The trematode Bolbophorus damnificus is a persistent threat to US catfish aquaculture. The complex, indirect life cycle involves the American White Pelican (AWP, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos), the planorbid snails (Planorbella trivolvis and Biomphalaria havanensis) and catfish (Ictalurus spp.). Trematode eggs released with the feces of AWP are dispersed in the aquatic environment, where they hatch into free-swimming miracidia. These miracidia infect snails, which release cercariae that are infective to catfish. Encapsulation of the metacercariae results in a parasite induced anemia in the catfish host, which leads to morbidity, and in severe cases, death. Reduced feeding activity, as well as increased susceptibility to bacterial infections in trematode infested catfish stocks causes significant production declines. Due to federal protections of the AWP, the most practical point of control is the snail intermediate hosts. Current practices rely largely on pond margin treatments of copper sulfate (CSP; CuSO4·5 H2O) equating to ~0.5-1.0 ppm Cu2+ (2-5 ppm CSP). However, copper’s phytotoxicity can be harmful to beneficial algal blooms, resulting in catastrophic oxygen depletions. Copper toxicity to catfish also increases with temperature. Consequently, during the growing season when temperatures are highest and snail hosts are most abundant, the safety margins for copper are lowest. Studies designed to optimize CSP treatments revealed wild-caught snails have poor survival compared to laboratory reared cohorts, which may indicate poor snail vigor from handling, environmental stressors or parasitism. Copper sensitivity of laboratory-reared P. trivolvis was compared to wild-caught individuals actively shedding parasites or not. Snails parasitized with a common trematode, Alloglossidium kenti, served as proxy for the effects of trematode parasitism on copper sensitivity. Results indicate laboratory-reared snails were most resistant to repeated doses of CSP, followed by non-shedding pond snails. Pond snails actively shedding cercariae at the time of collection were most sensitive to CSP, highlighting this as a targeted approach, as parasitized snails are the primary target of control. In this context, it is hypothesized trematode eggs are dormant during cold periods, with miracidia hatching in a somewhat synchronized fashion when water temperatures increase in the spring, aligning with snail emergence from winter estivation. The effects of CSP on trematode egg hatching was also evaluated, with Drapanocephalus spathans serving as surrogate for B. damnificus. Trematode eggs exposed to a range of CSP (0.2 – 12 ppm CSP; ~0.05-3 ppm Cu2+) indicate doses >4.0 ppm CSP (>1.0 ppm Cu2+) may preclude trematode egg hatching, although these levels are likely impractical. This work also revealed limited hatching of trematode eggs at temperatures <23 C, supporting assertions of winter dormancy. Combined, these works advance our understanding of trematode and snail life histories and offer foundational data to develop best management practices against trematode infestations in commercial catfish aquaculture.