page_title: Gafftopsail catfish
section_title: Weight and length
hierarchical_section_title: Gafftopsail catfish / Weight and length
caption_attribution_description: English: Weight-length relationship for gafftopsail catfish (Bagre marinus), based on data from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commision, 2008
context_page_description: The gafftopsail catfish is found in the waters of the western central Atlantic Ocean, as well as the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. It has long venomous spines which can cause painful wounds. It feeds on crustaceans and other fish. The male of the species fertilizes the eggs of the female, and broods them in his mouth until they hatch. The gafftopsail feeds throughout the water column. This fish is a common catch in the Southeastern US, although it may be found as far north as New York. They are considered strong fighters by anglers. They are taken from piers, jetties, reefs, and the surf, as well as bottom fishing or flats fishing. They are caught with hard lures as well as soft plastics, cut bait, and live or dead shrimp. Some fishermen use traps for catfish, a method regulated by some states.
context_section_description: The largest recorded weight for a gafftopsail catfish is 4.54 kg (10.0 lb) and 69 cm (27 in) in length. A more common weight and length of gafftopsails caught is 1–2 lb (450–910 g) and 12–16 in (30–41 cm).
  As gafftopsail catfish grow longer, they increase in weight, but the relationship is not linear. The relationship between total length (L, in inches) and total weight (W, in pounds) for nearly all species of fish can be expressed by an equation of the form:
  Invariably, b is close to 3.0 for all species, and the constant c varies between species.
  Data from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission indicate, for the gafftopsail catfish, c =  0.000493 and b = 3.075
  The relationship described in this section suggests a 12-inch gafftopsail catfish will weigh about one pound, while a 20-inch fish will likely weigh about five pounds.
caption: Growth chart
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