Brown Bullhead

Worms are especially effective. Other productive baits include chicken livers, nightcrawlers, cut bait, minnows, corn, marshmallows, white bread, and dough balls.

For fly fishing, the Troth Bullhead pattern (created by Al Troth for big browns on the Madison River) works well - tied on #4-10 streamer hooks with peacock herl, black marabou, white bucktail tail, white yarn body, and spun deer hair head, fished heavily weighted along the bottom.

The prime fishing season runs from late spring through fall, with spawning periods between April and July (when water reaches 70-77°F) being times to avoid targeting them.

Present baits on the bottom of shallow bays in the evening. Let fish mouth the bait for several seconds before setting the hook due to their extremely tough mouths. Since bullheads are scavengers that feed primarily by smell, avoid artificial lures and focus on the stinkiest natural baits possible.

They're omnivorous bottom feeders with an estimated 100,000 taste receptors distributed across their smooth skin, making them extremely effective at locating food by smell. Their diet includes aquatic plants, algae, insects, worms, fish e.g.gs, small fish, crayfish, snails, and freshwater clams.