4 days / 3 nights on the Ohio (Louisville Area)

Myself and a fishing buddy will be spending 4 days / 3 nights on the river, in pursuit of big cats. We are putting in at the Westport ramp Monday the 17th. Gonna head down river slow spending a majority of our time fishing and exploring, we will also be setting up camp in the evening. I am fairly familiar with the river below Captains Quarters. However, I have little experience above that location. With that said, any information from CQ on up would be greatly appreciated! Places to eat, fuel, creeks, landmarks, points of interest etc....

If you would like to keep up with our "mini adventure" you can follow me on twitter @RossMannel

Haven't fished much between Westport and Salt River. However, majority of stretch between Salt River and Leavenworth, IN can be very productive. Mostly concentrate on the outside river bends if drift fishing (highly recommend this method). Keep baits approx 5' off bottom and near channel edges. At night, I move a little towards the flats near the channel. I have good luck a couple miles above and below Otter Creek, around New Amsterdam (IN) from the Indiana gravel pit to Indian Creek, and below Leavenworth in the Horseshoe Bend area. Don't do much bank fishing, but do fish around most of the emergency barge tie-offs scattered along both sides of the river. Most have a rock wall extending out underwater to divert current (presumably), and the cats will sit behind the break and wait for a meal.

Good luck and watch for barge traffic at night.

Joe

[QUOTE=Fisherjoe;498019]Haven't fished much between Westport and Salt River. However, majority of stretch between Salt River and Leavenworth, IN can be very productive. Mostly concentrate on the outside river bends if drift fishing (highly recommend this method). Keep baits approx 5' off bottom and near channel edges. At night, I move a little towards the flats near the channel. I have good luck a couple miles above and below Otter Creek, around New Amsterdam (IN) from the Indiana gravel pit to Indian Creek, and below Leavenworth in the Horseshoe Bend area. Don't do much bank fishing, but do fish around most of the emergency barge tie-offs scattered along both sides of the river. Most have a rock wall extending out underwater to divert current (presumably), and the cats will sit behind the break and wait for a meal.

Good luck and watch for barge traffic at night.

Joe[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the input, i think you may have westport confused with westpoint

[QUOTE=boondock;498011]Myself and a fishing buddy will be spending 4 days / 3 nights on the river, in pursuit of big cats. We are putting in at the Westport ramp Monday the 17th. Gonna head down river slow spending a majority of our time fishing and exploring, we will also be setting up camp in the evening. I am fairly familiar with the river below Captains Quarters. However, I have little experience above that location. With that said, any information from CQ on up would be greatly appreciated! Places to eat, fuel, creeks, landmarks, points of interest etc....

If you would like to keep up with our "mini adventure" you can follow me on twitter @RossMannel[/QUOTE]

I bass fish that stretch quite a bit - there's a fueling place on the In side just south of the Westport ramp that you can access on the water. Not sure of the name of it but it's easy to spot during the day. As far as creeks and such, right at Westport is 18 mile creek, there's a small creek that emptys in the OH on the KY side of 18 mile island - that island might be a good spot to camp. I'm sure someone on here will let us know if it's legal or not. There are a bunch of small creeks on both the KY and IN side all the way down to Louisville - one of the largest creeks is 14 mile creek on the IN side. There are a couple of restaurants on the KY side of 14 mile creek that I believe are water accessable but not possitive. Again, someone on here will be able to give you more details about that, I haven't actually gone to them. As far as catfishing, I'm not going to be much help - the only catfish I catch are by accident on my bass lures. I do see quite a few people drift fishing the main river channel and jug fishing the flats downstream from creeks. Hope this helps!

[QUOTE=boondock;498021]Thanks for the input, i think you may have westport confused with westpoint[/QUOTE]

Oops. Confused I am.

[QUOTE=twise7;498027]I bass fish that stretch quite a bit - there's a fueling place on the In side just south of the Westport ramp that you can access on the water. Not sure of the name of it but it's easy to spot during the day. As far as creeks and such, right at Westport is 18 mile creek, there's a small creek that emptys in the OH on the KY side of 18 mile island - that island might be a good spot to camp. I'm sure someone on here will let us know if it's legal or not. There are a bunch of small creeks on both the KY and IN side all the way down to Louisville - one of the largest creeks is 14 mile creek on the IN side. There are a couple of restaurants on the KY side of 14 mile creek that I believe are water accessable but not possitive. Again, someone on here will be able to give you more details about that, I haven't actually gone to them. As far as catfishing, I'm not going to be much help - the only catfish I catch are by accident on my bass lures. I do see quite a few people drift fishing the main river channel and jug fishing the flats downstream from creeks. Hope this helps![/QUOTE]

I am a quite experienced cat-fisherman. River bass, stripper, and crappie have always been far too elusive in the past. We do a lot of crappie and bass fishing at rough, I know crappie like to hold up on fallen timber and structure, same is true for bass. I have had zero luck with these species on the river, I can locate them in the creeks on a consistent basis, typically short fish. Question is, where do these fish hold in a big river setting?

I am not a catfish fisherman and have not fished out of westport much in recent years but I have bass fished that stretch of river going back to the 70s. Mouths of creeks, any timber (or other structure for that matter) out in decent depths, gravel bars (not a creek but where rock washes in from a drain), and in that stretch 18 mile island always were good places for bass. Can't say what the bass fishery is currently like but in years past there was a decent amount of smallmouth in that stretch which would mostly key on the rocky areas.

kc

Best fishing advice would be to cast net shad from the creeks and bottom bounce the channel and holes if you can find some current. Gas and food at the rivers edge in front of Bushmans lake on the Indiana side around 17 mi. mark. There is a good strech of rocks to fish just up river from 14 mile on the Indiana side. You can get bait in the marina around 14 mi. mark on the Ky side, but you have to be smooth about it or the big boat owners will run you out. Gas and food on the Ky side around 14 mi. Sandy beaches on both islands on the river side. Good camp site on the Ky side of 12 mi island, just walk up the stairs..Please clean up any mess. There is a wing dike on the Indiana side about 1/2 mi. upriver from Harrods creek that can be good for some blues if there is current. Good Luck, Dave

Oh yea, almost forgot, Skipjack are crusing the banks and at the mouth of the creeks in the early evening. Just watch for the silver flashes as they bust the little shad. I would take a few Sabiki rigs on light tackle have some fun and get some really good catfish bait.

[QUOTE=boondock;498011]Myself and a fishing buddy will be spending 4 days / 3 nights on the river, in pursuit of big cats. We are putting in at the Westport ramp Monday the 17th. Gonna head down river slow spending a majority of our time fishing and exploring, we will also be setting up camp in the evening. I am fairly familiar with the river below Captains Quarters. However, I have little experience above that location. With that said, any information from CQ on up would be greatly appreciated! Places to eat, fuel, creeks, landmarks, points of interest etc....

If you would like to keep up with our "mini adventure" you can follow me on twitter @RossMannel[/QUOTE]

I dont fish for Cats on the river , but i have several good friends that do .
They fish a spot right next to Jeff Boat ...the is a major deep hole around there .It is near where they launch they barges. Get some biig skipjacks and use the head .I know they get some over 50lbs in that hole.

Just wanted to take moment and thank everyone for all the great input! Beyond excited for this trip!

Trip was pushed back due to rain all day Monday followed by high winds on Tuesday. Will keep you guys updated.