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Channel Catfish Native

🔬 Ictalurus punctatus

Bottom feeder active at night. Stocked in many Michigan lakes.

1-5 lbs, 12-22 inches
Typical size
40 lbs 0 oz
Michigan record
Summer
Best season
204
Listed lakes

Full stocking history & restocking forecasts with Fishing+

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🏆 Michigan record 40 lbs 0 oz ·James Miller ·Lake Erie ·Monroe County ·1943 All records →

📅 Best Times to Fish Channel Catfish

Jan
None
Feb
None
Mar
Fair
Apr
Good
May
Excellent
Jun
Excellent
Jul
Excellent
Aug
Excellent
Sep
Excellent
Oct
Good
Nov
Fair
Dec
None

🛡 Channel Catfish Conservation Status

Native Channel Catfish is native to Michigan waters. Stocked widely across Michigan. Numbers are strong in managed lakes and rivers. The daily bag limit is 10.

🌿 Channel Catfish Habitat & Behavior

Stocked in many Michigan lakes and slow-moving rivers. Bottom dweller preferring soft mud or sand. DNR records show Channel Catfish present in 204 Michigan water bodies. Highest stocking activity on record is in Washtenaw, Clinton and Calhoun counties. Bite activity rates Good or better in Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep and Oct.

🎣 Best Channel Catfish Techniques

Chicken liver, stink bait, night crawlers on bottom

🪱 Best Channel Catfish Baits

Night crawlers, chicken liver, cut shad, stink bait, blood bait

📋 Channel Catfish Fishing Regulations in Michigan

10
Daily limit
20
Possession limit
Year-round
Season

Most active during warm months (June–September). Night fishing with cut bait or chicken liver is highly effective.

⚠️ Regulations shown are general statewide guidelines for 2025. Rules vary by water body and change annually. Always verify current regulations in the official Michigan DNR Fishing Guide before you fish.

🌊 Where to Catch Channel Catfish in Michigan

Lake County Population
40th Street Pond St. Clair Good
Alma Impoundment Gratiot Good
Argo Pond Good
Au Sable River Iosco Good
Austin Lake Kalamazoo Good
Bad River Saginaw Good
Barton Pond Good
Battle Creek River Calhoun Good
Bear Lake
3,350 acres
 Manistee Good
Belleville (Edison) Lake Good
Belleville Lake Wayne Good
Bertha Lake Good
Big Twin Lake
210 acres
 Wexford Good
Big Whitefish Lake Montcalm Good
Black River Mackinac Good
Black River St. Clair Good
Brace Lakes Good
Brooks Lake Good
C. S. Mott Lake Genesee Good
Campau Lake Kent Good
Michigan Fishing DNR Stocking Record Verified Data
SpeciesChannel Catfish
Quantity4,767 fish
StockedJun 22, 2023
Size at stocking9.2"
Lake Palmer Lake, St. Joseph Co.

📋 Channel Catfish Stocking Events by Lake

Date Lake County Quantity Size
13 more recent stocking events available with Fishing+
See what's been stocked recently, including lake, quantity, and size.
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Nov 15, 2024 Searles Lake 100 5.0"
Jun 18, 2024 Lewis Emery Park Ponds 35 4.7"
Jun 18, 2024 Lewis Emery Park Ponds 220 4.7"
Jun 18, 2024 Lake Interstate 420 4.7"
Jun 18, 2024 Lake Delta (Erickson Pond) 896 4.7"
Jun 18, 2024 Lake Ovid Clinton 8,258 4.7"
Jun 18, 2024 Sand Lake #1 Grand Traverse 1,546 4.7"
Jun 18, 2024 Sturgeon Lake St. Joseph 3,759 4.7"
Jun 18, 2024 Tippy Dam Pond 7,501 4.7"
Jun 18, 2024 Hall Lake 691 4.7"
Jun 18, 2024 Campau Lake Kent 2,500 4.7"
Jun 22, 2023 Palmer Lake St. Joseph 4,767 9.2"
Most valuable for Channel Catfish anglers
See where Channel Catfish will be stocked next
Full stocking history across all 133 lakes, plus a forecast of which waters are due for restocking this season.
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See which Michigan lakes are likely to be stocked with Channel Catfish next — view the stocking forecast →

📋 Quick Channel Catfish Facts

🔗 Resources

🐟 All Fish Species 🎣 MDNR Sport Fishing 🔬 MDNR Fish ID Guide 🪪 Buy a Michigan Fishing License 🎣 Log a catch

💡 Angler Tips for Channel Catfish

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