allegheny river cats

I've been to the Lock 5 in Freeport last weekend and couldn't get a bite. I was right below the dam on the side where the boats go up/down.
Where is Lock 3 located and how do you get there? Are there any good spots? i'm coming form the South Hills.
I really love to catch some Catfish and maybe some Carp, but had only minor success lately. I suppose you fished it at night, where did you get the Creek Chubs, is there a bait shop near by?
Any info is helpful...
 
Thanks

  To get to lock 3 you will have to walk up the Rail Rd. tracks about a mile from the end of Oakmont or about a mile down from Berking. Lots of poision ivy in that area . A bunch of us will pull a all nighter there either this Sat. or next.

Crappy


If you are after big cats try by the sewage plant next to the Hulton bridge in Blawnox. Make sure & keep your baitfish alive for the Flatheads.

Just bought 2 heavy duty rods for cattin.

  Sat. night was pretty slow for us. We had on prob. 7 good fish all night, morning.
 
  Timmy was haulin 11 rods down the hill & went head first over a cliff & broke 2 heavy duty rods before we even started fishin.  Maybe Marty can post a couple cat pitc. from Sat. night for Timmy.

So whats better?
 
Cheswick Side or Oakmont/Berking side?
 
I do not care too much if they are the BIG ones, as long as they bite i'm fine.
What do you use to catch the smaller ones besides chubs?
 
Are these cats good to eat or not?

   Sfs,
 
if you are after numbers chicken liver, nightcrawlers & a bread doughball all work well. My buddies & I ate the channel cat in the 16''- 20'' range since the late 70's.  Fish the Harmarville side if you want, it's easy to get to.
  I like fishin with no sings of fishermen being there before me any way  Can't remember the last time I saw a shore fishermen if ever from Plums side  Darn poision ivy
 
  Crappy

One more thing, should I use a 3-way swivel and have the bait roam above the bait or just use a 3oz + bullet/egg slip sinkers?
 
Also treble hooks or regular?

  The best place I ever fished for the eating sz. cats was about 250-300 yrds. above the lock. Back in the mid 70's we cleared out a spot to fish off a steep 7' bank. We left a sm. marker in a bush next to the tracks so we could find it. The place is covered in poision ivy.

  For that sz. bait #2 & #4 hooks should work. 3/8 - 1 oz. slip sinkers is good on Plum/ Oakmont's side. when the water flow is low or normal. If there is a flat above a hole or a bend up from a hole a big split shot might be good.

  Keep the liver on ice & cut it with a knife. I'll fish this side mostly from 300 yrds. below the water authority up to 350 yrds. above the lock. Berking looks deadly for big cats.

  PM me if you need some dir.

  Havin a net while wadeing or shore fishin of any kind is for girls

   Crappy