Photo Credit: outdoorsniagra.com

by WNJ Correspondent Matt McCann

There are plenty of freshwater fish in New Jersey that get a lot of attention. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are probably the main targets of most anglers. Trout fishing is also very popular, especially when the state stocks them every year. Panfish (sunfish, crappies, and perch) have a distinct following among fishermen.

Even pickerel are sought after by some, although many bass fishermen consider them a nuisance during tournaments. After that, there’s a variety of fish that are plentiful, but are just not very popular and are rarely specifically fished for. Carp, suckers, and catfish fall into that category. Among catfish, there’s an even less popular sub-species: the brown bullhead.

Brown bullheads don’t grow terribly large and they’re not majestic like trout. Quite the opposite in fact…they’re pretty ugly looking, as most catfish are. However, they are plentiful all over the state in all types of water. They have an extreme tolerance for dirty water. Bullheads can even survive in small muddy ponds that almost dry up when we don’t have enough rain. They can be caught on a variety of baits and are very fun to catch on light tackle.

Bullheads are most commonly caught on bait. They sometimes hit lures (I’ve caught them accidentally on inline spinners, spinnerbaits, and even a topwater popper once) but not very often. The best way to catch bullheads is to fish on the bottom with bait. They like night crawlers, but also go for stuff that you have in your kitchen that you probably don’t consider bait. Pieces of hot dogs, lunch meat, cheese, bread, chicken livers, corn, and lima beans make great bullhead bait. I’ve even heard that bullheads will eat a piece of ivory soap on a hook, although I’ve never personally tried this.

Tackle is pretty basic. A light to medium action spinning rod, a hook, and a few small split shot weights are all you need. They have fairly large mouths, so don’t be afraid to use a slightly larger hook than you would for panfish. Since bullheads are bottom feeders, you just cast your rig out and let it sit on the bottom. Keep watching your line. When you see it start moving away from you, set the hook quickly. If you wait too long they will swallow the hook. Bullheads put up a tough fight on light tackle, and like to roll over in the water as you reel them in. Be careful that your line doesn’t get twisted around something when they roll.

The best time to catch bullheads (or any catfish for that matter) is in the summer at dusk, night, or very early morning when they are feeding. Catching them is a relaxing and fun way to spend an evening. It’s also a good fish for kids who are just learning how to fish. So give bullhead fishing a try, and I bet you’ll respect them just a little bit more.

Photo Credit: oscarfish.com

 Matt McCann is a New Jersey native and specializes in freshwater and saltwater fishing in the Garden State.

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