Photo by Michael Skinner.

Mention the dog days of August, and many anglers immediately think of tough fishing conditions. But late summer offers many really fine fishing opportunities. In fact, this is probably the best time to chase one of Pennsylvania's most popular (and common) species -- catfish!

Quality catfishing is available across the state in a variety of venues. Flatheads and channel cats are found in many of the Keystone State's major rivers.

Native to the waters of the Ohio River watershed, flatheads have found their way into drainages to the east. The long-term effect of flatheads moving into non-native waters won't be known for years. But meanwhile, would you rather catch a 50-pound flathead or another 6-inch bluegill?

Many Pennsylvania reservoirs contain good populations of channel catfish. But in many cases, those fisheries are largely overlooked. It's much more common to find anglers targeting catfish in rivers.

By late summer, chances are good that most rivers will be running low and clear. (Although with Pennsylvania weather, you never really know!) That's the best time for catfishing -- when you can beat the heat by getting on the water during the late evening.

When it comes to management, catfish populations found in the state's large rivers are self-sustaining. Also native to the Ohio and Lake Erie drainages, channel catfish are now well distributed throughout the Susquehanna and Delaware drainages. Flatheads have been discovered in the Susquehanna River and in the Delaware watershed -- specifically, the Schuylkill River.

Channel cats are able to sustain themselves in some inland impoundments. It's more likely, however, that the ones you catch in reservoirs are there thanks to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's stocking program.

Flatheads are not exclusive to the state's rivers. Occasionally, a big flathead shows up in a lake. Such was the case a couple of years ago on Shenango Lake. Flathead catches in reservoirs are considered incidental occurrences.

Here's a look at some of the state's better catfishing options for the month.

OHIO RIVER
The Ohio River is the classic big-river catfishing scene, with good numbers of flathead and channel catfish of all sizes. Late last summer, the Ohio River produced a new state-record flathead, surpassing a record that had stood for over 20 years.

The fish was too big to net. Vic Zendron initially intended to release it -- until a witness suggested that his catch might be a new record.

The Ohio River runs in a westerly direction from Pittsburgh, leaving the state a short distance below Midland. Along the way, the river is spanned by three locks and dams: Emsworth, Dashields and Montgomery.

Navigational dams such as these on the three rivers of western Pennsylvania tend to concentrate fishing efforts. Below the dams, there is a restricted area, marked with buoys this time of year.

Below the dams, shore-fishing options vary from spot to spot. In recent years, some access to shoreline has been lost due to poor conduct by the public.

Good shore-fishing for cats may also be found near the mouths of feeder creeks. Typically, rock bars formed at the mouths of such streams create deep holes that attract cats. These places are tailor-made for shore-anglers.

A good example is the mouth of Sewickley Creek, which enters the Ohio River a short distance below the Dashields Dam. The rock bar at the mouth of the creek quickly drops off into nearly 30 feet of water.

Many similar spots exist along the Ohio River. An enterprising shore angler need only study a map, locate creek mouths and get permission to access them, then explore the spots for catfish activity.

Boat anglers will find catfish well distributed throughout the Ohio River. Find the larger holes, which you can sometimes find along river bends. Near sunset, catfish will frequently move up out of the deep holes onto upriver flats.

Another good fishing spot along the Ohio River is where the Beaver River enters near Rochester. Along the upriver side of the river mouth, a community park provides some shore access. Boat anglers often anchor just off the river mouth. Years ago, while my partner and I were targeting walleyes and saugers, we caught channel cat after cat from this spot, vertically fishing metal-blade baits!