Freshwater · Warm-season nights; best June to September

Stonecat

Noturus flavus

The stonecat is a small, slender madtom catfish of rocky river riffles across Ontario, the Great Lakes and Manitoba — a nocturnal fish that hides under flat rocks by day. CAUTION: its pectoral and dorsal spines connect to venom glands and a sting is comparable to a bee sting — handle with great care, or not at all.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

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Dec

Stonecat — Photo: MAtthew Patterson/USFWS, Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

Identifying features

Small, slender catfish with a rounded, unforked tail
Pectoral and dorsal spines connected to venom glands — a sting comparable to a bee sting
Adipose fin joined to the tail as a low ridge
Pale yellow-brown body with a dark saddle behind the dorsal fin
Rarely exceeds 10 in (25 cm)

Habits

Strictly nocturnal — feeds at night, hides by day
Hides under flat rocks in riffles during daylight
CAUTION: venom glands at the pectoral and dorsal spines — a sting comparable to a bee sting; handle with great care or not at all
Eats insect larvae, crayfish and small fish picked from the rocks
Caught at night by catfish anglers fishing worms and cut bait

Distribution

Sudbury, ON · Ontario★ Primary

Winnipeg, MB · ManitobaCommon

Toronto, ON · Great LakesCommon

Québec City, QC · QuebecCommon

Minneapolis, MN · MinnesotaCommon

Milwaukee, WI · WisconsinCommon

Chicago, IL · Illinois · Indiana · OhioCommon

Saskatoon, SK · SaskatchewanOccasional

Bismarck, ND · North & South DakotaOccasional

Where to find them

Rocky riffles of Ontario tributaries after dark
Great Lakes tributary rivers in Ontario
Flat-rock runs in Manitoba and Minnesota rivers

Where they live

Rocky riffles of Ontario and Great Lakes tributary riversUnder flat rocks in fast, shallow river runsGravel runs of prairie and Minnesota rivers

How to catch them

Night bottom fishing in riffles River

Rig: Medium rod, bottom rig with worms or cut bait fished in rocky runs after dark

Bait/lure: Worms, cut bait

Key tip: Fish after full dark below riffles — and use pliers and a wet towel if you must unhook one; keep hands away from the spines.

Flat-rock drift fishing River

Rig: Light to medium rod, small hook and split shot drifted with worms through flat-rock runs at dusk

Bait/lure: Worms, crayfish pieces

Key tip: Work the seam below flat rocks at dusk, as stonecats leave their daytime hides to feed.

Best baits & lures

Worms fished on the bottom at nightSmall cut-bait piecesCrayfish pieces or tails

Techniques for Stonecat →

Baseline setup

Rod: Medium spinning rod
Line: 8-14 lb mono
Terminal: Size 2-6 hooks, bottom rigs and split shot

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 5-8 in; rarely to about 10 in

On the table

Not usually eaten — small, and the venomous spines make handling risky; most anglers release it carefully or avoid handling it altogether.

Similar species

Black BullheadBullheads are deeper-bodied lake fish; the stonecat is a small, slender river fish of rocky riffles — and it has a venom gland at its pectoral spine

Channel CatfishChannel catfish grows many times larger with a deeply forked tail; stonecat rarely exceeds 25 cm and has a 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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