# Catfishing Claiborn Lock and Dam ???



## Geronimo (Oct 2, 2007)

I have heard that there is a place or places where you can fish off the bank at the Claiborn Lock and Dam. I'd like to take my daughter up there and see if she could bow up a catfish or two.

Do any of yall know the place that I'm talking about or have any of yall fished it?


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## Ripper (Aug 13, 2010)

There is bank access on both sides of the river at claiborn dam,the east bank is limited to only a handful of anglers due to alot of riprap,but the west bank is basically unlimited allowing you to fish from the dam to downriver several hundred yards.


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## Geronimo (Oct 2, 2007)

Ripper said:


> There is bank access on both sides of the river at claiborn dam,the east bank is limited to only a handful of anglers due to alot of riprap,but the west bank is basically unlimited allowing you to fish from the dam to downriver several hundred yards.


Thanks. 

Is it easy to access? I'll be taking an eleven year old girl if I go. Also, is one side better than the other?


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## Ripper (Aug 13, 2010)

the east bank is the easiest but theres almost always people there,and you would almost need a bridge net to land a good fish cause you have to fish from a concrete wall,on the west bank its about a 150 yard walk with a small portion having some rocks to navigate through but there is a path.I would have to say the west bank is better because you have alot more area to fish and don't have to worry about fishing shoulder to shoulder with others,and your at water level so a net is not needed.

wichever side you decide on,if the cats aint biting the drum will keep ya busy.

oh 1 more thing,take a few heavy sinkers with ya cause the closer ya are to the dam the swifter the current,last time i was there 3 ounce weights had trouble holding bottom about 75 yards below the dam.

hope to see some pics!


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

i have been planing on going up there as well, iv been fishing the lower Alabama river abit around the little river area, and doing pretty well but the catfish will start to try and migrate up the rivers here soon that's when u damn fish, all these catfish are gonna start swimming north by instincts and get stuck and confused at the damn, i think iam gonna go in October


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## Ripper (Aug 13, 2010)

ain't nothing like winter time cattin,im sure gonna miss those big schools of monster blues on the james river and potomac river in VA. some of the best catfishing i've ever done was in dec. and feb. when we had to shovel snow outta the boat.


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