Catfishes of South Carolina
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There are several species of catfish in South Carolina including bullheads and madtoms. The information below will focus on the four larger species that are often caught by anglers.
Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus)
Average size: 20-45 inches
Blue catfish are native to the Mississippi River Basin and were first introduced in South Carolina in 1964 when they were stocked in Lake Marion. Currently, blue catfish inhabit nearly all drainages and are present in several DNR public fishing lakes and large impoundments such as Lake Wateree, Lake Marion, and Lake Moultrie. Blue catfish prefer rivers and large creeks with moderate to swift currents over rock, gravel, or clean sandy bottoms; however, they also do well in large impoundments. In small, low-fertility river systems like the Edisto, blue catfish can have a negative effect on native species such as bullheads and redear sunfish.
Blue catfish feed on a variety of organisms including clams, snails, aquatic insects, freshwater mussels, fish, and plant material. In the Chesapeake Bay watershed where blue catfish are considered invasive, Maryland biologists noted that larger specimens primarily feed on fish.
Flathead Catfish (Pylodictus olivaris)
Average size: 15-45 inches
Flathead catfish are native to the Ohio, Mississippi, and Missouri River basins. They were first introduced to the Santee-Cooper lakes and have since become established in nearly every river and reservoir system in South Carolina. Flathead catfish primarily feed on live fish; therefore, they have negatively impacted native species such as redbreast sunfish and bullheads.
Flathead catfish prefer deep holes in slow water in medium to large rivers in areas with structures such as fallen trees, stumps, and undercut banks. In addition, flathead catfish have done well in large reser; however, growth rates tend to be slower in non-river habitats.
Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
Average size: 16 inches
Channel catfish are an important species in aquaculture in the Southeast. Therefore, there has been extensive stocking of channel catfish by state and federal agencies in South Carolina waters, especially in select farm ponds. Channel catfish are found statewide and inhabit a variety of habitat types including small to large creeks, rivers, reservoirs, and ponds over a range of substrates.
Channel catfish feed on fish, crayfish, mollusks, immature mayflies and caddisflies, and aquatic vegetation.
Yellow Bullhead (Ameirus natalis)
Average size: 6-10 inches
Yellow bullheads are present statewide and are found in a variety of habitat types but they typically are found in pools with soft bottoms of silt or accumulated leaves in small or medium-sized rivers. They are prolific breeders and can stunt sunfish populations in farm ponds due to competing for available food.
Yellow bullheads feed on crayfish, mussels, insects, fish, and fish eggs.
Source: https://www.dnr.sc.gov/freshwater.html
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