All species have spines in the dorsal and pectoral fins that can injure a careless angler.
All three species of bullhead are popular game in Minnesota prairie regions, where bullhead are plentiful and other species are scarce. These small catfish are easy to catch and require no sophisticated equipment. They are often caught below low-head dams, where all three species may congregate in dense writhing masses. These hardy fish are also important for their use in urban ponds, where they are stocked to provide fishing for kids, the handicapped and others who have limited mobility. In many of these small, poorly oxygenated ponds, other fish cannot survive.