While studies show that they primarily feed on sunfish, small carp and bullheads, there are worrisome signs that they may be impacting the Susquehanna’s fragile population of smallmouth bass and other sport fish. Due to their size and aggressiveness, they are voracious eaters. Unlike other catfish, flatheads feed exclusively on live prey.
The flathead’s presence in eastern Pennsylvania is most likely the result of stock contamination of Channel catfish shipments. Native to the Lower Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins, flatheads are now widely distributed across the U.S., primarily due to intentional stocking. Females can produce up to 10,000 eggs, and the fish live as long as 28 years. Flatheads can reach a length of 61 inches and weigh up to 123 pounds (the North American record), making it the second-largest indigenous species of catfish in the lower 48 states and Canada.
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