It's really of no consequence where you live in the Volunteer State when it comes to catfishing. There are plenty of opportunities from the east to the west and the north to the south. It's a matter of learning about what's available in your area.

Bobby Wilson, Assistant Chief of Fisheries for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, points out the TWRA has made great efforts to improve catfish angling opportunities. One example of those efforts is the size limit that's in place to help sustain a viable catfish population, especially a viable trophy-sized catfish population. Only one catfish, 34 inches or greater, can be harvested per day per angler.

If you're looking for something to eat, you can keep all those under 34 inches you can catch. (However, there are a number of consumption advisories in effect around the state. They can be serious, so heed them. You can check these at www.state.tn.us/ twra/fish/contaminants.)

For high numbers of eatable-sized catfish, consider the agency lakes. (They're called TWRA Family Fishing Lakes on the TWRA Web site.) There are 18 of them scattered around regions I and II. That covers a large portion of the state. They are heavily stocked every year and offer great fishing.

Tennessee rivers set standards to which other rivers around the country should aspire when it comes to big fish. Flatheads and blues over 50 pounds are caught with regularity from them every year. And, there's always the possibility -- a realistic possibility -- of catching a seriously big one, say something over 75 pounds.

And then there are the massive reservoirs: There's at least one good one -- usually two or three -- in every region. They offer trophy potential as well as an opportunity to catch a mess of fish for supper. On top of that, they're great places for a combination fishing trip and family vacation. They offer nearly every recreational activity known to man.

Unfortunately, security is now a fact of life. All of the destinations highlighted in this article are open and available to anglers as of this writing. But there are some restrictions. And those restrictions change from time to time depending upon national security circumstances. Call the appropriate region office for up-to-the-minute information before making a long drive.

Overall, Tennessee anglers are in pretty good shape when it comes to chasing catfish. So, with that in mind, let's take a closer look at some of the best spots.

REGION I
Region I, on the western side of the state, borders the mighty Mississippi River, home of some of the biggest flatheads and blues on the planet. Professional catfish guide James Patterson (www.bigcatfishing.com) recommends that anglers looking to catch a big one from the Mississippi concentrate on the wingdams.

However, he quickly points out that not all wingdams were created equal. "The best ones have strong current over the top, slack water along the bottom and deep scour holes," he said with conviction. And by deep, he means deep -- his preferred depths range between 40 and 80 feet. The big fish lie in wait in the slack-water areas of the holes. "They (deep scour holes) are the best places on the river to fish for the big ones."