Fish guide
Gafftopsail Catfish
Bagre marinus. Also called Gafftop, Sail cat, Slime cat.
Showing the fish for Tampa Bay and Sarasota, FL.
Season in Tampa Bay
Same as southwest Florida: LSU winter move to Gulf water; FWC less common than hardhead. (Our inference)
Season by region
| Southwest Florida | JFMAMJJASOND |
|---|---|
| Tampa Bay | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Big Bend | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Panhandle | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Alabama | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Mississippi | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Louisiana | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Upper Texas | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Middle Texas | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Lower Texas | JFMAMJJASOND |
Where to find them
Bays, passes, piers and the surf from Florida to Texas; very abundant in Texas (TPWD). In winter it moves from the estuaries to warmer Gulf water (LSU).
Mostly near the bottom, but it also feeds up through the water column.
What to look for
Long fleshy filaments on the dorsal and pectoral spines (the 'sail'), two chin barbels and very long, flat barbels at the corners of the mouth; a hardhead has four chin barbels and no filaments (FWC, LSU).
Bait
Live shrimp, Small crabs, Small live pinfish. Bait on or near the bottom.
Leader
Common mistakes
- Grabbing it by hand: the spines are sharp and coated with toxic slime (TPWD)
- Holding it down with a foot
Landing
Lift or beach it and keep hands clear of the three spines.
Handling
- Hard, sharp, venomous dorsal and pectoral spines (LSU); spines coated with toxic slime (TPWD)
- Copious slime
Hold it with pliers or a towel behind the spines, unhook with pliers, or cut the line.
Keep or release
Legal to keep in the Gulf states (not prohibited as in SC). Opinions differ: FWC calls it a good food fish, LSU says fair with a slightly fishy taste, and TPWD says it is edible but hard to clean and locals usually do not eat it.
Recipes for gafftopsail catfish
Typical: 1 to 3 lb (LSU); average about 2.5 lb (TPWD). Large: Up to about 8 lb and 2 ft (LSU, TPWD); FWC gives up to 27 in and 10 lb. Texas record 13.33 lb, 34 in (1981, TPWD); Florida record 8 lb 14 oz (FWC).
Limits
FishOS has not checked the FL limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission before you keep a fish.
Sources
- LSU / Louisiana Sea Grant, Louisiana Fisheries: gafftopsail catfish (Official source)
- Florida FWC species profile: gafftopsail catfish (Official source)
- TPWD species profile: gafftopsail catfish (Official source)
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