usaustrian Posted January 14, 2013 Posted January 14, 2013 I caught this fish in the Potomac (Four Mile Run/Alexandria area) last summer, but have been struggling to identify it. Unfortunately this is the only picture I have. At first I thought it was some sort of catfish, but it was missing any significant barbels. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks, Florian Quote
Super User LgMouthGambler Posted January 14, 2013 Super User Posted January 14, 2013 Looks like the Snakeheads we have down here. What did the rest of the body look like? Quote
Super User flyfisher Posted January 14, 2013 Super User Posted January 14, 2013 Or a bowfin possibly. Quote
Matt Jungblut Posted January 14, 2013 Posted January 14, 2013 catfish he is missing his whiskers 1 Quote
Broke bass fisherman Posted January 14, 2013 Posted January 14, 2013 catfish he is missing his whiskers X2 Quote
Super User Tuckahoe Joe Posted January 15, 2013 Super User Posted January 15, 2013 Ive never fished the Potomac but I know we have a snakehead problem there. Hard to say from that picture. Maybe a description of the rest of it? Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted January 15, 2013 Global Moderator Posted January 15, 2013 It has no scales so it's not a snakehead or bowfin. 99% sure that's a channel cat, can see one of the top whiskers just to the left of the bait and it has a serious overbite which channel cats have. Quote
Super User Tuckahoe Joe Posted January 15, 2013 Super User Posted January 15, 2013 Just googled channel catfish pictures. http://www.torange.us/photo/7/13/Channel-catfish-1287747627_62.jpg That pretty much looks like what you have minus the barbels. Quote
alexczarn Posted January 15, 2013 Posted January 15, 2013 Catfish minus whiskers. I wonder why it doesn't have any whiskers? Quote
Super User Bankbeater Posted January 15, 2013 Super User Posted January 15, 2013 I'd say a cat, but I have never seen one without its whiskers. Quote
Hyrule Bass Posted January 15, 2013 Posted January 15, 2013 looks like a channel catfish to me. i catch them out of smith mountain lake often and sometimes theyre missing a whisker or two... Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted January 16, 2013 Global Moderator Posted January 16, 2013 It's possible the whiskers are just stuck under the fishes mouth. I've caught several missing most of their whiskers. Might be from rooting around in the rocks or log jams, maybe a close call with a snapping turtle or bird. Their whiskers are soft and pretty thin so it doesn't take a lot to get one torn off. Quote
usaustrian Posted January 16, 2013 Author Posted January 16, 2013 thanks for all the replies! It definitely was not a snakehead, it looked like a catfish to me as well, but then again the whole no whiskers thing kind of threw me off. But I guess if catfish with missing whiskers are not that uncommon then that's what it was. Quote
basscrusher Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 It's definitely a catfish...as for the no barbels thing, well, I live in the Potomac river area, and having seen the types who fish this area (esp 4 mile run, VERY unrban setting) I wouldn't be surprised if someone caught it and ripped off the whiskers just to torture the fish. Not a meat fisherman, who would've kept it, but some bored, punk kid. I've seen similar instances. I'm not saying this is what happened, but I wouldn't rule it out. Quote
Snakehead Whisperer Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 I agree that it's a catfish. On a side note, I have heard some rumors that there are Nile Tilapia being caught at 4 Mile Run at the outflow from the water treatment plant. There is at least one verified (check this post from the Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders for the pics.) Look at the first post by "Shawn" for the pics: https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!topic/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/MgKhUe4WvVg Quote
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