What lures work for Black Bullhead?

Bottom slip-sinker rig (bait, not a true lure): A small hook and a sliding weight fished on bottom; agencies say scent draws bites, not action or color. Bobber-and-bait rig, shallow water: An alternative to a bottom rig in shallow bays; skip it in wind, when a drifting float pulls bait off bottom. Lantern-lit night rig: Same bottom or bobber rig fished after dark under a lantern, when black bullhead feed most actively.

What bait works for Black Bullhead?

Worms or nightcrawlers: Fished on a small hook on the bottom; the standard, most consistent black bullhead bait. Chicken livers: Fished on the same bottom rig; a strong-smelling bait that draws bites through scent, not sight. Cut bait or dead minnows: Small pieces fished on bottom, effective since black bullhead scavenge dead and living prey alike.

Where do Black Bullhead hold?

Spring: Moves into shallow, mud-bottomed bays and backwaters to spawn in May or June, the best fishing window of the year. Summer: Holds in shallow, silty water with heavy cover through summer, matching its year-round mud-bottomed pond and backwater habitat. Fall: Fishing can pick back up in early fall before cooling water slows the bite again, per Washington's state agency. Winter: Appetite drops sharply and may stop entirely in cold water; Michigan's and Washington's state agencies both describe winter fishing as difficult.

How big do Black Bullhead get?

The Michigan record is 3.44 lbs from Magician Lake, Cass County in 1999. The Washington record is 1.81 lbs from Lake Cassidy, Snohomish County in 2020. The Wisconsin record is 5 lbs. 8 oz. from Big Falls Flowage, Rusk County in 1989.

Black Bullhead fishing

Black Bullhead fishing uses a Bottom slip-sinker rig (bait, not a true lure) or a Worms or nightcrawlers on 4 to 8 lb line and a light spinning rod or a simple cane pole; no special power is needed, at dusk and night. Black bullhead does not appear in this site's own state stocking records.

Ameiurus melas. Chin barbels are solid black on all sides, not the mottled yellow-brown of brown bullhead or the pale white of yellow bullhead.

By Nicolas Sartor · Last verified September 23, 2026

Common questions

What lures work for Black Bullhead?: Bottom slip-sinker rig (bait, not a true lure): A small hook and a sliding weight fished on bottom; agencies say scent draws bites, not action or color. Bobber-and-bait rig, shallow water: An alternative to a bottom rig in shallow bays; skip it in wind, when a drifting float pulls bait off bottom. Lantern-lit night rig: Same bottom or bobber rig fished after dark under a lantern, when black bullhead feed most actively.
What bait works for Black Bullhead?: Worms or nightcrawlers: Fished on a small hook on the bottom; the standard, most consistent black bullhead bait. Chicken livers: Fished on the same bottom rig; a strong-smelling bait that draws bites through scent, not sight. Cut bait or dead minnows: Small pieces fished on bottom, effective since black bullhead scavenge dead and living prey alike.
Where do Black Bullhead hold?: Spring: Moves into shallow, mud-bottomed bays and backwaters to spawn in May or June, the best fishing window of the year. Summer: Holds in shallow, silty water with heavy cover through summer, matching its year-round mud-bottomed pond and backwater habitat. Fall: Fishing can pick back up in early fall before cooling water slows the bite again, per Washington's state agency. Winter: Appetite drops sharply and may stop entirely in cold water; Michigan's and Washington's state agencies both describe winter fishing as difficult.
How big do Black Bullhead get?: The Michigan record is 3.44 lbs from Magician Lake, Cass County in 1999. The Washington record is 1.81 lbs from Lake Cassidy, Snohomish County in 2020. The Wisconsin record is 5 lbs. 8 oz. from Big Falls Flowage, Rusk County in 1989.

Identification

Chin barbels are solid black on all sides, not the mottled yellow-brown of brown bullhead or the pale white of yellow bullhead.
Square tail fin with only a small central notch and a light vertical bar at its base, not deeply forked like channel or blue catfish.
Pectoral spines lack the strong saw-like teeth found on brown bullhead's spines.
Olive to black back and sides fading to a yellow or white belly, with four pairs of barbels around the mouth.
Usually under 2 lbs and 18 inches, with an average weight closer to a half pound to a pound; fish over 4 lbs are rare.

Sources: gf.nd.gov, accessed September 23, 2026 , wdfw.wa.gov, accessed September 23, 2026 , en.wikipedia.org, accessed September 23, 2026 , dnr.illinois.gov, accessed September 23, 2026 , myodfw.com, accessed September 23, 2026

Depth by season

Season	Depth	Note
Spring	–	Moves into shallow, mud-bottomed bays and backwaters to spawn in May or June, the best fishing window of the year.
Summer	–	Holds in shallow, silty water with heavy cover through summer, matching its year-round mud-bottomed pond and backwater habitat.
Fall	–	Fishing can pick back up in early fall before cooling water slows the bite again, per Washington's state agency.
Winter	–	Appetite drops sharply and may stop entirely in cold water; Michigan's and Washington's state agencies both describe winter fishing as difficult.

Sources: dnr.illinois.gov, accessed September 23, 2026 , myodfw.com, accessed September 23, 2026 , michigan.gov, accessed September 23, 2026

Active times

dusk
night

Sources: dnr.illinois.gov, accessed September 23, 2026 , myodfw.com, accessed September 23, 2026

Top lures

Bottom slip-sinker rig (bait, not a true lure) (other ): A small hook and a sliding weight fished on bottom; agencies say scent draws bites, not action or color.
Bobber-and-bait rig, shallow water (other ): An alternative to a bottom rig in shallow bays; skip it in wind, when a drifting float pulls bait off bottom.
Lantern-lit night rig (other ): Same bottom or bobber rig fished after dark under a lantern, when black bullhead feed most actively.

Sources: dnr.state.mn.us, accessed September 23, 2026 , myodfw.com, accessed September 23, 2026

Top baits

Worms or nightcrawlers: Fished on a small hook on the bottom; the standard, most consistent black bullhead bait.
Chicken livers: Fished on the same bottom rig; a strong-smelling bait that draws bites through scent, not sight.
Cut bait or dead minnows: Small pieces fished on bottom, effective since black bullhead scavenge dead and living prey alike.

Sources: myodfw.com, accessed September 23, 2026 , michigan.gov, accessed September 23, 2026

Line & tackle

Line: 4–8 lb
Rod power: Light spinning rod or a simple cane pole; no special power is needed.
Hook sizes: Size 6 or 8 hooks, matching what Washington's and Oregon's state agencies recommend for bottom rigs.

Sources: wdfw.wa.gov, accessed September 23, 2026 , myodfw.com, accessed September 23, 2026 , gameandfishmag.com, accessed September 23, 2026

Stocked behavior

Black bullhead does not appear in this site's own state stocking records. It also isn't a species state agencies actively stock into public water: Missouri's and Virginia's pond-management guidance both list bullhead catfish among species not recommended for stocking, since they tend to overpopulate and stunt. Treat it as a wild, self-sustaining fish rather than a hatchery-released one.

Sources: mdc.mo.gov, accessed September 23, 2026 , dwr.virginia.gov, accessed September 23, 2026 , en.wikipedia.org, accessed September 23, 2026

Common mistakes

Casting artificial lures instead of bait; state agencies say bullhead hunt almost entirely by smell and taste, not sight.
Ignoring winter; Michigan's state agency notes black bullhead's appetite drops and can stop entirely in cold water.
Using a short-shanked hook; bullhead swallow bait deep, and a long-shanked hook is far easier to remove safely.

Sources: dnr.state.mn.us, accessed September 23, 2026 , michigan.gov, accessed September 23, 2026

State records

State	Weight	Angler	Water	Year
Michigan	3.44 lbs	–	Magician Lake, Cass County	1999
Washington	1.81 lbs	Cleon Conrad	Lake Cassidy, Snohomish County	2020
Wisconsin	5 lbs. 8 oz.	–	Big Falls Flowage, Rusk County	1989

Sources: Michigan's official record page , Washington's official record page , Wisconsin's official record page .