Discover the Official State Fish of Missouri And Where to Spot It This Summer

Quick Take

• Missouri's state fish wasn't chosen for its looks or cultural legacy, and the actual reason it earned the designation surprises most people. See why it was chosen →
• If you want to spot Missouri's state fish this summer, you'll need to know one key behavior that determines exactly when and where it shows up. Most anglers overlook it. Find them this summer →
• When it comes to raising young, this fish flips the typical parenting script in a way you wouldn't expect. Discover their parenting behavior →
• Missouri actually recognizes two separate official water creatures, and the distinction between them reveals something fascinating about the state's rivers. Meet Missouri's other official creature →

Kentucky is widely credited with igniting the trend of adopting animals as official state symbols, designating the Northern cardinal as the official state bird of Kentucky in 1926. Before 1926, states primarily designated botanical and civic symbols, such as flowers and state seals. However, on the heels of Kentucky’s legislation, numerous states adopted the practice, and in 1927, the Missouri General Assembly declared the Eastern bluebird as the state’s official bird. In the intervening years, Missouri has designated 10 more animals to represent the state, including an official state fish. Continue reading to discover which fish species was chosen to represent the Show Me State.

What is the Official State Fish of Missouri?

The channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) was officially designated as the state fish of Missouri on May 23, 1997. This fish was chosen because it is the most abundant large catfish species in Missouri. The channel cat is a popular sport fish that is also renowned for its delicious meat.

Where Can You Find Channel Catfish in Missouri?

The channel catfish is Missouri’s most widely distributed and abundant large catfish species. They are found throughout the state but are especially prevalent in the streams of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.

Channel catfish are a hardy species that thrives in turbid streams with moderate or low gradients. Juvenile channel catfish are most often found in riffles or shallow pools. However, adults spend their days hiding around submerged logs, drift piles, and in deep water. At night, mature channel catfish take to the shallows in search of food.

Channel catfish are nocturnal and do most of their hunting at night in shallow water. They use their sensitive barbels (whiskers) to navigate and to find food. Channel catfish are omnivores whose diet consists of:

• Fish
• Insects
• Crayfish
• Mollusks
• Plant matter

Channel Catfish Lifecycle

When water temperatures reach around 75 degrees Fahrenheit in the spring, male channel catfish select and prepare a nesting site, typically in secluded and dark areas. Females do not participate in nest selection or care for the eggs and juveniles. After the female channel catfish deposits the eggs in the nest, her work is done. Males take on the parental role and guard the fry until they leave the nest.

Channel catfish have an average lifespan of 6 to 7 years, with some individuals living more than 10 years.

How Big was the Largest Channel Catfish Ever Caught in Missouri?

The largest channel catfish ever caught in Missouri weighed 34 pounds and 10 ounces. Caught in 1976 by Gerald Siebenmorgen on Lake Jacomo, near Kansas City, Missouri. As of 2026, this record still stands.

Missouri’s Official State Aquatic Animal

In 1997, the same year the channel catfish was named the official state fish, Missouri designated the paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) as its official state aquatic animal. Paddlefish favor the same slow-flowing waters of the Missouri, Osage, and Mississippi rivers as the channel cats. Once abundant in river systems throughout the central U.S., paddlefish populations declined historically due to overfishing and river modification, particularly impoundments such as dams and levees. However, in Missouri, ongoing conservation and management efforts have helped maintain a sustainable population, though threats from poaching for caviar still exist.