School of baby catfish

Black cloud, or swarm, or blob of baby catfish

[@johnwattdotca]

When I was snorkeling in Lake Erie, close to the shore, I decided to take a rest and sit. Small silver fish swam around me, and they were so dense all I could see was a wall of spinning silver.

[@thefishylife6823]

Wow I'm so impressed with the water quality and that sand substrate!!! It looks absolutely gorgeous and that clarity is beautiful

[@christrouten9606]

Thanks! It's a really beautiful little body of water.

[@tbirdracefan]

Had them in my pond a couple of times last year. Thought they were minnows at first. when I realized they were catfish, I took a bunch to my neighbors pond.

[@kevindandridge6405]

Would’ve been so sad to see a pair of bass swimming in the back lmao

[@madjeffry933]

They are Bullheads. I actually like to eat them on the bone. They are a bit firmer then regular catfish. Remove skin, chop head, remove guts, and throw in a skillet. Good pile of butter, some salt, and some pepper. Its not for everyone ,but I like them.

[@michaelsiengo1]

Yep I have personally seen this in the spring time

[@turboman4736]

Wow that was so cool to see them tiny little catfish

[@eligebrown8998]

Ive caught and raised baby catfish befor. Its fun.

[@thomasflores7817]

Seen those at my local regional park a few years ago. Now little bullheads seem be a common catch whenever theyre not stocking the park ponds.

[@marcusbullock630]

thats bad news, bullheads ruin smaller lakes by basically eating everything causing everything to stunt due to lack of protein

[@thomasflores7817]

@@marcusbullock630 well then, in that case maybe I’ll stop throwing them back. I’ll keep a limit. They aren’t good to eat, idk what to do with them. Buy an aquarium? I could use them for compost?

[@robertpearson8798]

@@thomasflores7817 They’re delicious.

[@nakomtsuu8433]

the title got me.

[@tbirdracefan]

Several commenters mentioned that these are bullhead catfish and one person said channel cats care for their young for a long time. That explains why I saw this swarm the same year that I stocked my pond with fish. All the info I read said the channel cats dont reproduce till after at least a year. The pond was new but somehow I got some bullheads in it.

[@marcusbullock630]

a flood probably brought them there. during winter bullheads leave the water and estivate under debris. they can actually populate a vernal pool and survive after it dries if the water table is close enough and it never goes bone dry

[@jackyhallmark3094]

Water birds move fish from place to place

[@dorothytrouten1525]

That was very cool!

[@jojocnl]

Wow.. awesome.... nice to meet you.. success

[@deanmentjes7774]

Cool video! I have seen similar clouds of baby bullheads, which are close relatives of catfish.

[@65FullMoon83]

Bullheads are Catfish. Hence the name "Bullhead Catfish."

[@eligebrown8998]

Bullheads are catfish

[@jwloutdoors3062]

Nice shot buddy good video quality

[@ianstennes61]

I’ve caught 2 that size.

[@bertonyates238]

Wow! Thats really cool.

[@christrouten9606]

Thanks for the comment. I was fascinated the first time I saw this.

[@jackyhallmark3094]

I have seen them like that a few times. I think all of them I have seen were mudcats or bullheads

[@fishingnightnday]

What kind were they? I couldn't tell.

[@walterhillman2231]

Muscats !

[@jeremyehr9529]

Awhh, little kitten fish

[@Cxribe]

Where is this place located?

[@christrouten9606]

This is in Southern Idaho.

[@gradenb9734]

I think it’s bullhead

[@hunnedmillion]

i wonder how many of em survive to be adults

[@adriangarciafishing7498]

What Lake or river is that. That's very cool

[@christrouten9606]

A pond in Idaho called cove arm.

[@adriangarciafishing7498]

@@christrouten9606 way cool I see those clouds of baby channel catfish at Hauser lake Idaho

[@adriangarciafishing7498]

@@christrouten9606 By Bruneau? On the Snake River?

[@christrouten9606]

@@adriangarciafishing7498 That's the one.

[@adriangarciafishing7498]

@@christrouten9606 I Google mapped it lol but how cool that cove off the river. Just a little to far for me I'm Spokane washington

[@damonmckinney8605]

They are baby bullheads

[@TristanGlasgow]

i saw this once i casted on it with a frog and caught a 2 pound bass

[@joshcross2831]

All that just for 2 lbs

[@marcusbullock630]

@@joshcross2831 a 2 lb bass is actually an okay specimen. and by 'frog' he meant a topwater lure, not a live frog. 1/3 of a largemouth bass' body is its giant head and it's hollow. if you played less videogames and got sunlight more often maybe you'd know these things lolol

[@aaronfiddy4260]

What catfish r they ??

[@christrouten9606]

Many have suggested that they are bullheads. I have no reason to doubt this.

[@isaiahgere9283]

Those are Catfishes? I have never seen them look like this. I own a huge African catfish farm. And they don’t behave like these They don’t move like that, they don’t look like that and they certainly don’t cluster like that although they like to move around in circles😀

[@marcusbullock630]

these are american catfish in the genus ictalurus, probably black bullheads as channel and blue catfish actually care for their young for quite some time.

[@danielobriot3116]

Bull heads