Fish guide
Hardhead Catfish (hazard)
Ariopsis felis. Also called Hardhead, Sea catfish.
Notorious bait thieves at well-fished piers and bridges (TPWD).
Showing the fish for Upper Texas coast, Galveston.
Season in Upper Texas
Peak months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
TPWD: large numbers in bay and Gulf waters, notorious bait thieves at well-fished piers and bridges; LSU seasonal pattern. (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; not very tasty and hard to clean (TPWD).
Typical: About 10 in, half a pound (TPWD). Large: 2 lb or more (TPWD). Texas record 3.3 lb, 19 in (1997).
Limits
FishOS has not checked the TX limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department before you keep a fish.
Sources
- TPWD species profile: hardhead catfish (Official source)
- LSU / Louisiana Sea Grant, Louisiana Fisheries: sea (hardhead) catfish (Official source)
- Texas Parks and Wildlife: hardhead catfish (Arius felis) (Official source)
- Florida Museum, Florida fishes gallery: hardhead catfish (Official source)