Bullhead Catfish in Oregon
The Oregon rules and waters for bullhead catfish.
- no bag capbag
- 3 lb 7 ozrecord
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bullhead catfish by the Oregon numbers
ODFW sets bullhead catfish rules through the "Bluegill, Catfish, Crappie, Other Sunfish, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Striped Bass, Sucker, No." row of each zone table. The first table, Northwest Zone, puts it this way: No limit.
In 2001, Bob Judkins brought the record 3 lb 7 oz out of Henry Hagg Lake. Henry Hagg Lake head a list of 1 Oregon waters with it.
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| Zone | Row as printed | Bag and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Zone | Bluegill, Catfish, Crappie, Other Sunfish, Walleye, Yellow P. | No limit. | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: (including tidewaters and bays): Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons, except tidewater. |
| Southwest Zone | Bluegill, Catfish, Crappie, Other Sunfish, Walleye, Yellow P. | No limit. | Lakes: Open all year. Streams (including tidewaters and bays): Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons. |
| Willamette Zone | Bluegill, Catfish, Crappie, Other Sunfish, Walleye, Yellow P. | No limit, unless noted under Exceptions. | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons, except mainstem Willamette River and sloughs and. |
| Central Zone | Bluegill, Catfish, Crappie, Other Sunfish, Walleye, Yellow P. | No limit. | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons only, except portions of Columbia River tributaries. |
| Northeast Zone | Bluegill, Catfish, Crappie, Other Sunfish, Walleye, Yellow P. | No limit. | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons only, except portions of Columbia River tributaries. |
| Southeast Zone | Bluegill, Catfish, Crappie, Other Sunfish, Walleye, and Yell. | No limit. | Lakes and Reservoirs: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout season. |
| Snake River Zone | Bluegill, Catfish, Crappie, Other Sunfish, Walleye, Yellow P. | No limit. | Open all year. |
| Columbia River Zone | Bass, Striped Bass, Bluegill, Catfish, Crappie, other Sunfis. | No limit. | Open all year. |
Limits as printed in the 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (ODFW, eRegulations edition) (eRegulations), read November 2, 2026.
The Oregon record bullhead catfish
| Listed as | Weight | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish, Bullhead | 3 lb 7 oz | Bob Judkins | Henry Hagg Lake | 2001 |
Oregon record fish as listed by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (record fish article, dated March 4, 2026), read November 2, 2026.
Oregon pages naming bullhead catfish
Oregon lakes worth a try for bullhead catfish
- Henry Hagg Lake1,086 acres
ODFW Fish Habitat Distribution layers (ODFW ArcGIS), read November 2, 2026; a mapped species is habitat use ODFW records, not a catch report.
Oregon fish close to bullhead catfish
- Black Crappiefreshwater
- Bluegillfreshwater
- Channel Catfishfreshwater
- Flathead Catfishfreshwater
- Green Sunfishfreshwater
- Hybrid White Bassfreshwater
- Largemouth Bassfreshwater
- Pumpkinseed Sunfishfreshwater
- Redear Sunfishfreshwater
- Sacramento Perchfreshwater
- White Catfishfreshwater
Basalt, timber and water around Bullhead Catfish on camera
Photo: Rick Obst, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Allan Erickson, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Bonnie Moreland, Public domain
Photo: Bonnie Moreland, Public domain
Answers on bullhead catfish from the Oregon booklet
How many bullhead catfish may I keep in Oregon?
In the Northwest Zone: No limit. Other zones print their own rows.
Which fish tops the ODFW list for bullhead catfish?
The record is 3 lb 7 oz, set in 2001 by Bob Judkins on Henry Hagg Lake.
Where do bullhead catfish live in Oregon?
Try Henry Hagg Lake, out of 1 pages.
Does Oregon list bullhead catfish exceptions?
The exceptions leave it alone.
Does Oregon close bullhead catfish?
ODFW prints for the Northwest Zone: Lakes: Open all year. Streams: (including tidewaters and bays): Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons, except tidewater areas of Columbia. Check MyODFW for in-season updates.
Which Oregon license covers bullhead catfish?
An Oregon angling license ($50 resident, $138 nonresident for 2026) covers anglers 12 and older; salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and halibut go on a Combined Angling Tag ($69 resident).
How do I claim an Oregon bullhead catfish record?
ODFW keeps the list; its record fish article explains how to submit a claim.
Which ODFW name covers bullhead catfish?
Booklet and record list use Catfish, Bullhead and Bullhead Catfish.
Chase bullhead catfish on Oregon water
Open a lake, river or bay above for launches and rules.