Gafftopsail Catfish

At a glance

Gafftopsail Catfish (Bagre marinus) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species with specific harvest rules tracked in 1 of 66 jurisdictions covered by CatchRules.

Confirmed by 1,672 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Florida, Texas, and Alabama the top jurisdictions by observation count.

Notable details

• Male Gafftopsail Catfish incubate eggs in their mouths for about 60 days, eating nothing during that time.
• Their eggs are unusually large — up to 1 inch in diameter — among the biggest of any North American fish.
• Sharp, serrated spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins can inflict painful wounds on anglers.
• They tolerate a wide salinity range, roaming freely from freshwater rivers to open coastal waters.
• Adults commonly reach 2 feet in length and can weigh over 8 pounds.

Where Gafftopsail Catfish are seen

• Florida685 iNat obs
• Texas663 iNat obs
• Alabama93 iNat obs
• Louisiana89 iNat obs
• Mississippi73 iNat obs
• Georgia41 iNat obs

Jurisdictions with rules for Gafftopsail Catfish

• TexasUnited States · official source

Background

The gafftopsail catfish is a species of marine catfish found in the waters of the western central Atlantic Ocean, as well as the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. It has long, venomous spines which can cause painful wounds. It feeds on crustaceans and other fish. The male of the species fertilizes the eggs of the female, and broods them in his mouth until they hatch. The gafftopsail feeds…

Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Gafftopsail Catfish article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.

Other bony fish on CatchRules

• BluegillLepomis macrochirus
• European CarpCyprinus carpio
• Brown TroutSalmo trutta
• Eastern MosquitofishGambusia holbrooki