At the heads of the deeper holes in the lower river, boat-fishing is tops. Good boat access is available at East Brady, Tarentum, Cowanshannock Creek, Freeport and Harmar.

MONONGAHELA RIVER
The entire Monongahela River is navigable, from its entrance into the state from West Virginia to its merger with the Allegheny in downtown Pittsburgh. While the dams on the Allegheny are fixed-crest and of modest height, several dams on the Monongahela are gated, high-profile affairs. Thus the Monongahela displays more of a lake-like character than the Allegheny.

Six navigation pools are found in Pennsylvania's portion of the Monongahela River. The quality of the catfishing depends on the habitat present.

As on the Allegheny, shore-fishing for cats is often available in the tailrace areas below the dams. Many of the better boat-fishing spots are found near the entrances of feeder waters. Such mergers often form rock bars, creating the deep pools and eddies that concentrate catfish.

In many cases, rock bars provide good shore-fishing spots, too.

One of the better areas of the Monongahela River stretches from the Speers Access area up to the tailwaters of the Maxwell Locks and Dams, found upriver of Brownsville.

Along this river there are many feeder waters forming the good, deeper catfish habitat just described.

Boat anglers can expect good action plying the waters below the Maxwell Locks.

Catfish often turn on when water is discharged and the level in the lock chamber is lowered. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's Speers Access near the Interstate Route 70 bridge provides excellent boat access.

OHIO RIVER
Like the Monongahela River, the Ohio flows through gated dams and over fixed crest dams before it leaves our state. The 18-mile Montgomery Pool -- from the Montgomery Locks and Dams up to the Dashields Locks and Dam -- contains a wealth of good catfishing spots.

Just below the Dashields Dam, the merger of Little Sewickley Creek features a deep hole that can be accessed by shore-anglers. A couple of miles downriver, Big Sewickley Creek forms a good-sized hole that provides good catfishing habitat for the boat angler.

On down the river, there are several other good areas, including the remnants of an old lock and dam that create deep, slow habitat on both sides of the river.

The mouth of the Beaver River near Rochester is a catfish hotspot for both boat and shore anglers. Shore anglers score on up the Beaver, at the tailrace of the old dam found there. Boats can run up the Beaver, though it's all a no-wake zone.

Public boat access to this portion of the river is by way of the commission's ramp at Rochester. There's also a ramp in Leetsdale (formerly leased to the Commission). Use of this ramp now requires a seasonal permit.

Among the best sources of information for fishing the Ohio, Monongahela and lower Allegheny are the navigation charts from the U.S. Corps of Engineers. Log on to the Corps' Web site at www.lrp.usace.armyfor details on ordering.