersized catfish of the three species combined.; blue catfish: 12″ mll; channel catfish: 11″ mll; flathead catfish: 14″ mll, with the season given as open year-round.
The heaviest rod and reel entry is 30.31 lb, Minor’s Can./Intracoastal, 1977, angler Harold W. Clubb. This site ties it to 50 waters, starting with Atchafalaya Basin, Caddo Lake and Lake Bistineau. Watch Caddo Lake, Sabine River and Toledo Bend Reservoir; 1 water set their own numbers. LDWF lists 15 stocking rows of it.
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| Pamphlet row | Waters | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish (blue, channel and flathead) | All state waters EXCEPT Caddo Lake, Sabine River and Toledo Bend Reservoir | 100 daily in the aggregate. An angler may possess up to 25 undersized catfish of the three species combined.; Blue Catfish: 12" MLL; Channel Catfish: 11" MLL; Flathead Catfish: 14" MLL | Open year-round |
Possession: Twice the daily creel limit (pamphlet p.16: possession limit is twice the daily bag limit unless otherwise stated)
Limits and seasons as printed in the 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations (LDWF pamphlet, updated September 21, 2026), page 20 (pamphlet PDF); confirmed on the LDWF freshwater finfish page October 28, 2026.
Louisiana waters with their own channel catfish rule
| Water | Where | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Caddo Lake, Sabine River and Toledo Bend Reservoir | Whole water | Blue & Channel Catfish: None; 50 daily in the aggregate; no more than five over 30" total length |
Rules as printed in the 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations (LDWF pamphlet, updated September 21, 2026), pages 18 to 21 (pamphlet PDF); second read on the LDWF freshwater page October 28, 2026.
The heaviest channel catfish on the Louisiana list
| Division | Method | Weight | Angler | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| freshwater | Rod & Reel | 30.31 lb | Harold W. Clubb | Minor’s Can./Intracoastal | August 1977 |
More channel catfish in the top ten
- 20.30 lb, Emile Charvet IVHarvey Outfall January., October 2017
- 7.28 lb, Thai Brendan HoangMississippi River, September 2022
- 5.44 lb, Shane ShepherdThe Pen Lafitte, Feb 2017
- 3.75 lb, L.M. Owens, Feb 1973
Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association (LOWA), LOWA "Louisiana State Fish Records Official Copy", records current through the record awarded September 25, 2026 (PDF created 2026-09-25); read October 28, 2026.
LDWF releases of channel catfish
| Water | Release as printed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Memorial, Ragley | Channel Catfish (adult), adult | LDWF Get Out & Fish! page, Catfish Stocking Schedule, read 2026-10-28 |
| Sidney Hutchinson, Walker | Channel Catfish (adult), adult | LDWF Get Out & Fish! page, Catfish Stocking Schedule, read 2026-10-28 |
| Turner's Pond, Minden | Channel Catfish (adult), adult | LDWF Get Out & Fish! page, Catfish Stocking Schedule, read 2026-10-28 |
| Oil and Gas Park | Channel Catfish (adult), adult | LDWF Get Out & Fish! page, Catfish Stocking Schedule, read 2026-10-28 |
| Joe Brown Park, New Orleans | Channel Catfish (adult), adult | LDWF Get Out & Fish! page, Catfish Stocking Schedule, read 2026-10-28 |
| Forts Randolph & Buhlow State Historic Site | Channel Catfish (adult), adult | LDWF Get Out & Fish! page, Catfish Stocking Schedule, read 2026-10-28 |
| Zemurray Park | Channel Catfish (adult), adult | LDWF Get Out & Fish! page, Catfish Stocking Schedule, read 2026-10-28 |
| Grambling City Park, Grambling | Channel Catfish (adult), adult | LDWF Get Out & Fish! page, Catfish Stocking Schedule, read 2026-10-28 |
| Girard Park, Lafayette | Channel Catfish (adult), adult | LDWF Get Out & Fish! page, Catfish Stocking Schedule, read 2026-10-28 |
| William T. Polk | Channel Catfish (adult), adult | LDWF Get Out & Fish! page, Catfish Stocking Schedule, read 2026-10-28 |
| Bogue Chitto, Franklinton | Channel Catfish (adult), adult | LDWF Get Out & Fish! page, Catfish Stocking Schedule, read 2026-10-28 |
| Elmore D. Mayfield Park, Ruston | Channel Catfish (adult), adult | LDWF Get Out & Fish! page, Catfish Stocking Schedule, read 2026-10-28 |
| Southside Regional Park-Fabacher Field, Youngsville | Channel Catfish (adult), adult | LDWF Get Out & Fish! page, Catfish Stocking Schedule, read 2026-10-28 |
| Parc Natchitoches, Natchitoches | Channel Catfish (adult), adult | LDWF Get Out & Fish! page, Catfish Stocking Schedule, read 2026-10-28 |
| Bayou Country Sports Park, Houma | Channel Catfish (adult), adult | LDWF Get Out & Fish! page, Catfish Stocking Schedule, read 2026-10-28 |
LDWF hatchery stocking releases (spring 2024 and 2025 per-water tables, single stockings to 2026); LDWF publishes no per-row dates; read October 28, 2026.
Louisiana pages that list channel catfish
Louisiana lakes for channel catfish
- Atchafalaya Basin833,000 acres
- Caddo Lake26,800 acres
- Lake Bistineau17,200 acres
- Fausse Point, Dauterive and Catahoula Complex17,000 acres
- D'Arbonne Lake15,000 acres
- Black Lake and Clear Lake13,800 acres
- Red River Pool 510,800 acres
- Cross Lake8,576 acres
- Larto-Saline Complex8,000 acres
- Bonnet Carre Spillway7,623 acres
- Lake Claiborne6,400 acres
- Caney Creek Reservoir5,000 acres
- Henderson Lake5,000 acres
- Old River at Raccourci4,900 acres
- Vernon Lake4,200 acres
- Turkey Creek Lake3,845 acres
- Cypress Bayou Reservoir3,100 acres
- Rodemacher Lake3,070 acres
- Lake Bruin2,842 acres
- Poverty Point Reservoir2,785 acres
- Spring Bayou2,718 acres
- Lake St. John2,100 acres
- Bonne Idee Bayou1,900 acres
- Cotile Lake1,775 acres
Bayous and rivers for channel catfish
- Bayou PlaquemineIberville Parish
- Amite RiverLivingston Parish
- Blind RiverSt. James Parish
- Tickfaw RiverSt. Helena Parish
- Pearl RiverSt. Tammany Parish
- Bogue ChittoWashington Parish
- Bayou SegnetteJefferson Parish
- Bayou Segnette WaterwayJefferson Parish
- East Bogue ChittoSt. Tammany Parish
- West Bogue ChittoSt. Tammany Parish
LDWF popular-species text on management-plan lakes, LOWA record waters, LDWF stocking releases and Get Out & Fish! sites; biggest waters first.
Louisiana neighbours of channel catfish on the list
- Blue Catfishfreshwater
- Flathead Catfishfreshwater
A photo walk along water near Channel Catfish
Photo: madame.furie, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Richard Byrd, CC BY 2.0
Photo: michael_miceli, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Jill Spence, CC BY-SA 4.0
Louisiana channel catfish: the questions anglers ask
How many channel catfish may I keep in Louisiana?
LDWF prints 100 daily in the aggregate. An angler may possess up to 25 undersized catfish of the three species combined.; Blue Catfish: 12" MLL; Channel Catfish: 11" MLL; Flathead Catfish: 14" MLL, season open year-round.
How big is the Louisiana record channel catfish?
30.31 lb, Minor’s Can./Intracoastal, 1977, by Harold W. Clubb (rod and reel).
Which Louisiana pages point to channel catfish?
Start with Atchafalaya Basin, Caddo Lake and Lake Bistineau among 50 pages.
Are channel catfish part of the LDWF hatchery work?
The tables hold 15 stocking rows, for example Purple Heart Memorial, Ragley.
Which waters change the channel catfish rule?
Caddo Lake, Sabine River and Toledo Bend Reservoir are on the exception list (1 water).
Does Louisiana close the channel catfish season?
Season as printed: Open year-round.
Which LDWF license lets me fish for channel catfish?
Louisiana anglers 18 and older carry a Basic Fishing License: $17 a year for residents and $68 for nonresidents.
Who checks a new Louisiana channel catfish record?
The Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association keeps the list; an LDWF biologist confirms the species.
Find channel catfish a short drive away
The pages above list launches and limits.