Freshwater · Summer through autumn; best on warm nights

Lanzhou Catfish

Silurus lanzhouensis

The icon catfish of the upper and middle Yellow River — Lanzhou and Baiyin in Gansu, Ningxia, the Inner Mongolia bend and the Shanxi-Shaanxi gorge. A big, yellowish Silurus of deep gorge pools. It is not on the national protected list, but local germplasm protected areas and closed seasons cover parts of its range: fish only outside protected zones and check local rules before fishing.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

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Aug

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Oct

Nov

Dec

Lanzhou Catfish — Photo: Tao Wang, CC BY 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons

Identifying features

Large, smooth scaleless catfish with a broad head and thick, powerful body
Two pairs of barbels: a long pair at the mouth corners and a short chin pair
Colour yellowish-brown to olive above — the 'Yellow River catfish' tone — with a pale belly
Small forward dorsal fin; long anal fin separate from the rounded tail
Build is heavier and the head broader than the common Amur catfish of the same rivers

Habits

Nocturnal bottom predator of deep, slow gorge pools and channel holes
Feeds on fish, shrimp and other river animals, hunting by taste and smell after dark
Rests by day in the deepest holes below cliffs and in gorge channels
Spawns in early summer in flowing water; local protected areas guard key spawning reaches, so fish outside protected zones

Distribution

Regional coverage expanding

Where to find them

Deep pools in the Shanxi-Shaanxi gorge
Slow holes below cliffs and bridge piers around Lanzhou and Baiyin
Confluences on the Ningxia and Inner Mongolia reaches at night

Where they live

Upper and middle Yellow RiverDeep gorge poolsLanzhou and Baiyin reaches

How to catch them

Night bottom fishing with live bait River

Rig: Heavy sliding-sinker rig, 4/0-6/0 circle hook and live bait on bottom in deep pools

Bait/lure: Live loach and small live fish; mutton pieces are the traditional local alternative

Key tip: Set up at dusk on a deep gorge pool outside any protected zone and let the fish take fully before tightening up.

Heavy ledgering at deep gorge pools River

Rig: Strong ledger rig anchored in the deepest gorge holes

Bait/lure: Large scented baits — fish chunks, liver and mutton

Key tip: Keep the bait hard on bottom in the deepest water and wait out the long gaps between takes.

Best baits & lures

Live fish and loach baitsMutton pieces — a traditional local baitChicken liver and strong-smelling baits

Techniques for Lanzhou Catfish →

Baseline setup

Rod: Heavy spinning or catfish rod
Line: 30-50 lb braid with a heavy leader
Terminal: Heavy sliding sinkers, 4/0-6/0 circle hooks

Recommended gear for this species

Rod · Best value

9' 5-weight fly rod outfit

≈ US$180-260

Covers chironomid lakes and small rivers with one setup.

Flies · Budget

Chironomid assortment (30 patterns)

≈ US$25-40

Chironomids are 60% of a lake rainbow's diet in spring.

Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.

Typical size

Common 5-15 lb; large specimens 30 lb and up

On the table

Good to excellent — a famous Yellow River speciality with tender flesh; take only fish caught legally outside protected zones.

Similar species

Amur CatfishAmur catfish is smaller, darker grey and nationwide; Lanzhou catfish is the bigger, yellowish-brown Yellow River fish of the upper and middle reaches

Southern CatfishSouthern catfish lives in southern rivers and its anal fin runs into the tail; Lanzhou catfish is a Yellow River fish with a separate rounded tail

Regulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →

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