Catfish

[MasterBaiter]

Hi guys, my name is Tom and I live in Chadds Ford, its south about half an hour of Philadelphia. I was wondering if anyone had any insight and could tell me a good spot to catch some big catfish near me. Anything from a small pond to a big lake will help so feel free to tell all. 
Thanks!

[Allen Knapp]

I 'd say your best bet for good cats around here is the schuylkill river. Guys catch them from the banks but a boat is the best way to find them. The only place where you can travel the river without hitting rocks would be the blackrock area. It gets a lot of pressure but if you get into cats you'll do very well. The flatheads we've caught go over 40 lb's. Even lost a few that might be state records. The average flat head will go around 8 lb's with some hitting 20. After a good rain when they are active you 'll get into the big boys.
They love a live sunfish.I fish them off bottom with a slip sinker. they try to swim up and the big boys cant resist them. If you use circle hooks let them run. Then just pick the rod tip up and start reeling. If yur not using circle hooks let them run until they tightn the line sometimes I let them take 100 foot of line. Hammer them and the fight is on. dont worry about the size of sunnie you are using they can eat anything that is wimming in the river.
The channel cats come up into the shallows to find food. Chicken livers crawlers or even hot dogs. I soak them in garlic for a day or three. Minnows will work also.

If you have a depth finder find a structure brake to the deepest water in the area. Flatheads like these brakes into the deepest water in the area. fish above them if the brake has a flathead in it they will come upstream to find the sunfish. I've caught flatheads on creek chubs also,big ones.
Another good spot for flatheads and channel cats is around the bettswood bridge area. above it up to the shallows channel cats and below it in the depths flaheads. Watch the area below the bridge theres a wing dam coming across the river go the the northern side or the rampside of the river when going down stream. It should be marked with bouys. find some structure brakes and fish the upside of the deep water. I think you will be surpise at what swims in this river.

[Deleted]

Good advice. My biggest flats were caught in spots you can't really get a boat. Not one with an engine anyway. I don't catfish the fall much but they do feed real hard to fatten up for winter. Right now would be good. Especially if we get some rain. Cut or live bait will work well. As long as it's not rotten. I'm talking about flatheads.