Other spots to expect good catfish action are around major points, including Neely's Point and Barbor Point. Anglers trolling plugs and bait rigs targeting walleyes take many channel cats.

Lake Arthur has several good boat launches. Among the most popular are the Route 528 launch, Bear Run and McDaniels. Shore-fishing piers are located at the Bear Run, Old Route 422 and McDaniels access areas. Motors are limited to 20 horsepower. Rentals are available.

YELLOW CREEK LAKE
Yellow Creek Lake harbors a very strong yet underfished brown bullhead population. When the PFBC surveyed the lake in 2004, it found strong numbers of brown bullheads, 90 percent of which were longer than 12 inches. Catfish nesting boxes have been placed in the lake over the years, which may partially account for the high bullhead numbers.

Yellow Creek Lake is in Indiana County, in the state park of the same name. It covers a bit over 700 acres. Deep dropoffs are found along much of the north shore, while shallow bays and weedy flats make up the greater portion of the south shore.

Boat launches are on the south and north shores. A fishing pier is near the north boat launch. Boats are limited to 20 horsepower, and rentals are available.

LAKE WALLENPAUPACK
Lake Wallenpaupack revealed its strong channel catfish population when it provided the top two entries in the channel cat category in 2004. Dave Genovese registered the top forktail of the year with a 20-pound, 1-ounce fish that measured 32 inches. David Bovino took the second heaviest channel cat of the year, a 19-pounder that stretched the tape to 35 inches. The Genovese fish was taken on a leech in late May. Bovino's channel cat succumbed to chicken livers during an August day in 2004.

Lake Wallenpaupack is a 5,700-acre lake owned and operated by the Pennsylvania Power and Light Company. The lake features many extended points that hold baitfish and game fish, including channel cats.

A popular Pocono Mountain-region lake, Wallenpaupack receives intense pressure from anglers and pleasure boaters.

The Fish and Boat Commission maintains a launch ramp off Route 590. There are also several private launch ramps. There is no horsepower limitation on the lake, though a 25-mile-per-hour speed limit is in effect between sunset and sunrise. Other special boating regulations exist as well.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER
While channel catfish can be caught in many portions of both the West and North branches of the Susquehanna River, the main stem of the river is most associated with channel catfish activity. Some of the best action occurs near Harrisburg.

Expect to find the Susquehanna's best channel catfishing in the longer, deeper pools. These areas offer the best habitat for forktails, with the fastest action occurring before dark and extending well into the night.

Catfish action on the Susquehanna isn't limited to channel cats. Flatheads have been caught around the Safe Harbor and York Haven dams. The commission asks anglers to keep flatheads that were likely illegally introduced into these waters and not to release them elsewhere.