Although the blue catfish stocking program at these lakes wasn't originally started to directly create a better catfish fishery for anglers, it certainly has provided extra opportunity for fishing. There are some really fine catfish in these lakes waiting to put an arch in an angler's rod. Here is a little closer look at each of the four stocked lakes.

BOLTZ LAKE
Boltz Lake in Grant County has some unusual characteristics for a small lake. It is fairly steep-sided and quite deep for a lake of only 92 acres. It has a maximum depth of 72 feet and an average depth of 24 feet. It is surrounded by farmland, and cattle have access to one side of the lake.

There is not a great deal of habitat in the lake, according to Crosby. However, the KDFWR has been enhancing the habitat by putting in old Christmas trees. There is a 50-foot easement all around the lake, but topography and other factors limit the amount of bank-fishing access. Most of the best bank-fishing is confined to the area right near the dam.

Hickey said they know there are some really nice fish in the lake, but it is difficult to sample because of the depth and other factors. "We will go sample one time and get a certain set of results. The next time we go sample, we get something totally different."

The lake is highly fertile and always seems to produce good catfish. Hickey said he knows there are catfish of 10 pounds or more, but they are not able to find them consistently while sampling. However, because of ample stocking numbers and good conditions at the lake, the fish are there and ready to put some excitement in an angler's day.

Boltz received about 1,840 blue catfish during previous stocking years and is now on schedule to get about 900 per year. However, those numbers could fluctuate depending on any changes to the stocking research. Additionally, the lake is stocked annually with channel catfish. Some 2,300 channel cats are introduced to the lake each year. There are plenty of channel catfish in the fiddler size and some blue catfish up to and above 5 pounds. Channel catfish must be at least 12 inches in length to be harvested.

Boltz Lake is off Interstate 75 at the Dry Ridge exit. There is a boat launch, as well as a small concessionaire that is operated seasonally. The boat launch is available year 'round. During the season, bait and other supplies are available for sale at the retail store. Boat and motor rentals are also available.

BULLOCK PEN LAKE
Bullock Pen Lake is also in Grant County. It is approximately 134 acres in size and located about two miles west of Crittenden off state Route (SR) 491. Bullock Pen is not as deep or as steep-sided as the previous lake. It has a maximum depth of 48 feet with an average depth of 18 feet.

There is a lot of good habitat at Bullock Pen also. The lake contains rocky banks and plenty of leftover stumps and other woody structure. There is also a lot of water willow, which is an emergent aquatic plant that grows along the bank.

Most of the best fishing is done by boat. As at Boltz, there is a 50-foot easement around the lake, but most of the bank-fishing access will be found near the dam. Houses surround much of Bullock Pen Lake, which makes bank access difficult.

Hickey said the blue catfish fishery has been up and down and exhibits a lot of fluctuation during sampling efforts by the KDFWR. They have seen some bigger blue catfish, but not as frequently as at some of the other lakes. The channel catfish, on the other hand, have been faring much better and are "doing as expected," according to Hickey. Occasionally, an angler will hook a really nice-sized blue cat.