Cougarfish – [Fearsome Critter]

• About this critter: a tremendous species  resembling the catfish caught along the Mississippi; but far larger and  incomparably more savage, named for their huge hind claws on their forked tails, would reach up and pull log-driving lumbermen under, quickly ripping them to shreds. Ol’Paul put out a huge reward for their capture, but the fish heard of it, gossiped and stayed away, none were caught. •

History: The cougar fish was seemingly earliest mentioned & illustrated in “Paul Bunyan” by “James Stevens” [1925] – in chapter 3: “A MATTER OF HISTORY” while paul and his men are travelling and looking for a lake to continue their operations at they come across a few fabulous rivers, one is called the “wild river” and is infested with these! –

“The Wild River, though it was a white water stream, would have  served for a double drive; but it was alive with cougarfish, a species  resembling the catfish of the Mississippi; but the cougarfish were  larger and incomparably more savage and had claws on their tails. Careful Paul Bunyan would not risk his loggers among them…”

Paul and his men would eventually settle in the “Twin rivers county.” But there are too many places named “twin rivers” across America and Canada to say which twin rivers it is for certain) Later, This “cougar fish” was included in a bestiary proper, “Paul  Bunyan Natural History [C.E.Brown 1935]” it is also the only critter  given an illustration in the book, appearing on the cover. – the entry for Cougarfish goes as follows:

“COUGAR FISH. This savage fish, armed with sharp claws, lived in the Big Onion River.  It was the cause of the disappearance and death of many river drivers,  whom it clawed off the logs and beneath the water. Paul Bunyan offered a  big reward for their capture and extermination, but the fish heard of  it and stayed away. None were taken…

There after, this simple but effective description would be reused in what other few bestiaries cover the topic of fearsome fish & critters. The location changed but the description stays similar… (I suppose it could be argued that there could easily be cougarfish in any river, so long as lumberjacks go missing. this isn’t the only fish critter in the book that prays on log-drivers. stay tuned for the log gar and others.)

… Put simply, its a fantastical exaggeration of “giant catfish” (which have since been found to actually exist. — (I’d almost categorize this one as a “former cryptid.” if the source wasn’t a Paul Bunyan story.)

All of that said, the cougar fish should not be confused with other fabulous fish: various “half-feline-half-fish” critters such as the “Tom-Cod“, the cougar-like “Mountain Catfish.” “purrmaids” or muddled with fur covered fish such as the “fur-bearing trout.” – Nor should it be confused with the very real giant blue catfish or the flathead cat-fish!

• See Also: Paul Bunyan Natural History. • Similar Yokai: Onamazu.