Anyone catching any catfish on the Ohio River?

[redearhoosier]

I'm thinking about getting the boat out this weekend for some catfishing but don't want to go if they're not hitting.

[Tyme2fish]

They definitely won't bite if you don't have a line in the water.

[PRO V LE]

Lowerider is in 2nd. place on day one of the Cabelas King Kat tourn. out of Vevay Ind. with 61#. Culled thru about 25 fish for best five.

[riverrat12]

Lowerider is in 2nd. place on day one of the Cabelas King Kat tourn. out of Vevay Ind. with 61#. Culled thru about 25 fish for best five.

PRO V LE keep us updated on Scott, I'd love to see him bring this one home. Chuck

[PRO V LE]

PRO V LE keep us updated on Scott, I'd love to see him bring this one home. Chuck

Repeat winner! 142# total for both day's.

[redearhoosier]

I saw the winning numbers and I think 142lbs won the two day event. My question is this, is that a respectable winning number or is that a low number to be the winner?

I thought I saw the numbers posted from last year's event and they were a lot higher across the board. Is the Ohio River on a sharp decline for big catfish and why???

The reason I asked is because I've just gotten into catfishing THIS YEAR and have been reading some disturbing reports.

[Lowerider]

Winning weights have been on the decline for several years now. More importantly, the average weight is way down. What's more disturbing is I could count on one hand the number of fish weighed in over 25lbs over a 2 day period. That's why catfish anglers need to ban together and voice their concerns to KDFWR. There will be an important meeting in October that will determine the future of our public fishery. A select few anglers (random draw) received an opinion survey recently from fish & wildlife. If you were lucky enough to be chosen please fill it out (14 pages) and voice your concerns.

There are 269 commercial fishing licenses sold in KY alone and you can bet they will be there.

The practice of zero regulation coupled with a high demand of big fish from pay lakes has severely depressed the chance of catching a large cat in several pools. It will take years to recover. Truthfully, KDFWR should be embarrassed and ashamed of what they've allowed to occur. Their do nothing attitude over the last several years goes against their core mission statement. I'll be PC and not call out names but someone's head should roll.

[redearhoosier]

So basically you're saying the strong demand from various paylakes has driven the commercial fishing industry to harvest the really nice size fish all in the name of the almighty dollar. What's sad to me is the fact that there's noway in the world those big trophy catfish could sustain in these small paylake waters. It's all about the money, that's the bottom line.

This seems like a common sense subject that my five year old would know the correct answer to, yet Kentucky is allowing these commerical fisherman to poach and pick off the large fish. What a sad state of affairs. From what I've read around the internet is this...you used to be able to catch forty to sixty pound blues with some regularity and now you're lucky to catch a twenty pound fish, is this accurate?

[procraft 192 super pro]

I wonder if fish and wildlife would put a slot size on commercail fishermen. Any fish over surtain weight or lenght must be turn back.

[riverrat12]

Winning weights have been on the decline for several years now. More importantly, the average weight is way down. What's more disturbing is I could count on one hand the number of fish weighed in over 25lbs over a 2 day period. That's why catfish anglers need to ban together and voice their concerns to KDFWR. There will be an important meeting in October that will determine the future of our public fishery. A select few anglers (random draw) received an opinion survey recently from fish & wildlife. If you were lucky enough to be chosen please fill it out (14 pages) and voice your concerns.

There are 269 commercial fishing licenses sold in KY alone and you can bet they will be there.

The practice of zero regulation coupled with a high demand of big fish from pay lakes has severely depressed the chance of catching a large cat in several pools. It will take years to recover. Truthfully, KDFWR should be embarrassed and ashamed of what they've allowed to occur. Their do nothing attitude over the last several years goes against their core mission statement. I'll be PC and not call out names but someone's head should roll.

Well said Scott and congrats on the great win...We need to hit the river sometime. Chuck

[Lowerider]

I wonder if fish and wildlife would put a slot size on commercail fishermen. Any fish over surtain weight or lenght must be turn back.

A complete ban is what we need. A two fish over 34 inch daily limit per license is what we'll get (fingers crossed). Most states that have regs have a 34 inch rule (about 22 lbs give or take). That rule will apply to all but even us tourney fisherman would support it.

Thanks Chuck. We've threatened to fish together for years. It's time we make due. I want to come your way (only bait fished there). U still mostly fishing Fridays?

[riverrat12]

A complete ban is what we need. A two fish over 34 inch daily limit per license is what we'll get (fingers crossed). Most states that have regs have a 34 inch rule (about 22 lbs give or take). That rule will apply to all but even us tourney fisherman would support it.

Thanks Chuck. We've threatened to fish together for years. It's time we make due. I want to come your way (only bait fished there). U still mostly fishing Fridays?

Yes sir give me a holler sometime. We need to get'um before there gone