Fish guide
Hardhead Catfish (hazard)
Ariopsis felis. Also called Hardhead, Sea catfish.
Bait thief and spine hazard; common June bycatch at Grand Isle (Vidrine).
Showing the fish for Louisiana coast, LA.
Season in Louisiana
Peak months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
LSU: Gulf-wide in nearshore and estuarine waters, deeper in winter, spawns May to September; hardheads are June bycatch at Grand Isle. (Our inference)
Season by region
| Space Coast | JFMAMJJASOND |
|---|---|
| Southeast Florida | JFMAMJJASOND |
| 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
On the bottom near piers, bridges and muddy bays; often thick in dirty surf.
Bottom; finds crabs, fish and shrimp with its barbels (TPWD).
What to look for
Repeated bait theft on bottom rigs.
Bait
Any natural bait (shrimp, cut fish, squid). .
Leader
Common mistakes
- Grabbing it by hand or stepping on it; the spines go through shoes (TPWD)
Landing
Swing it up or slide it in, then control it with pliers.
Handling
- Sharp, barbed dorsal and pectoral spines coated in mildly toxic slime; a puncture causes severe pain and swelling
Hold it with pliers, never by hand and never with your foot: TPWD says tennis shoes or leather soles are not enough protection. Cut the line if you cannot unhook it safely.
Keep or release
Legal to keep; seldom eaten (LSU).
Typical: About 10 in and half a pound (TPWD). Large: 2 lb or more. Texas record 3.3 lb, 19 in (1997).
Limits
FishOS has not checked the LA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries before you keep a fish.
Sources
- LSU / Louisiana Sea Grant, Louisiana Fisheries: sea (hardhead) catfish (Official source)
- Louisiana Sportsman, Patrick Bonin, June 19, 2017: live bait the ticket for Grand Isle trout (Tommy Vidrine) (Angler knowledge)
- Texas Parks and Wildlife: hardhead catfish (Arius felis) (Official source)
- Florida Museum, Florida fishes gallery: hardhead catfish (Official source)