# Catfishing the muskingum



## pappasmurf

Never fished the Muskingum, but always heard there are big catfish in there. Is that true.
I am planning on trying it this year and would like to know some of the better spots to try. Plan on night fishing off the bank. Any help would be greatly apprieciated.


----------



## dgatrell27

use big goldish or suckers. my unkle and I fished it pretty heavy from my boat a few yrs ago and did excelent. had a couple big gars also. never know what ur gona pull out. as far as fishing from the bank, guess try n find a creekmouth, undercut bank, log jam,sandbar, somthing to block current. and be patient! many nights we would go spot to spot and finally get into them. good luck n hang on!


----------



## Shaun69007

I would try the Y bridge in Zanesville. There is a confluence of the licking and muskingum river there.


----------



## mallorian

The zanesville Dresden area is know for its big cats. While i wont give away my honey hole i will tell you a couple of good spots. As the previous poster mentioned the y bridge area is a good spot. Not only does the licking join the muskingum there just up stream on the muskingum is one of the many low head dams which makes this a particularly good spot.
Another good low head damn spot is lock #11, also called Ellis damn. It lies about halfway between zanesville and Dresden and has a boat ramp and small primitave campsite operated by odnr. Many 40-50lb monsters have been pulled from this area.
Dresden is also a nice area. Wakitomika creek empties into the muskingum just to the north of the town. The area can be accessed by public boat ramp located at the lower end of the tri valley high school parking lot. 
For all of these locations goldfish, suckers, bluegill, shrimp, chicken livers and nightcrawlers work well. Just be prepared with more than one type of bait as water/weather conditions change the pallets of the cats in these areas. My usual arsenal includes night crawlers, either livers or shrimp, and bluegill or goldfish. Hope this helps.


----------



## pappasmurf

Thanks guy, Helps alot. I'll have to try it this summer


----------



## pappasmurf

Are there any camp sites in the area?


----------



## mallorian

There is a small primitive site at the Ellis dam sire operated by odnr. Also Dillon state park is only about 10 minutes from zanesville and 15-20 minutes from Dresden or Ellis. There is also a koa on the opposite bank of the muskingum just outside of zanesville and a place called wild bill's just up the road from Dillon, but I've never been to either.


----------



## MJSterling

@ pappasmurf,don't know if this helps,the boat ramp at Ellis Dam is just below the Dam.So if you want to fish North of the Dam,you will need to launch @ the public ramp @ Dresden.You have to go through the lower parking lot at Tri Valley H.S. then under the bridge.It is a nice ramp with plenty of parking.


----------



## jessmr

We have property right on the muskingum, been fishing there my whole life. I've seen giant cats pulled out everywhere from the river, best spots are at the dams by far. Spend the night with a bucket of lively bluegills, and you are sure to catch one!


----------



## buckeyebowman

I'm no expert on the Muskingum, but I have fished it several times with my brother in law, usually below Devols Dam upriver from Marietta. I think there's big everything in there! I'm sure with some of the tips here you can have a fine time!


----------



## pappasmurf

Sounds like most of you use chicken liver. Never used it. What method did you use to keep it on your hooks. I've seen the double hooks with the latch, do they work? Any suggestions on keeping it on the hook? Tim


----------



## Banditman

I put the chicken liver in pantyhose. The material helps keep it on the hook. But i use liver on the muskingum unless its in a very slow pool. Blue gills and shiners are my favorite bait.


----------



## BanksideBandit

I have a 14' fiberglass boat with a 9.5hp Johnson on it...would I have any problems on the Muskingum? And would I be able to get up by the dams or are they really rough?


----------



## Banditman

I'm only familiar with locks 10-6 (south zanesville to stockport). But we never had any issues on the river and we had a 13.9' flat bottom john boat. Lock 8 is my favorite and you shouldn't have any issues as long as the water isn't to high.


----------



## mallorian

Yeah like banditman said as long as the river isnt up u shouldnt have any problems with a 14ft boat or your motor. I've seen people on their kayaks get within 10-15ft on both sides of the dams. Also saw one idiot go over the dam at ellis, but he did it on purpose. As a matter of fact the boat ramp at ellis is only 30ft or so downstream of the dam.


----------



## mastercatman

I was just reading over the posts and there is a couple things I would like to add to help the guy out. First, don't wait till summer, fishing usually slows after the second week of June unless you hit things right. Mid April thru the end of May is your best chance at the biggest catfish followed by September and October. If you want to catch big catfish, make sure you are geared up properly and leave the chicken livers at the grocery store. Use the live baits suggested by the previous posters for your best chance at a big fish. You may also use fresh cut baits such as bluegill and shad heads in many cases. I have had nights on flatheads that didn't want anything but fresh bluegill heads despite having many other usually desirable live baits out. Good luck


----------



## mr.whiskers

Has anyone fishd the river up n coshocton?


----------



## mastercatman

mr.whiskers said:


> Has anyone fishd the river up n coshocton?


I have fished the river around Coshocton, but when I'm in that area, I prefer to fish Wills Creek.

Marshallville, heck I'm from Canal Fulton originally. I'll be moving back up there once I finish school in June. Nice area but there are more fishing opportunities up my alley down here!


----------



## BanksideBandit

Has anybody been catching any big flatheads yet? I've seen that people have caught some out of the Ohio. I live in Columbus and have only caught a few small ones in the Scioto with nothing over 10lbs yet. I plan on heading to the Muskingum for a weekend as soon as the weather gets a little warmer. 

Banditman, you said you like to fish Lock 8...And on the ODNR website it says there is only boat ramps at locks 4,5,6,7, and 11...Lock 11 is Ellis (which is closed) and the boat ramp is downstream of the dam...So how do you get to Lock 8? Or are you fishing from the bank?


----------



## Banditman

Yeah there is a sand beach on one side and a rock beach on the other.. its called rokeby lock. Its on staye rt 60. 

http://www.americancanals.org/Miscellaneous/muskingum_river.htm


----------



## smoothkip25

BanksideBandit said:


> Has anybody been catching any big flatheads yet? I've seen that people have caught some out of the Ohio. I live in Columbus and have only caught a few small ones in the Scioto with nothing over 10lbs yet. I plan on heading to the Muskingum for a weekend as soon as the weather gets a little warmer.
> 
> Banditman, you said you like to fish Lock 8...And on the ODNR website it says there is only boat ramps at locks 4,5,6,7, and 11...Lock 11 is Ellis (which is closed) and the boat ramp is downstream of the dam...So how do you get to Lock 8? Or are you fishing from the bank?


With the reacent cold snap weve had the water temps have dropped back below 50 and the flathead bite has slowed. Ive caught a handful of 40 plus pounders on the Muskingum from Coshocton to Marrietta. Go south for more quality fish. I have good luck on more soft slender baits this time of year such as live shad, suckers and small bass and carp. Also this time of year dont be afraid to use fresh cut shad. My PB 48.8# came from a big shad head. As many others have said feeder creeks and creek mouths are a good starting point as eddies and slack water areas. On the river May and early June is a hot month as is sept,oct even into early november at times. You ever want to hit the Muskingum hit me up for I fish it quite often.


----------



## mr.whiskers

mastercatman said:


> I have fished the river around Coshocton, but when I'm in that area, I prefer to fish Wills Creek.
> 
> Marshallville, heck I'm from Canal Fulton originally. I'll be moving back up there once I finish school in June. Nice area but there are more fishing opportunities up my alley down
> 
> 
> Im sure there r. Im a little tired of the lakes around here so i thought id give a river a try. coshocton is closest ramp to me from what i can find


----------



## BanksideBandit

Smoothkip, from what I've heard that's what people have been catching them on so far this year is cut bait. Forecast is showing warmer weather so hopefully it will turn the flatheads on. Once I know they are biting I'm going to take a trip out to the Muskingum. I was thinking about hitting the stretch between Rokeby and McConnelsville. Which ramp would be good for this pool? Any suggestions would help. Thanks


----------



## smoothkip25

Theres a good hole(eddie) right down from the Fairgrounds ramp in McConnelsville. Ive caught quite a few 20s and a few 30s in that hole early season. The hole will be on your left heading down stream. Its best in high water but still decent at normal pool. Its right behind the gravel Bar. Im gonna guess theres 10 to 15 foot of water in there right now. Ive even caught a few during daylight in that spot. Ive never caught any giants from there but havent spent all that much time there. Its almost a guaranteed spot if thats possible Flathead fishing. LOL! I place baits in the hole and also at the point of the gravel bar.


----------



## BanksideBandit

Thanks smoothkip for the spot I will have to make sure I get down there with plenty of daylight to do some scouting around. Might need to make it into a 2 night trip in order to get onto some good holes. When navigating around in the Muskingum should I dock in to go from pool to pool or use the locks? Are they expensive?


----------



## smoothkip25

BanksideBandit said:


> Thanks smoothkip for the spot I will have to make sure I get down there with plenty of daylight to do some scouting around. Might need to make it into a 2 night trip in order to get onto some good holes. When navigating around in the Muskingum should I dock in to go from pool to pool or use the locks? Are they expensive?


Ive never locked through and i believe there only open on holiday weekends or if you schedule ahead. Theres enough water in any given stretch to wear ya out in any trip. Take your time and read the river. Theres plenty of great spots in every stretch ya just got to find them. The McConnesville stretch has produced some monster fish. Very rocky and lots of good spots. After dark becareful running the river because the muskingum can really eat some props! Take a variety of bait and have patience. I truly believe patience is the biggest key in Trophy Flathead fishing and of course adequate gear. Them big flatheads are known to hurt your feelings. Remember getting a giant flathead to the boat is only half the battle. When he sees the boat thats when the true test begins!


----------



## Josh h

The locks only operate during tourist type hours and dates. Much better to launch where you are going to fish. ODNR has a pamphlet (online) with the lock hours and launch ramps, there are also various private ramps where you can launch for like $5
Josh


----------



## BanksideBandit

Thanks for the info...Looks like some warmer weather in the forecast, hopefully there will be more flathead pics on here soon.


----------

