Scott Turner of Boise with a 32-inch Channel Catfish from the Snake River, caught May 16, 2020.
Congratulations to Scott Turner of Boise, who recently set a new catch-and-release state record for channel catfish. Scott landed the 32-inch catfish on May 16, 2020 while fishing the Snake River in Canyon County. His fish was just long enough to pass the previous 31-inch record set in 2018 by James Stackhouse. As an avid catfish angler, Scott now holds catch/release records for both channel catfish and flathead catfish! While both species are found in the Snake River, flathead catfish are much less common and are typically found from Brownlee Reservoir to Swan Falls Dam.
Channel catfish are widespread throughout the Snake River, from Brownlee Reservoir upstream to Lake Walcott near Burley. Catfish also live in many lake and reservoirs, making them a great fishing opportunity for anglers across the state.
While some populations reproduce naturally, many lakes and ponds are stocked with catfish to provide consistent numbers of fish. Fishing usually turns on in late spring when waters temperatures rise above 60 degrees and catfish feed aggressively ahead of the spawning season. Catfish like much warmer water than trout, making them a good option for summertime fishing.
Additional info:
Video: How to - Catfishing on the Snake River
List of Idaho's Channel Catfish spots.
View all of Idaho's record fish and learn more about the program on our State Record Fish website.