Wels Catfish
Silurus glanis · Siluridae
Also known as: Wels, Sheatfish, European catfish
Europe's largest freshwater fish and the reason anglers travel to the Ebro. USGS records the largest specimen at 2.73 m and 130 kg — roughly 9 feet and 287 pounds. US Fish and Wildlife classifies it as HIGH RISK for American waters.
- Typical size
- Ebro fish of 40-100 lb are the draw
- Max size
- USGS records the largest specimen at 2.73 m and 130 kg — about 9 ft and 287 lb.
- Water
- Freshwater
- Best season
- Warm months, with the spring spawning period April to June the most active.
Identification
A large, scaleless, slime-covered body with six barbels — two long ones on the upper jaw and four shorter beneath. The dorsal fin is tiny, there is a single anal spine, and the body is typically dark greenish-black with yellowish sides.
Habitat & Range
Large, slow rivers, reservoirs and warm lowland waters. In its introduced range it thrives in big dammed rivers.
USGS gives the native range as Germany eastwards through Poland, north to southern Sweden and south to southern Turkey and northern Iran, through the Baltic states and Russia to the Aral Sea. Spain is NOT in that native range — the famous Ebro fishery is an introduced population.
Diet & Feeding
A generalist predator. USFWS notes predation on prey fish and competition with other predators among the concerns behind its risk rating; its fast growth and large size make adults unlikely prey for anything else.
Spawning windowSource-verified
- Run begins
- Apr 1
- Ends
- Jun 30
- Redd temperature
- 64–72°F
USGS records mating pairs spawning April to June at 18-22C, which is 64-72F. Males and females mature at 2-3 years and 1-2 kg. Figures are for the species across its range, not for any one river.
Timing is modelled for a mid-latitude reference population — fish the thermometer, not the calendar. Based on 1 cited source.
How to Catch
This is heavy-tackle fishing: a fish that can exceed 200 lb does not come in on light gear, and a long fight in warm water is dangerous for the fish. Handle with care — the body is scaleless and slime-covered, and that slime is its defence against infection, so wet hands and a soft unhooking mat matter more here than on almost any other species. Note also that US Fish and Wildlife rates the species HIGH RISK for American waters on both invasiveness history and climate match, so it must never be moved or stocked outside its established range.
Best techniques
- Bottom fishing with heavy tackle
- Boat-based bait fishing
- Lure and clonk fishing
Lures & baits
- Large live and dead baits
- Pellet and boilie baits
- Big soft plastics
Best season: Warm months, with the spring spawning period April to June the most active.