As for the number of catfish anglers on the Ohio and numbers of catches, biologist Rister supplied the following information from the Smithland Dam tailwaters on the Ohio River (2001 data).

"At the Smithland tailwaters, catfish anglers comprise about 71 percent of all anglers. Anglers fishing for striped bass, hybrids and white bass account for another 18 percent. In 2001, it was estimated that 55,763 catfish were caught, of which 4,077 were channel catfish (7 percent). Blue catfish accounted for 89 percent (49,479), and flathead catfish made up the other 4 percent (2,207).

"Of all the catfish caught, 96 percent were harvested. These harvested catfish weighed a total of 273,425 pounds. The average length and weight for channel catfish was 16.8 inches, 1.54 pounds. Blue catfish averaged 23.1 inches, 5.11 pounds and flatheads averaged 24.6 inches, 6.09 pounds."

As for the density of any particular species, the numbers will vary from section to section of the Ohio River. But June is the month for catfishermen, from one end of the river to the other.

Tributaries are good catfish locations. Creeks and streams feeding into the Ohio River provide staging areas for cats during pre-spawn and post-spawn periods. When the mouth of the feeder stream is relatively deep at the confluence, catfish are often abundant. The less turbid, deep tributaries attract catfish.

Dam tailraces are also good locations for catfish. These fish will congregate in the churning tailwaters of big-river dams. Abundant baitfish is one attraction. Shad and other forage fish prefer the highly oxygenated water and are stopped in their upstream movement, as are the catfish.

Access to the Ohio River is good from the Kentucky side. In the northeastern region, the Ashland Public Launch is in the city of Ashland at the north end of 16th Street, behind the floodwall.

Proceeding downriver from Ashland, the Little Sandy Public Launch Ramp is 1/4 mile west of Greenup, just off U.S. Route 23. This ramp is just north of the Greenup Lock and Dam.

South of the Greenup Dam is the Kinniconick Creek public launch ramp. This ramp is on Kinniconick Creek in Garrison on state Route (SR) 10 near the Kinniconick Bridge.

Near the Markland Lock and Dam, the Warsaw boat ramp and the Point Park boat ramp (in Carrollton) are two good access points. Parking and the ramps are on the upstream side at junction of the Kentucky and Ohio rivers, off U.S. Route 42.

Near Louisville, the McAlpine Lock and Dam region provides access from Cox's Park public access site in Louisville. Cox's Park is on Upper River Road, one mile north of Zorn Avenue. The Greenwood Road public access site is at Valley Station, at Greenwood and Cane Run roads in Riverview Park.

Approaching Owensboro, the Cannelton Lock and Dam catfishing region provides access at the city of Cloverport boat ramp in Cloverport off U.S. Route 60 in the west end of town. And the City of Owensboro boat ramp is in Owensboro at the north end of Fredrica Street.