To fish these holes efficiently, he anchors shallow and fishes deep by throwing out toward the main river. He fishes with serious tackle. Heavy rods, reels, line and hooks are a must. These are big, strong fish living and fighting in swift current.

Like most trophy catfish anglers in West Tennessee, Patterson selects fresh, cut skipjack as bait for blues whenever it's available. After that, try frozen ones or maybe a shad. Use the head or fillets with the entrails attached. The more blood and body fluids the bait has, the better.

For flatheads, he prefers live skipjack, shad or other fish native to the Mississippi. Flatheads are predators, not scavengers. If you want a big one, fish with big bait. Something between 12 and 18 inches long is a good start.

For a mess of smaller catfish to eat, fish the shallow-water areas closer to shore, along the rock and sand. Lighter tackle will get the job done here. (There are strong consumption advisories for the Mississippi River, though -- especially around Memphis.)

A great place for both high numbers and good-sized catfish is the tailrace waters below the dam at Pickwick. Local catfish tournament promoter and angler Ken Freeman reports that weather conditions during 2005 were hard on this area, but it's still producing ( www.kenfreemanoutdoorpromotions.com).

White and channel catfish weighing up to 5 pounds were plentiful during 2005 and the conditions of 2006 should be no different. These eating-sized cats can usually be found hanging around the mussel beds along the tailrace or sometimes in the narrows of the swift current itself.

The best baits are whole skipjack, shad guts, minnows and chicken or rooster livers. (Rooster livers -- when they are available -- are tougher and redder and seem to attract more fish.) Start fishing in about 30 feet of water and move shallower or deeper as conditions require.

For bigger fish, try stretches of water farther downstream from the dam. Popular spots include Diamond Island Point, above and below, the mouths of the Duck and Snake rivers and the chalk bluff area below Savannah.

Region I is also home to several agency lakes. These lakes are just about as good as it gets if you're looking for high numbers of smaller fish. They are all heavily stocked with channel and blue catfish. Forage and water conditions are excellent, so the fish grow quickly to eating size.

Fishing is restricted to one-half hour before sunrise and one-half hour after sunset. (One -- Garrett -- is open 24 hours a day.) Nearly all offer plenty of shore-fishing access and inexpensive boat rentals. Most other recreational activities are prohibited. A permit is required to fish them. Detailed information on all of these lakes is available from the TWRA Web site.

For additional information on catfishing opportunities in Region I, check the TWRA Web site at www.state.tn.us/twra/index.html or give the agency a call at (731) 423-5725.