Not to be confused with their hardheaded cousins who make every angler’s saltwater trash slam list, Florida’s freshwater catfish provide sport and delectable dining for fishermen of every sophistication and skill level.

Our freshwater cats include abundant channels, smaller whites, giant blues and various bullheads, along with the marauding flathead, a recent arrival in state waters. To direct anglers looking for some laid-back fishing, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has released its list of the top 10 catfish holes.

In no particular order, the list includes the Escambia, Apalachicola, Choctawatchee, St. Johns and Dunn’s Creek, Oklawaha, Ochlockonee, Suwannee and Santa Fe rivers, Haines Creek, along with the Clermont and Upper Kissimmee chains of lakes. A freshwater fishing license is required for moat resident and nonresident anglers over age 16.

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