Technical Abstract: The digene, Bolbophorus damnificus infects commercial channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) causing mortality, lower feed consumption, and slower or reduced growth in surviving fish. The purpose of this study was to determine the length of time that B. damnificus prodiplostomula metacercariae (juvenile trematode stage that infects fish) would remain viable (movement seen or parasite appears intact) in channel catfish. Channel catfish (n=210) were infected with molecularly confirmed B. damnificus cercariae harvested from naturally infected rams-horn snails, Planorbella trivolvis. During the first sampling (at 0.75 months post-infection), 8.3 +/- 3.6 (mean +/- SD) metacercariae were found in the muscle and visceral organs of fish. The channel catfish were then acclimated to water temperatures of either 18 or 28C. After 11 months, a mean of 6.8 (+/- 3.5) and 5.9 (+/- 3.0) metacercariae were found in fish held at 18 or 28C, respectively. There was no significant difference in parasite numbers between the fish held at the two temperatures and no significant decline in the mean number of parasites over time at either temperature. Channel catfish examined from 13 to 30 months post-infection all contained viable metacercariae identified as B. damnificus morphologically and molecularly. At 18 months, 11 intact metacercariae (10 with movement) were found in the one fish sampled and at 30 months, the last fish sampled contained 3 intact metacercariae (one displayed slight movement). This indicates that B. damnificus metacercariae can remain viable in the channel catfish for at least an entire 18 - 30 month production cycle and not only have the potential to impact fish growth throughout this cycle but infected fish can be a reservoir for these metacercariae for at least 2.5 years post-infection.