Knapp: Why do certain fish — carp, catfish and drum — not attract our fancy the same as others?
Winter doesn’t show much sign of loosening up its icy grip. So, it’s a good time to reflect on things.
An example is the status we give fish species. Not surprisingly, trout are high on the list, understandable given the beauty of the fish (wild ones especially), often paralleled by the surroundings in which they are caught.
Largemouth bass are well distributed — available to many anglers — and attain nice size in many of our lakes. Smallmouth bass thrive, too, particularly in our warmer flowing waters — and exhibit a fighting ability that exceeds their size.
Walleyes and panfish are noted for their quality as table fare. Due to their finicky nature, they can be challenging to catch on a consistent basis, as well. The musky and its smaller cousin the northern pike garner respect due to their toothy mouths and potential to attain considerable size.
And then there are those finny creatures that enjoy less mainstream esteem. I’m thinking of freshwater drum, carp and catfish.
I admit to a certain bias, as well, not necessarily for each species per se, but more so due to the passive bait-soaking tactics needed to consistently catch them — cats and carp in particular.
Freshwater drum, more commonly referred to as sheepshead, are a bit different. My issue with sheepshead is they tend to cause disappointment. Many a lunker smallmouth bass revealed itself to actually be a drum a minute or so after a hookset. There’s no denying the fighting ability of drum, as well as their size. Each year we catch several 10-pound-plus sheepshead on the Allegheny, fish that sometimes nearly fight themselves to death on light tackle geared toward smallmouth bass.
I guess another drum-related issue is they can be a nuisance when trying to catch other species. Most Lake Erie walleye anglers, I suspect, don’t appreciate times when sheepshead are beating walleyes to their trolled lures. And while I prefer to catch smallmouth bass on Erie, I’ve had days when hard-fighting drum were welcomed when the bass were being tight-lipped.
Carp represent an underutilized resource. Most of our local waterways harbor carp, though the species has comparatively few devotees.
Years ago, I guided a fellow from the United Kingdom on the Allegheny for smallmouth bass. Carp are a popular species in his homeland, where anglers use highly technical gear and tactics when in pursuit. While visiting the U.S. he fished several of our local waters, finding no competition from others. He was in carp heaven.
If you’re seeking catfish, you need not look far. Crooked Creek Lake, Mahoning Creek Lake, Lake Arthur and the Allegheny River all harbor strong populations of channel catfish. Yellow Creek boasts some big bullheads. Loyalhanna Lake features white catfish.
Flathead catfish are native to the Ohio River drainage and occur naturally in the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers. Unfortunately, the species has been found in many western Pennsylvania lakes, likely the result of unauthorized stockings by individuals.
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Area Fisheries Manager Tim Wilson told me recently they’ve found flathead in Pymatuning as well as other waters. I’ve caught them in Keystone Lake (power dam) and Lake Arthur. Flathead catfish are top-of-the-line predators, and should a self-sustaining population become established it could greatly upset the balance of other species.
Regardless of the species, it’s always a treat to have a tug on the end of the line.
Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle
