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See also: Article on Catfish; Catfish Recipes
CATFISH
There are almost 2,900 species of catfish. The smallest are about 1 inch long and the largest, the European Wels (Silurus glanis), can exceed 15 feet in length and weigh over 650 pounds.
There are electric catfish, air breathing catfish, walking catfish, catfish that swim upside down, grunting (talking) catfish, transparent catfish and catfish that look like banjos.
Catfish have many external taste buds and some are located on their barbels - which means they can taste something by simply touching it with their barbels.
June 25 was proclaimed as National Catfish Day by President Ronald Reagan in 1987.
(See Official Proclamation)
The record size for a blue catfish is 124 pounds, caught in Illinois.
Belzoni, Mississippi is known as the Catfish Capital of the World.
Paris, Tennessee is home to an event that claims to be the "world's biggest fish fry." Hungry visitors will consume about 12,500 pounds of catfish during the festivities, which last for six days. The event began in 1953 and includes parades, square dances, an auto show, and, if you're lucky, a catfish race!
Library of Congress Local Legacies Project
The largest catfish ever caught was a flathead catfish that weighed 123 pounds, caught by Ken Paulie on the Withlacoochee River in Florida, May 14, 1998.
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