How far east on the Ohio River can you find blue catfish?

[loanwizard]

I know you boys down in the Cinci area target and catch big blues, but you don't hear about them east of there. I am considering hitting the river at Marietta up to Willow Island Dam and would like to know if it is worth it to search for blues or just big channels and Flatheads in season. Doc, I think you said something about them being in the Wheeling Moundsville area, anyone have any thoughts?

[james_s333]

i dont know if they are the ohio but i would suggest target them and see what you come up with maybe you can give the ppl there something to look forward to

[Mr Twister]

I live on the river in Toronto (just north of Steubenville). This will be my first summer, but the locals say there are no Blues this far NORTH. I am not sure if it gets too cold? I don't know if it is a dam thing? I don't know why they'd be in Cinci, but not in Steubenville, but I have heard they do not come up this far. Hope that helps...boy I wish they did, then I could catfish all year round.

[Mr Twister]

Just found that ODNR doesn't even list them as an Ohio species:

http://www.dnr.ohio.gov/wildlife/fishing/aquanotes-fishid/fishtips.htm

[Salmonid]

Ohio list them as "endangered" and since Ohio kinda sortof doesnt include the Ohio River as an inland fishery, thats why. They do occaisonally show up in the lower reaches of the GMR and the Scioto but stick to the big river mostly. Its my understanding that the Ohio River changes in bottom gradient and depth below Cinci and the average channel depth is deeper below cinci then above it and that seems to be why they are found more often in bigger numbers below Cinci ( Indiana) then above there but i have heard of them all the way up to Maysville with some regularity but never fished for them up that far so I can not give first hand confirmation.

I think Doc or Riverking should be able to help us on this one. They should be around shortly to add input.
Salmonid

[loanwizard]

Mark, Thanks ffor the input. Where or how ffar up is MMaysville? SSorry, I sseem to have MMel Tillis ssyndrome today. :roll_eyes:

[Netmanjack]

Check this out. I guess there is hope for us after all Shawn. The Belleville Lock is at Reedsville, which is a small town near Salt Fork State Park where we had a couple of Ohio Gatherings. Its not that far away :big_smile:


http://www.wvdnr.gov/Fishing/PDFFiles/Ohio_River_Management_Plan_Revised.pdf

[Doctor]

I have caught Blues above Pike Island lock and dam, not big ones but 5-6 pounders, I know West Virginia has a very aggresive stocking program going on and are putting a bunch in that portion of the Ohio River, there spring migratory patterns take them to the dams to feed on Shad and skipjacks and they can get up river by way of the barge locks, after spawn they drop back into the lower portions of the river below the dams, Blues are a bit different than there brothers the Flathead and Channels, In my opinion they are nothing but verocious eaters, seem to never stop and are always on the move where the bait is so are they.................Doc

[wolfman]

In the 6 years that I lived in West Virginia, never caught a blue cat in the Ohio river. They are there like Doc said, but only small ones from what West Virginia has stocked. I didnt know that they were stocked in Pike Island pool but know that several thousand in the 2-3 lb range has been stocked in Belleville and Willow Island pools.

For channel cats I would suggest trying some bank fishing on the river at Tiltonsville,Ohio behind the baseball field. That spot usually holds descent size channel cats up to 20 lbs. Another good spot is at the Pike Island dam.

[Netmanjack]

Which ball field Walt? I zoomed in and found two on the river. One looks like a barge is anchored there. Does Troy fish that area?:smile2:

[fishhook]

I've have caught small blues the largest at 10lbs in the Ohio river a few miles down stream from the R.C. Byrd dam which may be some that WV has stocked. The corp of engineers built a nice boat ramp 4 miles down river from the dam a few years ago. The river along this area is fairly shallow averaging about 18 feet with a deeper hole every now and then of around 30 feet.

[wolfman]

Which ball field Walt? I zoomed in and found two on the river. One looks like a barge is anchored there. Does Troy fish that area?:smile2:

Yes, Troy, Jruckman36, and myself have fished that spot a few times. I only thought there was one ball field there. But that whole stretch holds good size channels.

[Catbird]

The farthest up river on the Ohio I have caught blues was about 3 miles below the mouth of the Scioto River. 3 bluecats that day from the same area while drifting jugs. They ranged between 8-17 lbs caught during the day 2 years ago on July 4th weekend. I haven't made it back up that way since to try it again.

[CatfishHateMe]

ive cought a few real real small ones as far up as the wabash running along the western border of indiana in vigo county so i dont see why they wouldnt be over in that area. most maps showing there habitat range only show them as far north as the middle of ky. which isnt true since the ohio has a huge blues in it.

[ohiocatman62]

I have caught blues up by Portsmouth the biggest 18 lbs and some around 6 to 8 lbs. Rick

[jwfish]

I caught a 18 lb blue last oct in the willow island pool.And have caught a few smaller ones in the past year.

[loanwizard]

I caught a 18 lb blue last oct in the willow island pool.And have caught a few smaller ones in the past year.

Do you know Skp (Max ) Storts?

[chuck4]

I have caught blue cats up to 10lbs out of ravenswood, WV and at the racine dam. They seem few and far between but they are there.

[wolfman]

Hope this helps some


Background: Proper management of the aquatic resources of the Ohio River is extremely important to the State of West Virginia because of both recreational and economic values. The river supports a diverse recreational fishery comprised of both pool and tailwater fisheries. In a
survey conducted in 1992 of Ohio River pool anglers, 51% of anglers interviewed were fishing for multi-species, 19% were fishing for black bass, 12% for catfish, 10% for hybrid striped bass, and 7% for sauger and walleye. In a recent survey of Ohio River tailwater anglers, 51% of anglers interviewed were fishing for multi-species, 1% were fishing for black bass, 5% for
catfish, 15% for hybrid striped bass, and 27% for sauger and walleye. Consequently, the management of the Ohio River fisheries is multi-facet and one of extreme complexity.

To aid in the management of this important resource, the WVDNR-Wildlife Resources Section initiated a planning progress in July 2004 following a 5-year period of information-gathering activities. The resultant plan was released in December 2004. The goal of this plan is to provide enhanced fishing opportunities to all Ohio River anglers using sound-biological information and economically-responsible methodology. The plan addresses the needs of all fisheries using a combination of fish stocking, habitat improvements, and angling regulations. It was and must still be understood that these three techniques and actions are linked and that the success of
this plan is directly associated with the implementation of all three of these techniques and actions. Failure to implement any of these techniques or actions would likely jeopardize the success of the plan and consequently the enhancement of angling opportunities on the Ohio River.


Proposed Fish Stocking Tasks:

Largemouth Bass: A maximum of 38,400 largemouth bass will be stocked into the Willow Island Pool in 2005 at two life stages. Subsequent years’ stocking will be dependent on daily mean river stage (feet) for the period May 1-June 30. Fish reared, but not stocked in a given year because of adequate river levels, will be released into small lakes to promote community angling activities.

Smallmouth Bass: A maximum of 38,250 fingerling smallmouth bass will be stocked during 2005, 2006, and 2007 into the Hannibal Pool. Slower growth rates and a dependency on in-river spawning is the main reason for three years of dedicated stocking. Initiating in 2008, stocking of smallmouth bass will be dependent on daily mean river stage (feet) for the period May 1-June 30. Fish reared, but not stocked in a given year because of adequate river levels, will be stocked into rivers that currently have extremely low densities of smallmouth bass because of past habitat degradation (i.e. Tug Fork, Guyandotte).

Hybrid Striped Bass: The WVDNR is responsible for stocking the Ohio River upstream and inclusive of the Willow Island Pool. This requires the stocking of 97,500 fingerling (30-day old) hybrid striped bass.

Paddlefish: A maximum of 6,800 paddlefish will be stocked throughout the West Virginia reach of the Ohio River excluding the R.C. Byrd and Greenup pools.

Blue Catfish: Blue catfish restoration will be focused on the Ohio River reach inclusive and downstream of the Belleville Pool. A maximum of 26,800 individuals will be stocked annually.

Walleye: WVDNR biologists have identified a unique genetic population of walleye inhabiting the Ohio River of West Virginia. A maximum of 65,500 walleye fingerlings of will be stocked annually into the Hannibal and Pike Island pools.

Proposed Habitat-Related Tasks:

Habitat Inventory: Depth and major substrate type will be determined in selected embayments of the Ohio River. Habitat Enhancement: Spawning and nursery habitat for nest spawning species will be constructed in selected embayments of the Belleville Pool in 2005 and extended throughout the river in ensuing years. In river habitat structures will be constructed where appropriate following the planning and permitting process. Proposed Angling Regulations: (Implement January 2006)
Black Bass: Seasonal Catch and Release: November 1-June 30
Walleye: Bag Limit: 2/day; Minimum Size: 18 inches
Blue Catfish: Bag Limit 2/day; Minimum Size Limit: 24 inches
Sauger/Saugeye: Regulations will remain as 10 fish per day with no size limit.

Revised Ohio River Fishery Management Plan
Proposed Angler Surveys Tasks:

Angler Use and Economic Survey: Angler use and economic information will be
ascertained in 2005 via a survey contracted to a nationally-recognized vendor.
Tailwater Angler Survey: Angler surveys will be conducted at two tailwaters during the
late-fall and winter fishing period in 2007-2008.
Angler Pool Survey: Pool anglers will be surveyed in 2007 and continue through 2009.
Proposed Fish Stocking Tasks:

Largemouth Bass:
Willow Island Pool: A maximum of 38,250 largemouth bass will be stocked
into the Willow Island Pool in 2005 at two life stages. Subsequent years’ stocking
will be dependent on daily mean river stage (feet) for the period May 1-June 30
following the design employed in 2005. Fish reared, but not stocked in a given
year because of stable river levels, will be released into small lakes to promote
community-angling activities.

Belleville Pool: A maximum of 22,450 largemouth bass (25/acre or 50/acre)
will be stocked into selected embayments, tributaries and island back channels of
the Belleville Pool in 2005. If habitat enhancements are completed in 2005, an
additional 28,050 largemouth bass (25/acre or 75/acre) will be stocked into
selected embayments, tributaries, and island back channels of the Belleville Pool
in 2006.

Other Ohio River Pools: Largemouth bass will be stocked into selected
embayments that have undergone habitat enhancements. Largemouth bass will
be stocked into these embayments at a rate of 50/acre the first year following
habitat enhancements and 75/acre the second year. Tributaries and island back
channels will be stocked at a rate of 25/acre in both years.
Smallmouth Bass

Hannibal Pool: A maximum of 38,750 fingerling smallmouth bass will be
stocked into the Hannibal Pool in 2005 and 2006 at two life stages. Initiating in
2007, stocking of smallmouth bass will be dependent on daily mean river stage
(feet) for the period May 1-June 30 following the design employed in 2005. Fish
reared, but not stocked in a given year because of stable river levels, will be
stocked into rivers that currently have extremely low densities of smallmouth
bass because of past habitat degradation.

Belleville Pool: In 2005 and 2006, excess fingerling smallmouth bass reared in
the WVDNR hatchery system for Ohio River allotment and not stocked into the
Hannibal Pool will be stocked in the Belleville Pool.

Hybrid Striped Bass:
Ohio River: The WVDNR is responsible for stocking the Ohio River
upstream and inclusive of the Willow Island Pool. This requires the
stocking of 97,500 fingerling (30-day old) hybrid striped bass. This is a
50% reduction in stocking rate compared to previous years.

Paddlefish:
Ohio River: A maximum of 6,740 paddlefish will be stocked throughout the
West Virginia reach of the Ohio River excluding the R.C. Byrd and Greenup pools.
This is part of an ongoing restoration program with a goal of providing
recreational angling opportunities.
Revised Ohio River Fishery Management Plan: (continued)

Blue Catfish:
Ohio River: Blue catfish restoration will be focused on the Ohio River reach
inclusive and downstream of the Belleville Pool. A maximum of 26,800
individuals will be stocked annually.

Walleye:
Ohio River: WVDNR staff will focus on the restoration of a unique strain of
walleye inhabiting the Ohio River of West Virginia. A maximum of 65,500
fingerlings will be stocked annually in the Hannibal and Pike Island pools.

Proposed Habitat-Related Tasks:
Habitat Inventory: Depth and major substrate type will be determined in selected
embayments of the Ohio River.
Habitat Enhancement: Spawning and nursery habitat for nest spawning species
will be constructed in selected embayments of the Belleville, Racine, and R.C.
Byrd pools in 2005-2006 and extended throughout the river in ensuing years. Inriver
habitat structures will be constructed where appropriate following the
planning and permitting process. Removal of silt at the mouths of selected
embayments will also be conducted.

Proposed Angling Regulations: Regulations will be re-evaluated after 7 years.
Black Bass: Seasonal Catch and Release: April 1- May 31
Walleye: Bag Limit: 2/day; Minimum Size: 18 inches
Blue Catfish: Bag Limit 2/day; Minimum Size Limit: 24 inches
Sauger/Saugeye: Regulations will remain as 10 fish/day with no size limit.
Summary of Revisions
Angler Surveys:
�� Additional surveys of Ohio River pool anglers
Fish Stocking:
�� Greater linkage with stocking to habitat improvements, as well as
spawning and nesting period river stage. This will result in more pools
being stocked and a reduction of dedicated stockings of smallmouth bass.
�� Include dedicated largemouth bass stocking in 2005 to the Belleville Pool.
This was warranted because of January 2005 drawdown.
�� Increase stocking of largemouth bass into embayments that have
undergone habitat improvements. These stockings will be for the two
years following the habitat improvements.
�� Potentially stock smallmouth bass during 2005 and 2006 into the
Belleville Pool if numbers of reared fish are available. This was warranted
because of January 2005 drawdown.
�� Reduce stocking of hybrid striped bass from previous years.
Habitat Evaluations and Improvements:
�� Increase importance on habitat improvements concerned with spawning
and nursery activities.
�� Increase activity in the removal of silt from selected embayment mouths.
Regulations:
�� Inclusion of a 7-year period for all regulations, at which time these
regulations will be re-evaluated.
�� Reduce catch and release period on black bass from November-June to
April to May