Nutrient rich water preferred and will tolerate turbid or muddy water. Catfish lay 3-20,000 eggs averaging 3,000 eggs per pound of body weight depending on the size of the female. The eggs hatch in 5-10 days. Channel catfish will not spawn reliably without the addition of a spawning structure in the form of tubes or enclosures. Respond well to artificial feeding and are omnivorous consuming animal and plant material.
Large fish eat minnows.
Proper stocking of catfish with the addition of some forage fish normally produces good fishing within 1-2 years.