Originally, Bullock Pen received about 2,680 blue catfish. Now, the stocking rate is typically about 900 fish per year. Channel catfish are stocked annually to the tune of about 3,350 per year. Harvest of channel catfish at Bullock Pen is regulated by a 12-inch minimum length limit.

Bullock Pen has a boat launch and marina that is open all year. Fishing supplies and other necessities are available for sale, as well as opportunities for boat rental. The ramp may be reached by taking Interstate 75 north from Williamstown to Exit 166. Then follow SR 2363 west and turn left onto Violet Road to the lake.

REFORMATORY LAKE
Bank-fishing anglers will delight upon reaching this small lake in Oldham County, as there are no boats allowed on this waterway. A prison is located on one side of the lake, so obviously using boats is not considered to be a good idea here. However, there is decent bank-fishing access on the other side of the lake and it is accessible from the Wendell Moore Park at LaGrange.

Crosby ranks the catfish fishery at Reformatory Lake as "decent." Hickey refers to it as "the oddball" out of the three lakes at which he is currently monitoring blue catfish stockings. He said the lake has very good numbers of blues and channels, as well as some really large flatheads.

"I'm not really sure how or when the flatheads were introduced to the lake, but there are some really big fish in there. Some are up to about 20 pounds. I'd say there is very minimal, if any, reproduction though."

He went on to say that there are also some real nice blue cats at the lake with plenty of fish above 5 pounds. Channel catfish are stocked annually and they are present in very good numbers and sizes as well. The channel cats are stocked at a rate of about 1,300 fish per year. Blue cats stocking was recorded at approximately 1,080 fish.

Anglers will find the habitat conditions at Reformatory Lake to be similar to Bullock Pen. It is more of a shallow-type lake with some water willow present. There is also some good woody structure available in the form of fallen trees and limbs on the park side of the lake.

To reach the Wendell Moore Park and the bank access at Reformatory Lake, follow SR 146 west out of LaGrange and turn right onto SR 393 and follow to the lake. Fishing, restrooms and retail sales are available at the lake year 'round. A handicap-accessible fishing pier is also available.

A.J. JOLLY
As mentioned earlier, the blue catfish stocking program has been abandoned at A.J. Jolly in favor of stocking flathead catfish. A.J. Jolly Lake is not only home to a stunted sunfish fishery, but also there are way too many bullhead catfish present. Flathead catfish were introduced in an effort to have an immediate and direct effect on the overpopulation of sunfish and bullheads.

Katie Emme, an assistant district fishery biologist to Jeff Crosby, is heading up the flathead catfish research project at the lake. They are not currently stocking the lake, but it is in more of a monitoring stage now. However, there are some very nice fish available to anglers.

The flatheads stocked into the lake were already of adult size, according to Hickey. He said the flatheads stocked into the lake ranged in size between 2 and 8 pounds at the time of stocking. Because of the flatheads being adult size, they were stocked at a lower rate per acre than the blue catfish that were previously stocked. The blue cats were stocked at a rate of about seven to 10 fish per acre.