Best channel catfish lakes in Delaware
17 Delaware waters list channel catfish (official records or labelled estimates), 9 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Scent-driven bottom feeder. Holes, channels and inflows — best after dark.
- Millsboro Pond — 10 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
- Garrisons Lake — 5 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Ingrams Pond — 7 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Moores Lake — 4 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Craigs Pond — 7 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Lums Pond — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
- Records Pond — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
- Killens Pond — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
- Schuylkill River — 52 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Common CarpWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Bohemia River — 39 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Common CarpWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Brandywine Creek — 6 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Common CarpWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
…plus 6 more Delaware waters holding channel catfish.
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How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See Delaware waters with public access data
When to fish channel catfish in Delaware
- Spring 3–12 ft — Warm inflows and shallow mud flats after rain.
- Summer 8–25 ft — Deep holes by day; cats roam shallow flats to feed at night.
- Fall 10–30 ft — Fish concentrate in river/creek channels and deeper holes.
- Winter 20–40 ft — Stacked in the deepest holes; slow natural baits.
Also in Delaware: best largemouth bass lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best chain pickerel lakes
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