The channel catfish and brown bullhead are members of the Ictaluridae, or catfish family. These fish are readily distinguished by their scaleless bodies, broad flat heads, sharp heavy pectoral and dorsal spines, and long whisker-like barbels about the mouth. Members of the catfish family are all more or less omnivorous, feeding on all sorts of plant and animal matter. They are also mostly nocturnal, and use their barbels to locate food in the dark recesses of deep water.

One of the most fascinating Great Lakes inhabitants is the channel catfish. This species of fish appears to have lived in North America for at least 3000 years. They are presently found in all the Great Lakes except Lake Superior.

In the late spring or early summer, the male channel cat builds a nest in underwater holes, logs or among submerged rocks. The eggs hatch in 5-10 days following spawning, and the youngsters grow quite rapidly. Young catfish eat mostly insect, crayfish, other fish and even tree seeds. In turn, small catfish are probably eaten by many other fish.

Sexual maturity comes at five to eight years of age, but these fish live a great deal longer, some as long as 25 years. In the Great Lakes, this advanced age can be accompanied by a body size of 30 pounds. At such a large size, adult channel cats probably have no predators except man.