Paul’s Tips for the Fishing at the Falls of the Ohio
By Paul McLean
| Species | Best Months | Type of Bait Used Most |
| Bass, Largemouth |
Spring, Summer |
Top water plugs: jitter bugs, hula popper Crank baits: Rapala types, live minnows |
| Bass, Smallmouth | Spring, Summer Early morning best |
Top water plugs: jitter bugs, hula popper Crank baits: Rapala types, live minnows |
| Bass, Striped | Early Spring, Late Autumn | Jigs w/ chartreuse or white tails, spinner baits or live minnows |
| Bass, White | Spring, Summer | Live minnows or spinner baits |
| Blue Gill & Pan fish | Spring, Summer | Earth worms, small flies (wet or dry) |
| Catfish, Blue | Spring, Summer, Autumn | Cut shad, big live minnows, night crawlers, stink bait |
| Catfish, Flathead | Spring, Summer, Autumn Best at night |
Live small fish or big minnows |
| Crappie | Spring, Summer | Earth worms, small flies (wet or dry) |
| Drum | Spring, Summer, Autumn | Earth worms, cut bait |
| Sauger, Saugeye & Walleye | March, April, May and Late November, December |
Jigs w/ chartreuse tails, minnow-type spinner baits or live minnows |
| Paddlefish | Protected species. | No capture allowed. Any snagged fish must be immediately released. |
Video of Jumping Silver Carp on the Wabash River:
Silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) is an exotic fish that is renown for its acrobatics. Noise startles this fish, causing it to jump as much as seven feet above the water’s surface. It can be hazardous to boaters.
List of Fish of the Central Ohio River
From River Mile 328 – 654
Compiled by W. D. Pearson and B. J. Pearson, 1989
t = type species described from the Ohio River
* = introduced into the Ohio River (non-native)
The common name will have photos added to our album as we get images. Any sharp photos of fish on the list that we do not already have are welcome for consideration. Photographs should be from Indiana or Kentucky waters. Credit will be given, but the copyright for any images must be yours. Contact us at park @ fallsoftheohio.org.
Organized by Common Name (in Groups) (List Arranged by Latin Name)
Bass – Crappie
Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides
Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris
Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieui
Spotted Bass Micropterus punctulatus
Striped Bass Morone saxatilis*
White Bass Morone chrysops
Yellow Bass Morone mississippiensis
Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus
White Crappie Pomoxis annularis
Bowfin
Bowfin Amia calva
Carp Family
Bigmouth Buffalo Ictiobus cyprinellus
Black Buffalo Ictiobus niger
Smallmouth Buffalo Ictiobus bubalus
Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis*
Carp Cyprinus carpo*
Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella*
Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix*
River Carpsucker Carpiodes carpio
Lake Chubsucker Erimyzon sucetta
Goldfish Carassisus auratus*
Northern Hogsucker Hypentelium nigricans
Quillback Carpiodes cyprinus
Black Redhorse Moxostoma duquesnei
Golden Redhorse Moxostoma erythrurum
Greater Redhorse Moxostoma valenciennesi
River Redhorse Moxostoma carinatum
Shortnose Redhorse Moxostoma macrolepidotum
Silver Redhorse Moxostoma anisurum
Blue Sucker Cycleptus elongatus
Highfin Sucker Carpiodes velifer
Spotted Sucker Minytrema melanops
White Sucker Catostomus commersoni
Catfish
Black Bullhead Icatulurus melas
Brown Bullhead Icatulurus nebulosus
Yellow Bullhead Icatulurus natalis
Blue Catfish Icatulurus furcatus
Channel Catfish Icatulurus punctatus
Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris
White Catfish Icatulurus catus
Brindled Madtom Noturus miurus
Mountain Madtom Noturus eleuthurus
Tadpole Madtom Noturus gyrinus
Stonecat Noturus flavus
Codfish
American Burbot Lota lota
Darters
Banded Darter Etheostoma zonale
Crystal Darter Ammocrypta asperella
Dusky Darter Percina sciera
Eastern Sand Darter Ammocrypta pellucida
Fantail Darter Etheostoma flabellare
Greenside Darter Etheostoma blennioides
Johnny Darter Etheostoma nigrum
Orangethroat Darter Etheostoma spectabile
Rainbow Darter Etheostoma caeruleum
River Darter Percina shumardi
Slenderhead Darter Percina phoxocephala
Stripetail Darter Etheostoma kennicotti
Variegate Darter Etheostoma variatum
Drum
Freshwater Drum Aplodinotus grunniens
Eel
American Eel Anguilla rostrata
Gar
Alligator Gar Lepisosteus spatula
Longnose Gar Lepisosteus osseus
Shortnose Gar Lepisosteus platostomus
Spotted Gar Lepisosteus oculatus
Minnow-like: Chubs, Minnows and Shiners
Bigeye Chub Hybopsis amblops
Cheek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus
Hornyhead Chub Nocomis biguttatus
River Chub Nocomis micropogon
Silver Chub Hybopsis storeriana
Speckled Chub Hybopsis aestivalis
Streamline Chub Hybopsis dissimilis
Blacknose Dace Rhinichthys atraculatus
Redside Dace Clinostomus elongatus
Bluntnose Minnow Pimephales notatus
Bullhead Minnow Pimephales vigilax
Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas
Silverjaw Minnow Ericymba buccata
Silvery Minnow Hybognathus nuchalis
Suckermouth Minnow Phenacobius mirabilis
Bigeye Shiner Notropis boops
Common Shiner Notropis cornutus
Emerald Shiner Notropis atherinoides
Ghost Shiner Notropis buchanani
Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas
Mimic Shiner Notropis volucellus
Ribbon Shiner Notropis fumeus
River Shiner Notropis blennius
Rosefin Shiner Notropis ardens
Rosyface Shiner Notropis rubellus
Sand Shiner Notropis stamineus
Silver Shiner Notropis photogenis
Spotfin Shiner Notropis spiloterus
Spottail Shiner Notropis hudsonius
Steelcolor Shiner Notropis whipplei
Striped Shiner Notropis chrysocephalus
Miscellaneous Minnow-type Fish
Common Stoneroller Campostoma anomolum
Blackstripe Topminnow Fundulus notatus
Brook Silverside Labidethes sicculus
Mosquito Fish Gambusia affinis
Pirateperch Aphredoderus sayanus
Troutperch Percopsis omiscomaycus
Lamprey
American Brook Lamprey Lampetra appendix
Ohio Lamprey Ichthyomyzon bdellium
Silver Lamprey Ichthyomyzon unicuspis
Mooneyes
Goldeye Hiodon alosoides
Mooneye Hiodon tergisus
Paddlefish
Paddlefish Polyodon spathula
Perch
Logperch Percina caprodes
Yellow Perch Perca flavescens
Pike Group
Muskellunge Esox masquinongy
Grass Pickerel Esox americanus vermiculatus
Northern Pike Esox lucius*
Sauger – Walleye
Sauger Stizostedion canadense
Walleye Stizostedion vitreum vitreum
Sculpin
Mottled Sculpin Cottus carolinae
Shad
Alabama Shad Alosa alabamae
Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus*
Skipjack Shad Alosa chrysochloris
American Shad Alosa sapidissima*
American Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum
Threadfin Shad Dorosoma petense
Sturgeon
Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens
Shovel-nose Sturgeon Scaphirohynchus platorhychus
Sunfish
Bluegill Leponis macrochirus
Pumpkinseed Leponis gibbosus
Green Sunfish Leponis cyanellus
Longear Sunfish Leponis megalotis
Orangespotted Sunfish Leponis humilis
Redear Sunfish Leponis microlophus
Warmouth Leponis gulosus
Oceanic (Freshwater Tolerant)
Coho Salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch*
Atlantic Rainbow Smelt Osmerus mordax
Sea Trout Salmo trutta*