Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus

Identification
This catfish has a blue gray body and a deeply forked tail.

Location
Increasing

Size
5 to 80 pounds

Diet
It feeds on fish and crustaceans.

Habitat
It occurs in the Ohio River.

Activity Period
Year round

Behavior
It prefers deep fast rivers. It is active year round.

Lifecycle
Breeding occurs in summer.

Population
The population is increasing.

History
It has expanded in recent decades.

Human Interactions
It is valued for its size.

Facts
It can reach very large sizes.

Sources
ODNR academic sources

Fish crustaceans | Large rivers reservoirs | Southern Ohio