Bullhead Catfish Trap Pulls Over 2,500 Fish From a Hunt County Pond (Customer Photos)

Every now and then, a customer sends me pictures that make my whole week. This was one of them.

Ann, a customer up in Hunt County, Texas, bought one of our bullhead catfish traps because her pond was overrun with bullheads. If you've ever dealt with that, you know how it goes. They breed fast, they eat everything, and pretty soon you're catching the same little stunted fish every cast. Ann and her husband wanted to thin them out, and they've been doing exactly that.

Here's what she sent me last week:

"Those pictures I sent earlier were the tip of the proverbial iceberg. We have caught around 800 catfish per mine and ChatGPT counts!!! … We are so happy with the traps."

That email came when they were at 800. They've kept the traps working since, and as of now Ann has pulled over 2,500 baby mudcats and bullheads out of that one pond. That's what a bullhead problem looks like, and that's what a good trap can do about it.

All photos in this post were submitted by our customer and are shared with her permission.

Why Bullheads Take Over a Pond

Bullheads are tough. They handle muddy water, low oxygen, and warm temps better than most fish. They spawn in big numbers, and with nothing thinning them out, a pond can fill up quickly. The result is a lot of small fish fighting over the same food, and your bass and bream feel it too.

Fishing them out with a rod and reel takes forever. A trap works around the clock.

Why She Wanted the 1/2" x 1/2" Mesh

I build my traps in two wire sizes:

• 1/2" x 1" wire works well for bigger fish and general use.
• 1/2" x 1/2" premium wire holds the smaller fish that can slip through the larger mesh.

When Ann first reached out, we were sold out of the premium 1/2" x 1/2" wire. All I had on hand was the 1/2" x 1". She was catching a lot of small bullheads, so she decided to wait until I could build her traps with the premium wire.

I'd say it paid off. Looking at her photos, they're holding fish down to about 1.5 to 2 inches, plus everything bigger. If you're trying to thin out a pond, you need to catch the young ones too, or you're just trimming the top and leaving the problem behind.

Results From a Hunt County Pond

Customer photo: one haul of bullheads pulled from Ann's pond in Hunt County.

Customer photo: Ann's husband emptying their 1/2" x 1/2" mesh bullhead trap.

Customer photo: small bullheads, some around 1.5 to 2 inches, held by the tighter mesh.

That first photo is the one that gets me. That's a lot of fish that aren't competing with the rest of her pond anymore.

How to Set and Bait Your Bullhead Trap

The trap does most of the work, but a few simple things make a big difference.

• Set it on the bottom. Bullheads are bottom feeders, so that's where your trap needs to be. Tie it off to a rope so you can pull it back up easily.
• Use smelly bait. Bullheads find food by scent, so the stinkier the better. A catfish paste bait like Catfish Charlie works fantastically. Stuff it into a tube made from an old sock or some cheap pantyhose from the dollar store, tie it off, and drop it in the trap. The scent spreads through the water without the fish being able to eat it all at once. We also sell mesh bait bags that work great for this. Chicken livers, cut bait, hot dogs, or fish food pellets will catch bullheads too.
• Keep the bait in the "hallway." Put it in the narrow middle section between the two funnels. That way the fish have to come all the way into the trap to get to it. Never leave bait near the funnel openings where fish can grab it from outside.
• Check it often. Bullheads come in fast once they find it. Empty the trap regularly and rebait it so it keeps fishing.
• Move it around. If catches slow down in one spot, try another part of the pond. Shallow coves and spots near cover are good places to start.
• Pick the right mesh. If you're seeing small fish, go with the premium 1/2" x 1/2".
• Stick with it. Ann didn't get to 2,500 in one day. Keep the trap working and the numbers add up.

Get a Bullhead Catfish Trap for Your Pond

Every trap I sell is handmade right here in East Texas. If your pond is overrun with bullheads, or you just want an easy way to catch bait, I can help you pick the right size and mesh.

The premium 1/2" x 1/2" wire does sell out, but if it's currently listed for sale on the site, then we have that premium wire in stock. 

[Check out our Bullhead Trap] or send me a message with what you're dealing with.

And Ann, thank you for the pictures and the kind words. Glad the traps are working for y'all!