Species profile
Brown Bullhead
Ameiurus nebulosus
Identify Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) from a photo — free, unlimited, no sign-up — with the CatchRules iPhone app. Plus current fishing rules across 15 jurisdictions.
At a glance
Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 19 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
The strictest bag limit is 10 (Michigan); the most generous is 100 (Missouri).
Confirmed by 3,842 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Ontario, Quebec, and New York the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Its mottled, dark-spotted chin barbels are the quickest way to tell it apart from the yellow bullhead.
- Thrives in severely polluted, low-oxygen water that would kill most other fish.
- Both parents guard the nest aggressively; the male fans the eggs with his tail to oxygenate them.
- Hunts nocturnally, using chemoreceptors on its barbels to find worms, insects, and small fish.
- Can live up to 9 years and occasionally exceeds 18 inches in large, productive lakes.
Where Brown Bullhead are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Brown Bullhead
Background
The brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) is a fish of the Ictaluridae family that is widely distributed in North America. It is a species of bullhead catfish and is similar to the black bullhead (Ameiurus melas) and yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis). It was originally described as Pimelodus nebulosus by Charles Alexandre Lesueur in 1819, and is also referred to as Ictalurus nebulosus.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Brown Bullhead article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Frequently asked questions
What is Brown Bullhead?
Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 19 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
What is the scientific name for Brown Bullhead?
Brown Bullhead is Ameiurus nebulosus.
Is Brown Bullhead regulated for fishing?
Yes — Brown Bullhead has fishing regulations in 15 U.S. states and/or Canadian provinces tracked by CatchRules. See the "Jurisdictions with rules" section above for the binding-source links.
How can I identify Brown Bullhead?
Take a photo with the free CatchRules iPhone app — on-device identification recognizes Brown Bullhead along with ~1,500 other species. No sign-up, unlimited use.
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.