Celebrating National Catfish Day: Arkansas’ deep connection to catfish tradition

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – It’s National Catfish Day!

The Natural State is the birthplace of the commercial catfish industry, and today, catfish farming remains the largest part of Arkansas aquaculture. The state produces up to 1.3 million catfish each year, and 18% of sport fishing in Arkansas is focused on catfish.

“We grow a lot of catfish in our fish hatcheries around the state,” Arkansas Game and Fish Commission spokesperson Trey Reid said. “It’s one of the fish that we stock the most in our family and community fishing ponds. Catfish is kind of tied up in an Arkansas outdoor identity.”

Arkansans eat more catfish per capita than any other state in the country. At a family-owned restaurant, Eat My Catfish, the most popular dish people are ordering to celebrate the holiday is the three-piece catfish meal.

“Just like catfish farming, we are Arkansas born… Arkansas created… National Catfish Day is a part of who we are,” marketing director at Eat My Catfish Leigh Keener said.

For Keener, it isn’t just about the food. It’s about honoring tradition and deep Southern roots.

“I think it’s family. It’s nostalgia,” Keener said. “It’s growing up at family reunions or grandma or grandpa fishing and taking that fish and watching it breaded and fried. It’s the entire process.”

Arkansas Game and Fish recently received a 20,000-pound surplus of catfish for their family and community ponds from Baxter Land Company Fish Farm, located in southeast Arkansas.