Big Muddy Speaker Series presents:
Big Muddy Catfish
If there's one fish that people think of when they think of the Missouri River it's gotta be the catfish. Which is actually three different species - blue, flathead and channel. Since the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) closed the commercial catfishery on the Missouri River in 1992, populations of trophy fish have taken off. And so has recreational trophy fishing with catfish tournaments exploding across the state. Recent state records have been set on the Missouri River for blue and flathead catfish.
Joe McMullen, the Big River Specialist for MDC, will join us to give a history of catfishing on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, share some of the life history of these massive bottom-feeders and give an update on what biologists continue to learn about catfish populations on our big rivers.
Biologists collect data on Missouri River blue catfish. Photo courtesy of MDC.
Meet Your Presenter
Joe McMullen
, the Big River Specialist for MDC
Related Presentations
Resources & Links
Dig deeper for more info on this topic
- MDC portals for blue, flathead and channel cats.
- VIDEO - "Missouri Record Fish Stories - Flathead Catfish" - video produced by the Documentary Group for MDC.
- VIDEO - "Missouri Record Fish Stories - Blue Catfish" - video produced by the Documentary Group for MDC.
- Kansas City Catfish - organization hosts many huge tournaments on the Missouri River.
- ARTICLE - "Catching Big River Blues" by Danny Brown, Missouri Conservationist, June 2, 2006.
- ARTICLE - "Large catfish return to Missouri - Record blue is a product of MDC changes" - by Spencer Turner, Columbia Tribune - August 2, 2010.
- "Managing Missouri's Catfish - A statewide management plan" - MDC plan published in 2003 (41 pp).
- "Missouri Commercial Fish Harvest Report 2000-2012" - MDC report (58 pp).
- Missouri State Fish Records
The Big Muddy Speaker Series in Rocheport
is hosted by these wonderful partners.
Click here for a list of upcoming presentations»
Special thanks to Les Bourgeois Vineyards for giving us the opportunity to use their beautiful space overlooking the Missouri River. All speakers are presenting for free! Thank you all for sharing your knowledge with us!
The Big Muddy Speaker Series also takes place monthly in Kansas City and St. Charles.
The Big Muddy Speaker Series is partially funded by the Mo. Dept. of Conservation.
Upcoming Presentations
Leave No Trace Training on the Barge
October 14, 2026St. Louis, MO
Join us for a special Big Muddy Speaker Series on the Living Lands & Waters Barge where Perry Whitaker will lead us in a Leave No Trace Training.
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Missouri River Relief: 25 Years on the Big Muddy
November 10, 2026Columbia, MO
Join us for a journey through time celebrating 25 years of Missouri River Relief's work on the Big Muddy.
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Plastic Pollution, Gulf Hypoxia, and Water Quality
November 11, 2026St Charles, MO
Jennifer Wendt from MidAmerica Clean Future guides us through understanding regional water quality challenges.
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