A broad-headed catfish with long whiskers and a tall dorsal fin, the gafftopsail cat has a silver blue body with smooth, very slimy skin. They are so slimy that they will often leave slime on your leader after a bite.  Their pectoral and dorsal fins have a serrated barb in them that is coated with a venomous slime that can cause painful wounds.
They are common in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Â They live in coastal waters and can be quite common. Â They are versatile in their feeding habits, taking live prey as well as scavenging by smell.
They are normally caught on dead or live bait but will sometimes take lures as well. Â They are strong fighters and can surprise you when they blast a topwater plug.