Gafftopsail Catfish
AKA: Sail Cat / Schooner-Rig Catfish / Joe Cat Family: Tooth And Spine
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Gafftopsail Catfish Specifications
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| Water: Salt/Coastal Waters |
Where: Surf / Inshore / Rivers And Streams |
| Size: Most common at a pound up to 4 pounds, lunkers can tip the scales at up to 8 pounds. |
| Fight: Good fighter, much better than his cousin the Hardhead, the Sail Cat has much more stamina and strength. |
| Deliciousness: Very Good |
| Range: Both Coasts |
Technique: Drifting / Still Fishing / Casting |
| Baits: Shrimp / Baitfish / Squid / Lures |
Tackle: Spinning / Baitcasting |
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The Gafftopsail Catfish is characterized by a grey to silvery or darker upper body with a white to silvery underside. His head is somewhat flattened and stretched forward, at the corners of his mouth, are log "whiskers" with a pair of barbels under his chin. His body is coated with a sludgey bacterial slime, as are his dorsal and pectoral fins, which have long streamers flowing from the tips, and when poked by them, the slime "venom" will enter the wound and make for a painful experience.
These fish are found in all near shore and inshore waters, prefering the later, roaming open and soft bottoms, but also ventures further from shore than his cousin and is found in greater numbers along the coast than the Hardhead as well.
Live and dead shrimp as well as cutbait are the best natural baits, while the occasional topwater plug may work when targeting with artificials.
 Fishing Reports Featuring Gafftopsail Catfish
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Fishing Reports
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