Giant Catfish!

[aman555]

This summer i have taken it upon myself to seek out Giant catfish spots in Kentucky, and also try to catch my first monster flathead!

So... If anyone has [B]ANY[B] advice on fishing spots, gear, baits, or techniques thay you have found useful i would VERY MUCH appreciate it...

Even if you could just tell me where you've caught or heard of people catching some monster cats [B]PLEASE[B] leave it as a comment below!

THANK YOU

[onemorecast56]

well up here in louisville riverrat and I have had numbers of 50 + cats,,not many flatheads but big ole blues

[aman555]

Awesome! What kind of baits and techniques have u guys had success with?

[JimDi]

I have caught some 30+ pound Catfish out of the Ohio River using live shiners.... From what I have heard they prefer live bait.

We were anchored above a small feeder creek below 18 mile island and cast about nine rods out. They were set to fan cast the back of the boat and varying distances behind the boat.

[JimDi]

We caught a 37lb Flathead on a limb line with a live shiner before on Nolin River. It was above the Bacon creek ramp...

[fishhound]

good luck on your quest for a river monster, far as advice you arent going to beat the ohio river for big catfish! through the years i've caught 4 that would go 70lbs plus, biggest being a flathead 80lbs, far as bait skipjack, and or shad is my fav far as tackle 9ft med/ heavy action rods 6000 abu, amb reels 30lds test biggame trilene line.

[crigjv]

in southern ky there is green river limb line or trout line then go below Barkley and Kentucky **** heavy polls heavy weights and big live bait hold on my grandfather use to go several times a year as he worked on barges til he retired and has pictures of blues channels and flates all over 75lb range and bigger he was a master at this and remember stories of it i bass fish to much to take the time out and try it but he spoke heavy about for years

[Dutch552]

I've seen a bunch of 40 pound + blues taken from the deep hole in the Ohio as the river makes a bend at Otter Creek Park. 7' MH-H action rod, ABU 6000/6500 reels, Trilene Big Game 25# test, big Mustad circle hooks. I try to use fresh skipjack when possible but will use a big chunk of frozen shad if I have to.

Closer to BG look to Barren for a chance at a big flathead closer to home. Live bluegills close to submerged logs will be your best chance. Use a heavy leader and don't give him an inch. Good luck.

[onemorecast56]

I use live shad or skippies, I`ve got a place I catch big shad and use them whole,,we`re talkin 10-14 in shad. We`ve got a few spot we drift and I`ve a got a few small holes that holds big ones..

[linedrager]

you can't beat the ohio(but be very carful), if it's a monster you are after, use a very heavy rod, look at catfish connection.com, I use #4 berkley ecat rods with abu 7000 reels, anywhere from 40 to 80 lb line (berkley big game or andes) had one on last sunday that broke 40 lb line, on the lower river in louisville, the river was running about 28 to 30 feet, I don't recomend going in at these levels, I use gamakasu octopuse circle hooks, 5/0 to 8/0, we use live skipjack(straight on to the line as soon as it is caught) cut skipjack, live and cut shad or suckers and a wide variaty of other concoctions, remember the bigger the bait the bigger the cat, big flatheads are hard to come by, you will have better luck chasing blue cats and may even get the occasional striped bass as a bonus, hope this helps.

[BassBandit35]

I used to cat at a paylakes. Until I saw all the dead fish and so I was unhappy. I felt it was time for me to explore catfish waters. My partner and I went on our first trip at Clendenling Lake, Ohio to spend 2 nights on shore. I busted 47 lbers on the first night then the next morning my partner brought in 45 lbers. We both released them to fight again. Four months forward my partner wasn't able to attend but my father and uncle came along to fish Piedmont Lake, Ohio which is my first time, too...that very same evening I landed 54 lbers and that was the last trip I've took until I've adopted to bass fishing full time. Man do I miss catting!!!

[BigPoppy]

JimiDi set you on the right trail. at the bacon creek boat ramp if the river will let you down there, fishing from the first ripples down back toward the lake. We go up stream and the take our time and drift back down to the ramp, night crawlers shad shell crackers have all worked for me find a deep hole or a brushpile and tie off or anchor down. fish tight lines against the boat and cast to likely spots near by. give each area a few minutes and take your time. One word of warning if you plan on leaving your truck and trailer there for long either hide any thing worth more than 10 bucks or bring it out to the boat. like any ramp that is off the beaten path the stray dogs come siffing around, even had my lug nuts and spare boat trailer tire. guess it must have been real hard for them up there steeling lug nuts for weights I guess.