The Mandarin catfish (sometimes called 'the golden catfish')
In February 2020 we stocked 4 mandarin catfish with initial weights 20lb to 30lb+. The mandarin lake record is currently weighing 55lb caught on 24th July 2022.
Visit our mandarin catfish gallery and lake records page for photos.
If you're interested in catching one here's some information about mandarin catfish along with fishing methods. Plus, read about lake owner James' experience catching some of these in 1999 in the magazine article below.
The Mandarin catfish
They are the same species as the other catfish in the lake, which are commonly called the 'European Wels catfish'.
The Latin name is called 'Silurus glanis'.
Most anglers would love to catch one due to their beautiful colour.
They are stunning to look at and can change colour throughout their lifetime. Their colours can be gold, yellow, white or pink, they can also have dark black patches on them and have been called 'part albino' or 'piebald' catfish.
Twenty years ago we use to call them 'albino' catfish but we were mostly wrong as they are actually leucitic.
Leucistic is a zoology adjective (of an animal) having whitish fur, plumage, or skin due to a lack of pigment.
Leucism in a fish is a condition in which there is partial loss of pigmentation in an animal which causes white, pale, or patchy coloration of the skin.
Fishing
If you want to target the mandarin's then the normal catfish angling methods apply here.
Day time here the catfish are in mostly scavenger mode so fishing semi-fixed carp style rigs with either hair rigged (or lassoed) baits.
The best baits here are pellets, small pieces of liver/fish or boilies.
Never rule out live baiting as last year there were some good catfish caught in the day on live fish near the lake bed in towards the middle.
Night time the catfish mostly change to predatory mode so live fish just under the surface can be very good. Again at night never rule out bottom bait fishing with semi-fixed rigs.
The catfish are normally near the middle of the lake in the day and move into the margins at night.
