Can anyone ID this catfish?

My daughter caught this a week ago in Missouri. Have never seen whiskers and spots on the same fish. Can anyone ID it?

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You got yourself a channel cat there. Spots go away when it gets bigger.

Was wondering that – kind of like when a fawn loses its spots as it grows up. Thx for clearing up the mystery!!

Yup, Back when I began my study of fish when I was 8 years old I consumed as much fish/fishing information I could find…back in 1968, no internet then! I learned a lot on my own. What your daughter caught there is called a ” fiddler” in some parts. Some thought it was another species but just a juvenile channel cat.

This looks similar to a channel catfish, however that depends on the size. A channel cat has spilt tale and in my opinion would be more so than this fish. The channel cat when it is small does have spots along the back and sides. The also are a more slender fish than this fish appears to be. If this fish weighs upward of 3 pounds I don’t think it is a channel catfish. The spots are pretty large for a small channel cat.The photo may be distorted in such a way auto make it hard to tell.

It’s a channel. They are so cute when they are little with the spots. Almost as cute as when they grow up and start pushing 10#.

Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) the spots are the source of the scientific name

Ictalurus punctatus

ichthys = fish (Greek) + ailouros = cat (Greek) and punctatus = spotted (Latin)

Nick

This should confirm any remaining question…

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Totally agree it’s a channel, but not on the fiddler mentioned by WS…

They are peckers.

Call ’em what you want…this is what you’re looking at when coated in Sturdiwheat Cajun fish batter and fried to perfection.

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And no invite? What’s up with that!!?