Catfish

Scaleless, whiskered and led by smell, catfish hunt where nothing else can see. These are the fish of the night, of coloured water and of deep holes.

21 species documented

Their barbels are sensory organs: they pick up vibration and chemical traces in the water, which lets them find prey in total darkness. Two consequences follow directly for the angler — night often beats day, and a bait that smells strongly carries further than one that flashes.

The wels catfish, present across much of Europe, reaches sizes that demand dedicated tackle. Powerful rods, heavy braid, strong-wire hooks: under-gunning here does not lose you a fish, it leaves a fish swimming away with a rig in its jaw.

They hold in deep pools, around the foundations of structures and in cluttered ground, often several to a single hole. Finding that hole is most of the work; once located, it produces season after season.