This week on the Ohio River NOAA has predicted water levels to be steady around 13′ all week from Cannelton all the way down to Smithland Dam.

However, I would suggest before going out to check the stages for change due to the forecasted rain all week.

The Stripers are just now starting to get fired up at the dams with numerous 8-12 lb fish caught on the Camo Fish boat over the past weekend.

The Skipjack Herring minnows are starting to jump but they are so small (and late) sabiki/piscator rigs in the #12-#14 size will catch a few but they need a couple more weeks to grow to the right size. The Shad are just the right size and are producing better than anything else.

Blues and Channels are biting pretty well on cut Shad, Skipjack and Mooneye in deep water. I had a person phone me and ask “Where did all of the bait go at the dams?”. My answer is to get away from the dams and pursue bait on the other 95% of the river that isn’t a dam. It is readily available, a person just has to get out and explore the rest of the river.

Catch your bait elsewhere and then go up to the dam and fish. If you want a good bait that will consistently catch eating size fish both blues and channels try G & S Cheesebait. It can be found at Sportsman’s Corner in Henderson, Ky and Gander Mtn in Evansville. Use it on a Junnie’s dip worm with a 2 oz egg sinker Carolina rigged. It works best around cover especially lay down trees with current breaking around them.

Two Thursdays ago I had a client (Jim Nichols of Boonville, IN) fish with me in pursuit of a 50 lb + catfish. This was a personal goal in which he had been trying to break for over 30 yrs. This was a steep order but I was up for the challenge and prepared for him for several days GPS marking the “right fish” in different locations that I knew were big cats.

Knowing where they live is a small portion of the battle, getting them to bite is the challenge. On this day at 8:30 a.m. Mr. Nichols completed his quest for “the one” with a monster 72 lb Blue Catfish. It was an epic battle lasting 15 minutes. Ripping line heading up river, then downriver and finally bubbling while surfacing to the top. An experience that will last forever in my mind and his.

This Ohio River fishing report has been provided by Captain Paul Willett of Camo Fish Guide Service. Check out http://camofishguideservice.com to learn more about chartering an Ohio River guided fishing trip.