# Hocking River channel cats



## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Did a float Saturday and went after some channel cats on bass-sized gear. Water was at a good level, fairly clean (for this year), and other than fighting the turtles it was a good trip but the bite was a little slower than normal. I did about a 1 1/4 mile float, caught 4, lost a few, and hooked two leatherback turtles. Bites were obvious: thump-run was a channel cat, peck-peck-peck-peck was turtle. Bait used was small chunks of pork stew meat.

22" was the biggest fish:


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

Did You do the stretch of the River behind Auto Tech/ Super 8/ Holzer? that wood pile looks familiar in the last pic. Anyways nice fish, Im going to try and get bout this weekend if all the rain holds off


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

RiverWader said:


> Did You do the stretch of the River behind Auto Tech/ Super 8/ Holzer? that wood pile looks familiar in the last pic. Anyways nice fish, Im going to try and get bout this weekend if all the rain holds off


Yep. That wood pile is barely downstream from where the Dow Lake spillway creek dumps into the river.


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

I caught a VERY nice Smallie there last year, the log pile wasnt as big though


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

Did you do anything special to the stew meat? Ive used beef before but never pork, might have to give it a shot. Also when You do that stretch Where do you put in and take out? When We wade it, We get in at Pepsi plant and get out at the bridge by Coles homes, Never been past that part, but always wanted to try


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

RiverWader said:


> Did you do anything special to the stew meat? Ive used beef before but never pork, might have to give it a shot. Also when You do that stretch Where do you put in and take out? When We wade it, We get in at Pepsi plant and get out at the bridge by Coles homes, Never been past that part, but always wanted to try


We put in not far from the driveway. 

I don't do anything special with the stew meat, but I can see where you could season or marinate it in something for some extra flavor. Or do what I usually do with the beef: freeze-thaw-freeze-thaw-freeze-thaw until it gets that nice half rotten smell.


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## morning jigger (Apr 22, 2009)

Nice catch, thanks for sharing!


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## bigfish2012 (May 4, 2009)

way to go on the nice channels.. floating for cats with light tackle is some of favorite fishing. im in athens as well. i dont have my boat here with me if any of yall ever have an open boat seat ill split gas, bring bait, and grub. ive been hitting them pretty hard from shore at a few holes ive found about 6 and 8 miles south of town but theyre always littered with beer cans and trash. havent really had any good trips yet. havent been logged in here since 2009, totally forgot i created an account. been reading tons of the post but finally got logged back in..


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## morning jigger (Apr 22, 2009)

Nothing worse than heading down to your favorite fishing hole only to find some idiot had a party and left all the trash behind! Not to thread jack... just saying


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## WISH IT WAS YOU (Jul 25, 2006)

just wondering i might be going to collage at hocking this fall im 3 and half hours aways right now what is all in the river i dont know much about the lakes and area down their yet but trying to figure some of these things out


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## bigfish2012 (May 4, 2009)

WISH IT WAS YOU said:


> just wondering i might be going to collage at hocking this fall im 3 and half hours aways right now what is all in the river i dont know much about the lakes and area down their yet but trying to figure some of these things out


from what ive seen most species in the ohio are in the hocking.. all types of bass, all types of eyes, all types of cats and pretty much everything in between. Im in my last year at OU. the area has some awesome fishing


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

Personally Ive caught Channel and Flatties, Carp, Crappie, LargeMouth, Smallies, Spot And White Bass, Hybrid Stripers, BlueGill, RockBass, Gar,Sauger, Saugeye, Walleye, Drum, And a SkipJack, Out of the Hocking River, Ive sen pics of a Pike caught out of there a While back. As for Lakes You can find ALMOST all the fish on the list above on in one of the lakes Around here


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

RiverWader said:


> Personally Ive caught Channel and Flatties, Carp, Crappie, LargeMouth, Smallies, Spot And White Bass, Hybrid Stripers, BlueGill, RockBass, Gar,Sauger, Saugeye, Walleye, Drum, And a SkipJack, Out of the Hocking River, Ive sen pics of a Pike caught out of there a While back. As for Lakes You can find ALMOST all the fish on the list above on in one of the lakes Around here


That's about right on the list, you can find about any species in the Hocking. It's better for smallies farther north, around Nelsonville and above. The local lakes are not too bad. I fish Dow, Lake Hope, and Lake Snowden all regularly. Also, the AEP ReCreation area isn't all that far away if you have transportation. From Athens it usually takes me a little under an hour, and the fishing there is excellent. There is also good shore access on the Ohio River at the Racine Dam, which is maybe 40-45 minutes from Athens. Lots of catfish, sauger, white bass, and hybrid stripers to be had down there.


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## Drahthaar_dude (Aug 28, 2007)

That sounds like a nice little trip. I have never fished that stretch of river before but looks pretty good.


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