← Ohio fishing maps

Best flathead catfish lakes in Ohio

9 Ohio waters hold flathead catfish, 3 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Solitary giant that lairs in log jams and deep holes by day and prowls at night — live bait only.

1. Great Miami River — 15 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish
2. Muskingum River — 30 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Saugeye, Channel Catfish
3. Seneca Lake — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
4. Indian Lake — 13 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Saugeye, Crappie
5. Ohio River — Markland Pool — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie
6. Ohio River — Meldahl Pool — 55 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie
7. Scioto River — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Saugeye, Channel Catfish
8. Dillon Lake — 32 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
9. Ohio River — Greenup Pool — 55 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie

When to fish flathead catfish in Ohio

• Spring 5–20 ft — Pre-spawn fish feed hard near wood cover and hole edges.
• Summer 8–30 ft — Day = log-jam lairs and deep holes. Night = shallow flats and bar edges with big live bait.
• Fall 10–35 ft — Fish concentrate near wintering holes — the year's best big-fish window.
• Winter 20–45 ft — Stacked and sluggish in the deepest holes.

Also in Ohio: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best saugeye lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best blue catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best steelhead lakes · best rock bass lakes

Flathead Catfish elsewhere: Minnesota · Iowa · Indiana · Nebraska · Wisconsin · Kentucky · Arizona · Mississippi · Texas · Illinois · Kansas · Oklahoma · Tennessee · Missouri · Georgia · West Virginia · South Carolina