The jig moved slowly along the bottom of the rocky lake. All the while, my sensitive G. Loomis rod detected every bump and crevice along the way. Suddenly, my rod struck resistance as the jig dug deep into a solid object. Instinctively, I set the hook and then immediately began to scold myself for burying the bulky jig into a log. After all, the trophy smallmouth I was fishing for certainly would have bolted as soon as the jig's sharp hook made contact, and a big walleye would be bulldogging his way along the bottom.

Amid all this commotion, I felt the unmistakable movement of my line slicing sideways through the water. I couldn't imagine what was attached to the end of my line, but it had to be a big fish of some sort.

My heart accelerated as the battle raged past the five-minute mark without even a glimpse of the fish. Could this be the next state-record smallmouth? Anticipation sent my mind into a tailspin as the first glimpses of the fish revealed brown flashes. After an exhausting 10-minute struggle, I sat staring at the origin of all the excitement.

The 12-pound flathead lay quietly in my net, and I sat on the boat too surprised by the conquered quarry to be disappointed that my prized state-record smallie turned out to be a flathead catfish.

Flatheads, like this healthy specimen, have been increasing in numbers in the depths of Summersville Lake; and it looks like these heavyweights could add some angling excitement to the lake's already prized fish species.

Summerville Lake is by far the most visually striking of West Virginia's impoundments. Giant boulders, white rock cliffs and glimmering blue water greet anglers as they enter this Nicholas County water. (Continued)

Located near the town of Summersville, Summersville Lake remains the Mountain State's largest impoundment at 2,700 acres. The lake also happens to be one of the state's busiest, especially on warm summer weekends. Recreational boating traffic can be problematic, especially for anglers seeking a quiet day on the water.

This U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake features some of the Mountain State's clearest water, and the lake extends downward for hundreds of feet, so the water stays cool. This is perfect for walleyes and smallmouth bass. It's certainly not the kind of lake an angler might envision when searching for a quality flathead fishery.

In fact, anglers have long known of Summersville's outstanding walleye and smallmouth bass fisheries. Few, however, ever dreamed that one day the lake would feature a thriving flathead catfish population as well.

THE FLATHEAD FISHERY
Flathead catfish have been documented by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) in previous sampling collections, but until about eight years ago, flathead numbers in Summersville Lake were considered marginal at best.

For some reason, flathead populations have really beefed up over the last decade, and some of the specimens are impressive ones, indeed!

Certainly, Summersville doesn't contain 50-pound flatheads like those Burnsville Lake continues to churn out; however, this surprising catfish fishery does contain plenty of 5- to 15-pound catfish. Thus, the future looks bright as Summersville's flatheads continue to grow with each passing day.

During last year's sampling regiment on Summersville Lake, DNR surveys revealed several flatheads in the 8- to 10-pound range, a few in the 10- to 15-pound range and plenty of flatheads in the 5- to 8-pound range.

Knowing that flatheads have a lengthy lifespan, perhaps someday we'll see a 50-pounder come from this lake. Fifty pounds might be stretching it given the productivity of the upper Gauley watershed, but a significant number of 25-pound fish should be likely in the not so distant future.

But what makes this fishery so exciting is not the quantity of lunker flatheads, it's the fact that this fishery receives so little fishing pressure directed toward catfish. Sure, a few whiskerfish anglers fish the lake, and occasional catches from smallmouth and walleye anglers do occur, but nothing serious. With all the national emphasis generated by trophy catfish these days, it's getting difficult to find catfish destinations like Summersville Lake.