Indiana Catfish Association

ICA Objectives:

The ICA Objectives are:

To unite Indiana's catfishing people
To promote and to protect Indiana's catfish populations and waters
To promote catch and release programs
To collect research for stocking programs, size limits and daily bag limits
To follow all state fishing and boating laws
To compete and conduct ourselves with good sportsmanship
To help teach all fishing people, as well as ourselves, how to catch more fish

The following is a detailed list of what the ICA has done, what we are currently doing and what our future plans are.

To unite Indiana's catfishing people
By forming this Association and and keeping it operational, we continue to unite. We continually try to boost membership and help the ICA grow. This will allow us to affect changes in state laws, and in the publics perception of cat fisherman as well as the fishing industry as a whole.

To promote and to protect Indiana's catfish populations and waters
The ICA holds tournaments on different bodies of water across our state every year. We compete on both rivers and reservoirs. We try to change river lauch sites and different reservoirs each year. This gives our membership the opportunity to fish places they may not ordinarily fish. We also encourage you to sign a petition started by one of our members to help protect catfish by petitioning for better legislation. Full details can be found at Indiana Catfish Regulation Petition

To promote catch and release programs
One of the ICA's tournament rules is no dead fish allowed and all fish must be relaesed after weigh in. This will ensure that the catfish population is not depleted by over harvest. The hope is that our anglers will realize that mature fish are worth more in reproductive value than as table fare. Most of our memebrs now practice catch and release even when not fishing tournaments.

To collect research for stocking programs, size limits and daily bag limits
The Indiana DNR requires all tournaments on reservoirs to keep track of length and species of fish weighed in. The ICA also sends not only the information required, but also the information from our river tournaments. The DNR then uses this info for future rules and regulations and to see how a particular body of water has an increase/decrease of the species of fish. The ICA also obtained a stocking permit for flatheads on the Saint Joseph river. We are currently working with fishery biologists to see where else we may help.

To follow all state fishing and boating laws
Again, this is one of our tournament rules. We encourage all members to only only practice the laws but good common fishing courtesy as well. We must lead by example. The ICA also passes out Indiana boating law pamphlets to anyone interested. These will be available at our tournaments. We also encourage our members to take the IN Boat Safety Course (on-line). It is free.

To compete and conduct ourselves with good sportsmanship
Once again, one of our tournament rules. Competition can bring about the best in anglers. It makes you want to learn more and do better each time. We all need to continue to both win and loose gracefully. How we treat others under different circumstances is a direct reflection on you personally and our association.

To help teach all fishing people, as well as ourselves, how to catch more fish
We have a great buch of fisherman at the ICA. Most anyone will help out new or struggling anglers with everything from advice to giving them bait or whatever may be needed. Please don't hesitate to ask. The ICA periodically has held catfish seminars free to our members. These are designed to teach new techniques on how to catch more catfish. We have had TN River guide and Cabela's Classic champion Phil King come and speak on blue catfishing the big rivers using his drift technique. We have aslo held a seminar given by various members on different approaches to catching fish. This is something we will plan on in the near future as well.