catfish!

[japlata]

Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, are North America's most numerous catfish species. They are also the most fished types of catfish, with approximately 8 million anglers in the USA targeting them per year. A member of the Ictalurus genus of American catfishes, channel catfish have a top-end size of approximately 40-50 pounds
Catfish are any of about 31 families and 2000 species of fish belonging to the order Siluriformes.
The blue cat is also referred to as: white, great blue, Mississippi cat, humpback, and its often mistaken for a channel cat. The blue cat can grow to large sizes, 30 to 50 pounds. However, the blue cat is the most capable of growing to enormous size... 185 to 250 pound blues have been documented by Mark Twain in his writings about American river life.
Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) reach a maximum size of nearly 60 pounds.
Question: Where does catfish "slime"come from?
Question: What is the audible noise that most catfish make
soon after being landed? emoScratch

 

[Guest]

I might be able to help you a little here:
Most of the time the slime comes from right off the outside of the fish.
The noise you here is the fish talking to itself saying, "why did I eat that rotten thing anyway"?

emoUpsmile

 

[japlata]

I sure am glad to hear that John, I was almost sure I was getting a good cursing>emoBigsmile

 

[EricM]

Good questions! I always thought I was being cussed, too.
The slime is the same basic protection all fish have, but since they dont't have scales, catfish produce a lot more of it so it's very obvious. As for the sounds, my guess only, since cats can expell air to adjust their bouyancy (you notice this with big cats as they come up) I have assumed that this is what they are doing. The big blues don't seem to make the noise, but the smaller ones really like to "talk" to you. It may be that the big fish have a chance to expell the air during a longer fight, while the smaller ones are brought up immediately. I have had an occasional big cat "burp" in the boat, but almost never grunt like the small fish. I'd love to know the reasons for it if I'm not entirely correct. Any other ideas?