The potential to catch big flatheads is very good at the lake, according to Frey. He said that every year anglers catch fish in the 40- to 50-pound range. Sampling and angler catches indicate the potential is there for fish over 50 pounds.

Betty Perry, a local angler who bank-fishes Dewey frequently, caught a very nice flathead just recently in the fall of 2004. The fish weighed 42 pounds and measured an impressive 44 inches long. Frey's office determined the fish to be 16.5 years old.

Frey said the lake offers excellent fishing for both boat and bank anglers, but the conditions at the lake can change quickly due to it being a flood-control water. Water levels can fluctuate frequently. This affects the depth at which catfish will be and also their proximity to shore.

Flatheads like to lurk around the root balls of the many cypress trees in the lake. They can also be found around rocky banks in both the upper and lower ends of the lake. They are primarily caught on live bait.

Channel catfish are more scattered, according to Frey. They, too, can be found in rocky areas, but can also be found along sandy and muddy bottoms. Near the dam is another popular location.

Anglers may have their preference of fishing either muddy or clear water at Dewey. Frey said the upper end of the lake has more turbidity and stays muddy. The lower end is much clearer, although it can also become stained immediately following heavy rains.

TAYLORSVILLE LAKE
Biologist Kerry Prather said Taylorsville has a tremendous channel catfish fishery and it has been tremendous since the mid-1980s. Channel catfish rank as the third most popular fish at the lake behind bluegills and white crappie. "There is a lot of standing timber, a lot of structure, and plenty of forage, such as gizzard shad. Spawning has also been good at the lake," the biologist said.

Another unique opportunity exists at Taylorsville. Some 25,000 blue catfish were stocked in 2002, with 88,000 and 25,000 being stocked the following two years, respectively. Though the lake is dominated by channel catfish now, don't be surprised if the blue catfish population makes some inroads as far as total numbers of catfish.

The blue catfish stocking has normally been done in three segments each year. The fish stocked have a wide range of sizes -- some as small as 4 to 5 inches. The channel catfish fishery is self-sufficient and receives no supplemental stocking.

Blue catfish are normally a big-river fish with the exception of Kentucky and Barkley lakes. This stocking program creates a unique situation because fisheries personnel envision a trophy blue fishing opportunity in a reservoir in the heart of the state.

Blue catfish are very popular with anglers, according to Prather. This catfish inhabits different habitat than that of the channel catfish. It is a live fish feeder and much more prone to be shallow. It can even be caught in open water where it feeds on shad and is sometimes caught by bass and striper anglers out away from the more traditionally believed catfish structure.

A creel survey conducted in 2003 showed the average size of harvested fish to be 12.1 inches for channel catfish and 16.8 inches for blues. There is also a fair population of flatheads, which showed an average catch size of 23.5 inches. However, this did not include those taken by hand grabbing (noodling), which is very popular at Taylorsville.

FINAL NOTES
Information on these and other catfish waters, as well as contact information for the fisheries biologists, can be found on the KDFWR Web site at www.kdfwr.state.ky.us. Those without Internet access can call toll- free at (800) 858-1549. Contact Bill Pierson at (270) 625-1793 for information on catfishing at Kentucky Lake or in the Ohio River.