ODNR Division of Wildlife - Fishing - Ohio River Catfishing

Rigs and Digs for Trophy Ohio River Catfish

By Mike Greenlee, Fisheries Biologist

Ohio’s southern “coast”, the Ohio River, offers great opportunities for angling Ohio’s whiskered giants. The channel, flathead, and blue catfish all call the Ohio River home, which makes this fishing hole a catfish angler’s dream. Channels up to 20 pounds can be readily caught in this river, flatheads over fifty and blue catfish reaching weights in excess of 100 pounds! In 2008 the blue catfish was added to the state record fish list by the Outdoor Writers of Ohio. The first record was a fifty-seven pound fish caught last summer from the Ohio River and was broken on June 11, 2009 by Chris Rolph of Williamsburg with a 96 pound brute caught in the Ohio River near Cincinnati. Are you in line for the next state record “blue?” If you’re interested in giving it a shot…read on!

Good news…angling techniques for these brutes are not complicated. It’s best to keep rigs simple…the fewer the knots and hardware to tangle and fail, the better. The following “Rigs” (gear and rigging) and “Digs” (where they hang out) should help to improve a catfish anglers’ chance at success in “The River.”

Rigs

Rods and Reels
	A heavy freshwater rod and reel are a must. Six and one-half to seven and one-half foot long stiff rods with matching bait casting reels are best. Many rod manufacturers sell rods in this size marketed specifically for catfish angling. Select a bait-casting reel with a “bait clicker.” Not all bait-casters have this feature, but selecting one with the clicker is helpful when detecting bites and runs…especially at night.

Hook, Line, and Sinker
	Hook: Use a 4/0 to 8/0 Octopus Circle hook depending on the size of the bait and your quarry - larger bait and quarry, larger hook. The point of the hook must be fished on the outside of the bait (not buried) to effectively hook the catfish. You do not “set” these hooks when a fish runs with your bait, just keep steady pressure on your rod until the fish is hooked.
	Line: Use thirty to fifty pound test monofilament line. Several line manufactures make big gam-type line that is tough and abrasion-resistant and works well as leader and line material. The Palomar knot is a good choice for tying line and leader to the swivel and hook.
	Sinker: Use a one-half ounce to eight ounce egg, bell, disc, pyramid or flat bank style sinkers depending on the current.
	Slip Rig: This is the most common and simplest rig. It consists of an egg sinker (or bell sinker may be used), heavy duty test swivel, plastic bead (to protect the knot on the swivel) and hook. Slip the egg sinker on the main line first and then the bead. Then tie the end of the main line to the swivel. Tie a six to twelve inch piece of leader to the terminal end of the swivel and then your hook. Longer leaders may be more prone to tangling in limbs and debris. (see image below)
	Three-Way Rig: This rig tends to stay put and not roll in stronger current, especially when using flat, pyramid or disc shaped sinkers. Tie the main line to the swivel. Tie a separate dropper line (six to 12 inches) from the same eye of the swivel for the sinker. Tie a longer piece of leader (one to-24 inches) to the terminal end of the swivel and to the hook.(see image below)

Bait
	Skipjack herring and gizzard shad are the preferred bait for big Ohio River cats. Larger skipjack can be angled using small flies, jigs or Piscator or Sabiki rigs (no more than three hooks per rod; just cut the extra hooks off) fished in dam tailwaters, warmwater discharges and off boat ramps on the main channel. These popular baitfish can be fished live or as cut bait; however, these fish are a challenge to keep alive without large circulating bait tanks. Scaling live fish before they are fished may help them give off more scent in the water.


Slip Rig for Catfish	Three-way Catfish Rig

Digs

Tailwater

Habitat downstream of locks and dams will attract all three species of catfish. The combination of current, high concentrations of forage, and good cover make these areas a good bet for boat and shore catfisherman. Watermelon to car hood side rock bank protection is often used in these areas and is great for holding catfish and forage fish. Warning: Boat anglers should obey and stay out of dangerous restricted areas downstream of the gated tailrace of the dam.

Main Channel

Look for deep outside bends in the river; they tend to hold more fish. The inside bends of the river tend to be shallower, have less current, and overall less desirable habitat. It’s a bonus if you can find these areas with downed trees, drift, and other large woody debris piles. Large rock covered banks on outside bends makes for even more attractive habitat to hold fish.

Mooring / Dock Cells

These are large round structures just off of the bank used to dock river tows and barges. These structures are usually located in deeper water and tend to have snagged woody cover around them. These structures also cut the current. Fish the area on the downstream side of the cell and around any accumulated woody cover. Warning: Approach only idle or unused cells. Do not use cells that are active and docked with tows or barges.

Tributaries

Areas off the downstream point of the confluence (where the tributary meets the river) of tributaries are typically deeper and have current. These areas also tend to build up with woody debris and cover, making them more attractive to catfish.

Warmwater Discharges

These are warm water discharge points usually next to power plants or other industrial plant operations on the river. Discharge points could be in the form of a pipe, canal, or small tributary flowing into the main channel of the river. These areas concentrate baitfish such as skipjack herring and gizzard shad and are good places to fish in the early spring and late fall when the water temperature in the river is cooler.

The Ohio River’s long pools, tailwater habitat and catfish trio offer catfish anglers many opportunities for good catfishing. For information on public boat launch sites on the Ohio River visit the Division of Watercraft’s Web site at and click on the Ohio Boat Access Sites GIS. The left side column of this Web page has a link to important safety information on navigation in the Ohio River. Also, under the Weather Links column on the right side of the same page you will find a link to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Web site with information on water temperatures, river stage/flow at the locks and dams and navigation chart information for the Ohio River. Best of luck tackling the trophy catfish of the Ohio River!