Channel Catfish Stocking 2026
The community-pond staple: catchable size, summer plants, close to home.
14
states stocking
627
waters
781
stockings 2026
878,149
fish reported
Where they go in
Only waters we can place with confidence appear on the map; every stocking is in its state's tables.
When they go in
Channel catfish stockings by month, 2026.
Jan
·
Feb
1
Mar
25
Apr
36
May
60
Jun
145
Jul
22
Aug
102
Sep
105
Oct
27
Nov
·
Dec
·
By state
| State | Stockings | Waters |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | 164 | 150 |
| Florida | 103 | 98 |
| Arkansas | 84 | 47 |
| New Mexico | 83 | 31 |
| North Carolina | 73 | 73 |
| West Virginia | 63 | 58 |
| Pennsylvania | 61 | 48 |
| South Dakota | 46 | 37 |
| Tennessee | 39 | 32 |
| Utah | 27 | 22 |
| North Dakota | 21 | 21 |
| Nevada | 15 | 8 |
| Louisiana | 1 | 1 |
| Michigan | 1 | 1 |
Most-stocked waters
| Water | State | Stockings |
|---|---|---|
| CONSERVANCY PARK LAKE (aka Tingley Beach | NM | 5 |
| Memorial Pond | SD | 4 |
| Lake Van | NM | 4 |
| Crooked Creek Lake | PA | 3 |
| Mahoning Creek Lake | PA | 3 |
| Capitol | SD | 3 |
| Roosevelt | SD | 3 |
| Bataan Lake | NM | 3 |
| Berrendo Creek | NM | 3 |
| Bosque Redondo | NM | 3 |
| Carrizozo Recreation Lake | NM | 3 |
| Chaparral Park Lake | NM | 3 |
State records
The heaviest channel catfish each state has ever certified, where the agency publishes a record book.
| State | Weight | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 46.70 | Pond (Wayne County) | 2024 |
| New Mexico | 36lb. 8oz. | Stubblefield Lake | 1999 |
| Oregon | 36 lb 8 oz | McKay Reservoir | 1980 |
| Texas | 36.50 | Pedernales River | 1965 |
| Pennsylvania | 35 lb. 3 oz. | Lehigh Canal | 1991 |
| Virginia | 31 lbs. 8 oz. | Rappahannock River | 1992 |
| Maryland | 29.6 lbs. | Mattawoman Creek | 1997 |
| North Carolina | 27 lbs, 7 oz | Local farm pond | 2023 |
| Massachusetts | 26 lbs 8 oz | Ashfield Lake, Ashfield | 1989 |
Counts come from the state agencies' own stocking publications,
compiled by StockingMap. Species naming follows each agency's
wording; hybrids and strains are kept where the agency reports
them.