The catfish family is large, ranging from tiny madtoms that average less than four inches long, to bullheads, and the larger catfishes which grow to weights exceeding 100 pounds.  Catfish are easily identified by their lack of scales, stout, sharp pectoral and dorsal fin spines and "cat-like" barbels on their mouth.  Generally, catfish and bullheads are most active at night.  Nearly all catfish eat aquatic insect larvae, small crustaceans, crayfish, freshwater mussels, small fish and dead animal tissue.

 

Use the hyperlinks below to learn more about the catfish found in Arkansas.