Channel Catfish:
On May 23, 1997, the channel catfish was designated as the official fish of Missouri. The channel catfish is slender, with a deeply forked tail. Young have spots that disappear with age. The catfish does not rely on sight to find its food; instead it uses cat-like whiskers to assist in the hunt. The channel cat is the most abundant large catfish in Missouri streams. Its diet include animal and plant materials. Adults are normally 12 to 32 inches long and weigh from a half-pound to 15 pounds.
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Courtesy of State of Missouri
