channel cats

[nitefisher]

i have caught 100's of channel cats in my life but the last couple years i have caught about 10 to 15 of them that were black even there lips, is this some kind of high breed channel cat or a cross with something.? any answere would be nice thanks for any help.

[hanson]

Black like this one?

I've even seen them blacker than that.

So no cross breed, just a real cool looking channel cat!

[rushing]

hahaha any excuse to show off your nice channel huh hanson?

[hanson]

Well...

Plenty of fishing to do still but I haven't broke that 11lb weight for a channel cat yet this year. 1 trip up to the Red and that will change like that! Fisher Dave has got a few nice channels lately that were pretty dark as well.

[nitefisher]

yep just like that one, sep like you said they get blacker because mine was even the inside of the mouth was black like the body. i fish the chippewa north of benson and have caught several channels in the 14# range by the bridges on gravel roads.yesterday i got one that was 15 1/2 lbs solid black.

[fiskyknut]

What confidence in your Red river prowess Chris!!! I like our little Red river pinkish piggies, they are so cute! Do see a blackish one now and again too, male spawning colours is the general concenses. I'm still hoping to get out to the Red in the next couple of weeks. Water was falling nicely at Drayton according too USGS guaging station, almost low enough to go but now she's a rising again......Bummer, darned rain.

fiskyknut

[Guest]

The black channel cats this time of year are males.. they tend to get very dark before spawning.. the females usually get more colorful, or go into a lighter color phase.

The 15# channel I got recently with hanson was a female, but it was so dark the colors didnt show. I Da Man got a 14 recently that was about as black as they come, minutes later I got a 10# female that was in the light color phase.

Its similar to fathead minnows.. right now the males are getting really black witht he big block heads, and the females look like fat glorified crappie minnows.

[nitefisher]

thanks for all the replys you guys it was very helpful.you all have a great openner and be safe.

ps leave some of them flats for me i will be to the minnesota soon,generally from granite to fairfax thanks again.

[mplspug]

The flathead I caught the other day was very dark too! He wasn't as olive as they usually look. When he broke surface, I thought for a second it was a channel, but I saw the tail when he turned. Do the males flats go through the same color changes? I know they are a ways off from spawning yet.

[rushing]

I have heard with flats that their colors can change a bit with the amount of oxygen in their system. I would also think the water temps might play a role in coloration.

[Dennis Steele]

I agree that coloration can depend on the gender of the fish.

The males will become darker and get two "humps" and each side of their heads. Their mouths will also become somewhat mishapen.

I also believe that coloration can depend on the areas that they inhabit. Sunlight and oxygen and even bottom content can play a role in the coloration of both species.

Fish that spend time in shallower water will turn darker.

It was proved to my by watching one flathead in the creek I collect bait in. (The same fish mentioned in the Cat Insider article).

This fish spent its entire summer in less than 3 feet of water. Mostly in full sunlight. At the beggining of the year, it was your standard yellow brown. When I finaly took him back to the main river in October, he was almost completely black. I guess he worked on his tan all summer!