Find The Best Ohio Catfish Fishing

When determining where you should spend your days angling during the warm summer months of June and July, Ohio catfish fishing can provide an excellent catch and a great time for all. In Ohio, catfish fishing is best in the rivers, so get ready for a list of the top fishing rivers in the state.

Starting in District Two, you'll find great catfishing opportunities in the Maumee River, thanks to the channel and flathead catfish that are readily found upstream from Toledo, where it cuts through a wide flood plain. You'll find lots of channel cats that range around 16 inches in length and shouldn't be surprised to reel in an average flathead that ranges from 20 to 40 inches. The rock bed river is extremely shallow, so check in the deep holes that run more than six feet deep for the best catch.

In the Huron River, Ohio catfish fishing continues to produce a number of channel cats and flatheads. Here, you'll find holes a bit deeper than at the Maumee, and your catch will be about the same size. Don't exclude the Auglaize River, either, a tributary of the Maumee in Northwest Ohio. Catfish fishing provides an abundance of big fish here in the summertime, with less bedrock and holes that dip down more than ten feet. While the river isn't navigable at all in the summer in its upper section, you'll find great shoreline fishing and plenty of channel cats in the pools in the lower area.

District Three also boasts several fine catfish rivers. Start with the tailwaters branching off the Tappan Lake, which are actually what's left of the Little Stillwater Creek. The dam provides a great holding and breeding ground for catfish, and you will want to target area pools that range about eight to twelve feet in depths. You can expect to find a lot of flatheads and a smaller supply of channel cats here. Also check out the small rivers and streams that are tailwaters of Clendening Lake, also producing a flathead roundup that can range as large as 60 pounds and a few channel cats along the way. As long as you are in the area, check out the Atwood Lake tailwaters in Carroll or Tuscarawas County, where deeper pools have been created by unexpectedly high flows. Also pay attention to the surrounding flats at night.

Ohio catfish fishing continues to be productive in District Four, where the Muskingum River is a favorite for anglers looking for both channel cats and flatheads. There are six excellent pools on the river, including the Marietta Pool, Devola Pool, and Beverly Pool, all of which produce a fine catch for avid anglers, especially during the summer. Also be sure to check out Zanesville Pool in the Ellis Tailwaters, which flows for just over nine miles and offers great flathead fishing.