Summer's warm weather means hot catfish action and the now-legal blue catfish leads the list. Rivers and lakes throughout the state host big populations of catfish, including some real lunkers.

It will come as a surprise that the best catfishing may not be in the state's river systems. Channel cats and flatheads are doing exceptionally well in many of our lakes. Only a few locals know about the big cats that are found in our lakes and reservoirs, but it's time the word got out.

Here's a look at 10 of Ohio's top catfish waters for 2009:

INDIAN LAKE
Indian Lake is an old canal-feeder lake that was intended to feed water into a canal system to help float barges across the state. Freight trains appeared on the scene, and suddenly lakes like Indian were no longer needed. Recreation soon became the main focus, and now this 5,800-acre lake is one of the most popular fishing destinations in Ohio.

Channel cats are a real draw to Indian Lake. Tournaments and weekend anglers keep the ramps busy during the summer months, and a stringer-full of eating-sized cats is a common sight.

Indian Lake is only 12 feet deep at the deepest spot west of Dream Bridge. Catfish may be anywhere in the lake and are taken readily from shore or boat. Much of the lake is shallow and mucky, filled with stumps and emergent vegetation with riprap shorelines.

State park staff point bank-fishermen to Fox Island, the Chippewa area and off the campground jetties. In the evening and at night, the bigger catfish move up to feed around the lake's shoreline, in the bays and up into the boating channels.

Launch ramps are state owned in the Chippewa, Lakeview, Blackhawk and Moundwood marinas. Access to the lake is from state routes 235 and 366 in Logan County.

For more information, contact the Ohio Division of Wildlife's District One office at (614) 644-3925. Or, try the Indian Lake State Park regional office at (937) 843-2717, or LeVan's Bait Shop in Lakeview at (937) 843-3358.

KISER LAKE
Kiser Lake is a step back in time. Not even electric motors are allowed, and the only boats on the water are propelled either by the wind or by "elbow grease." Rowboats and canoes are a familiar sight.

Catfishing is excellent at the lake. The numbers of fish are fairly good, but it's the size of the lake's catfish that draws anglers from across the state. Some of the fish are real rod-benders. At times, the bite is a tough one because the catfish roam the entire lake, dig into the lily pads and weed flats and are hard to find.

The best spots to tag a big Kiser Lake catfish are on the west end along the dam and along state Route 235 between the Kiser Lake State Park office drive and the Putnam area. Shore-fishing is excellent.

Another top spot is on the north end of the lake extending from the marina east to the campground.