The Missouri Department of Conservation is funding a 3 year research project investigating the spawning habits and movement patterns of catfish in the Missouri River and its tributaries.  While adequate data exists for other game species, little is known about catfish spawning ecology.  This research could provide fisheries managers with essential information needed to make recommendations about season, length and bag limits, which would likely result in more and bigger catfish for Missouri anglers.  The DOC is considering a number of regulation options to provide a better fishery, but plans to wait on research results before making regulation decisions.

Read more about the catfish research going on, and the options the DOC is pursuing here.