madtom

plural madtoms

1. Any of the catfish of the genus Noturus of the family Ictaluridae.

   We were fishing with "mad toms" for bait; that is what the local fishermen call diminative^([sic]) bullheads.

   1895 July 27, “In Appalachian Folds”, in Forest and Stream, volume 45, page 70

   2 more examples

   Two specimens were taken; one very large example, 9 inches long, i a pool of Bottom Creek, and a small one in the river. The stomach of the large specimen was filled with minnows and "Mad Toms."

   1890, “Amblopites rupestris cavifrons (Cope). "Red Eye."”, in Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission, volume 8, United States Fish Commission, page 123

   On the Potomac and the Susquehanna rivers a favorite bass bait is what they call a mad-tom, which is nothing but a small yellow catfish (stone cat) with its spines cut off.

   1916, Horace Kephart, Camping and Woodcraft: A Handbook for Vacation Campers and for Travelers in the Wilderness, volume 2