Photo by Ron Sinfelt.

What's that bending the rod double and stripping line off the reel at a rate sure to strike sparks at any moment? It could very well be one of our state's monster-sized catfish. Of those, we've got plenty!

Catfish angling is very popular in Kentucky. Long regarded as just a "Southern thing," catfish angling is now developing a nationwide following. Here in the Bluegrass State, we've always known what a good experience it is to tangle with those ole whiskerfish.

Our Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) knows it, too. They've managed our natural populations of catfish well, and have done wonders with supplemental stockings. We now have tremendous opportunities for all three major species of catfish -- blues, flatheads and, of course, channel cats.

Most of our big lakes and rivers have self-sustaining populations of whiskerfish. When first impounded, some lakes were initially stocked with catfish that have since flourished through natural reproduction.

However, that's not the case with all of our impoundments. Many of our smaller waters do not enjoy natural reproduction -- or at least, not enough to support the fisheries. Many of our lakes receive a lot of fishing pressure, and without stocking, some of the smaller waters would get "fished out."

Therefore, the KDFWR stocks thousands of channel catfish each year to keep up with the demand. Additionally, there have been some recent experiments with stocking blue catfish in select waters to function both as an additional prey fish and to provide more angler opportunity.

We've got some great locations where you can tangle with all three catfish species. Of course, everyone knows of the opportunities at such famous destinations as Kentucky and Barkley lakes. But numerous other lakes have their own great catfish fisheries.

Here's a look at five locations across the state where anglers can find some terrific action for blue, flathead, and channel cats!

TAYLORSVILLE LAKE
Blue Catfish
Biologist Kerry Prather says the blue catfish fishery at Taylorsville is good now and getting better every year. These stocked blue cats are supplementing an already great fishery for channel cats. Catfish anglers should find some excellent fishing this year at this 3,050-acre lake.

Initially, blue catfish were stocked into Taylorsville to help control an overabundance of shad as well as to possibly create a trophy fishery. The experiment has worked well and anglers are now set to reap the rewards. Prather believes the quality of the fishery will only continue to increase.

The first stocking of blue catfish occurred in 2002 and included around 25,000 fish, ranging from 10 to 14 inches long. This amounted to around eight fish stocked per acre.

Next year, the number of stocked blue catfish escalated to 88,000 fish, at a rate of 29 fish per acre. Stockings of 8- to 12-inch fish have continued every year since, at the rate of about seven to eight fish per acre.

Now that the fishery is established, the maintenance-stocking rate will probably drop to around five fish per acre each year. All these blue catfish were raised at the Peter W. Pfeiffer Fish Hatchery in Frankfort.

Biologists have sampled some of the blue cats while electro-shocking. Creel surveys have also documented the growth of the fishery, indicating that the blue cats now present range from 7 to 26 inches. There are reports of even larger fish. Creel surveys showed catfish were caught in good numbers all through the warm months, peaking in August.