# question



## walkerdogman85 (Oct 22, 2011)

I live in coshocton and have access to the muskingum walhonding and the tuscarawas river i have been catfishing pretty serious for the last 3-4 trying to catch a few big ones but all i have caught is a couple that might weigh 20 i am using some big bait and have been reading all i can to try and educate myself on the sport, my question is how to find the best place to catch a bigger fish and what might i be doing wrong i have fished 3 out of the last four nights at a warm water discharge at a local plant on the muskingum river and i caught some nice ones but like i said the biggest two might weigh 20 lbs. i dont have access to a boat all the time so i mainly fish from the bank what weather conditions are good water temp etc. i know this is a lot of questions but i am just trying to learn more. how do you know where to put your bait i have read where a guy uses two boats one to fish from and one to place bait from any help would be appreciated thank you


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## mastercatman (Jan 30, 2005)

First off, welcome to the site! You're in a decent area and I have caught some nice flatheads in that region. If you're catching 20lb fish, there may be larger ones in the same general vicinity. It takes patience to catch large flatheads and they rarely appear in good numbers. Use the search function on this forum to view older threads and you will find gobs of information that will get you heading in the right direction. If you're catching 20lb fish though, especially through the tough weekend conditions, you're on the right track! Keep us posted on your success, but I would limit information on too specific locations of your catches. I try to generalize locations if I'm on good fishing. You'll find plenty of help here if you ask the right questions. 
Bad question example: "What is the best spot to catch catfish?" (too specific)
Good question example: "What lakes or rivers in my area can I expect to find decent catfishing?" (general but informative)
You'll get answers, but expect to do your own legwork on finding good spots to fish.
Good luck!


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## walkerdogman85 (Oct 22, 2011)

thanks i guess that i am just frustrated cause i have been wanting to catch one and it just aint happening but i will hang in there and keep you guys posted thanks


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

I am from gnadenhutten, and I fished the Tusc. For years, for Flathead. Ive caught tons of Flathead out of that river but the biggest ive ever caught out of there was 24.12, that is a Heck of a fish for that water system. There is great numbers in the Tusc. But size is small, ive caught 10 to 17 Flathead in one nite a handful of times, but the size is not there, I believe it is due to the lack of gizzard shad, we've caught 30lb fish out of willscreek and the shad is thick in that creek, after years of targeting Flathead out of the river I decided I had to learn lakes to find the size I wanted. Take time and learn the lakes and you will be rewarded. It will take alot of time, but its well worth it! Good luck.


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

If you still want to fish the river float it one day and find the deepest most snag full hole in a 5 mile streatch, that is where your biggest Flathead will be, the biggest Flathead in a five mile streatch will be in the snagiest deepest hole, don't plan on catching many Flathead out of there but only one or two good ones, im sure there is a few 40s and and Mybe a 50 or two in the Tusc. But you must look far and wide for them. I think the river is a great place to get a new Flathead fisherman introduced into the sport, because of the high numbers, but soon you will want bigger fish, and you will have to learn the lakes, just remember you cant catch that fish agin if you kill it!


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## walkerdogman85 (Oct 22, 2011)

I have fished the tusc with my cousin from a boat in some local tournaments we caught some nice channel cats but no shovels of any size but like I said I don't have my own boat so I have to fish from the bank making it harder to find a good spot


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## walkerdogman85 (Oct 22, 2011)

i think i am going fishing this weekend ill post and let you guys know how i did


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## katfish (Apr 7, 2004)

Walkerdogman

I agree with Ducky's assessment of flathead. There are lots of aggressive smaller flathead in the rivers. This is a good thing for catmen learning how to fish for flathead and they can gain loads of experience.

But lakes sustain larger flathead in Ohio. These fish are by no means easy to catch. You must learn to locate them and fish long and hard to get them to bite. I know several catmen who became good flathead fishermen in rivers before taking the challenge for bigger fish and turning to lakes to find them.

Ducky is one example. He is young and energetic and learns from each trip.
Fairly new to lakes but he is already starting to catch trophy flathead from them.

MMagis learned to hunt big flathead and went from 20-30 pound flathead to 40-60 flathead in a couple of years.

You can catch big flathead in rivers but I am willing to bet you can catch more big flathead in the same time by looking at the lakes.


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## walkerdogman85 (Oct 22, 2011)

katman i read an article that i think you wrote in or was apart of a few years back i guess i just dont know how you or anyone else always produce fish like you do i will keep trying and keep learning but hopefully i can fish with someone like yourself thank you mike west


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