We always ate the channel cats from the Potomac. My dad had a board with a nail on it and he'd skin them. He said the Mudcats or "Yellow Cats" (squatter in shape, and with a flat tail rather than a forked one) were no good to eat and, he always threw them back, so I've never eaten one that I've caught.

I don't know what kind they use for the farm bred catfish I've bought commercially or have eaten in restaurants. Does anyone out there know?