Movements of Channel Catfish and Flathead Catfish in Beaver Reservoir, Northwest Arkansas

A total of 497 channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, and flathead catfish, Pylodictis olivaris. were tagged in Beaver Reservoir during two November-April tagging periods (1967-68 and 1968-69); total recaptures were 9.5 and 11.7% respectively. The longest time between tagging and recapture was 1622 days (4.4 years) for channel catfish and 494 days (1.4 years) for flathead catfish. The longest distances traveled were 43.1 km by a channel catfish and 44.3 km by a flathead catfish. Fisherman returns indicated that catfish were caught primarily from April through July. The many recaptures, even after long periods, within 1.6 km of the tagging point, suggested that fish moved little, or had homing tendencies. Captures of fish in trap nets indicated that rainfall and inflow possibly stimulated movements of channel catfish during the winter and early spring