Easily distinguished from brown and black bullheads by its stark white or pale yellow chin barbels and rounded tail fin. Prefers clearer, heavily vegetated waters than other bullheads.
Season
May – October
Where
Monocacy River, Susquehanna Ponds, Patuxent Backwaters
Salinity band
Inland Freshwater (0 - 3 ppt)
Status
Established Inland Freshwater Species
Record
MD Record: 3 lbs 8 oz
How we fish for them
Fish worm-and-bobber setups or small stink-bait treble rigs around shallow weedlines near dusk.
Rod: White Perch & Panfish Rod 6'6" LF Reel: 1000 Spinning Reel • 8lb Mono
Gear for this in the catalog →Handle with care
Sharp dorsal & pectoral fin spines (venom gland present in madtoms). Handle behind pectoral fins.
Seasons & limits are the law's, not ours
Size, season and creel rules change; always verify with the official regulations before you fish. Maryland DNR regulations →
Profile last reviewed: August 2026