Brown Bullhead

Common Name: Brown Bullhead

Other Names: Bullhead, Hornpout, Catfish

Scientific Name: Ameiurus nebulosus

Origin: Native

Adult Size: In Maine, adult bullheads are usually about 10 inches long and weigh less than one pound. Fish up to 14 inches are occasionally caught, but fish 18 inches and larger are rare in Maine.

Identification: As the name implies, the brown bullhead is dark brown to olive green on the back, with mottled sides, and a creamy white belly. Individuals having white patches on their sides and back are common in some Maine waters. Brown bullheads have a thick rounded body, a broad, somewhat flattened head with a distinctive set of "whiskers' around the mouth called barbels. The dorsal and pectoral fins have sharp saw tooth spines at their base that can be locked in an erect position. The caudal fin is square and there is a pronounced adipose fin. They have no scales on their skin.