Photo by Tom Evans.

Anglers love their catfish in Tennessee, and with good reason. We have a vast array of opportunities for everyone. No matter if one likes to fish from bank or boat, there's great catfishing nearby.

It's time once again for a look at some of our best catfish waters across the state. Here's a rundown from west to east of some of the great opportunities for blue, channel and flathead catfish.

WEST -- REGION I
Catfish anglers in the western end of the state have some of the greatest diversity of opportunity of anywhere in the state. From big rivers to big reservoirs, the west offers plenty of big water choices. Also, 10 of the state's 18 TWRA Family Fishing Lakes are located in Region I.

Obviously, many people immediately think of Kentucky and Barkley lakes when thinking of the west. These sister lakes have some of the best catfish fisheries anywhere in the southeastern states. Whether one is looking for flathead, blue or channel cats, both of these lakes boast great populations of all three species and the chance to catch some enormous trophy-class fish.

One thing that's not common knowledge is the tremendous catfish population at Reelfoot Lake. The catfish opportunities there are largely underutilized. Most anglers frequenting Reelfoot go there for crappie and bluegills. However, fisheries biologist Tim Broadbent said the catfishery is outstanding.

There are a few flatheads in the lake, but the fishery is primarily made up of channel cats. Broadbent said there is a very good and well-balanced population of channel catfish with some really big fish present. Catches of fish over 5 pounds are fairly common.

Another western location that is underutilized, according to Broadbent, is the Mississippi River. He said the river is home to a great catfishery and it would be practically impossible to affect the fishery there through fishing pressure. The river has great populations of all three species of catfish and is home to the former 116-pound, 12-ounce world-record blue catfish taken close to Memphis in 2001.

A well-known location for great catfish action is Pickwick Lake. Around seven miles of the lake are located within the borders of Tennessee and there is also a reciprocal licensing agreement that adds to the opportunity for Volunteer State anglers. The lake is home to fantastic populations of channels, flatheads and blues. Some really big specimens of all three catfish species exist in Pickwick and the potential to catch a record-class fish is ever-present.

For those who like fishing smaller waters, a TWRA Family Fishing Lake may be just the ticket. Brown's Creek Lake in Henderson County is 167 acres and has a nice population of channel and blue catfish. Fisheries biologist Dave Rizzuto said TWRA shocking sampling routinely produces catfish in the 15- to 25-pound range.

Channel cats are stocked yearly at a rate of 50 fish per acre. Additional stockings of blue catfish enhance the fishery greatly. Anglers have good opportunity for both boat fishing and shoreline fishing.

The lake is located inside the Natchez Trace State Park. Facilities include a boat launch, rental boats, and a handicapped-accessible fishing pier. Lake information may be obtained by calling (731) 423-5725.

Another Family Fishing Lake in the region is Gibson County Lake, located approximately five miles east of Trenton. This lake is a little larger and covers around 560 acres. It is divided into a recreational zone and a fishing-only zone.

Gibson County Lake is the newest of the Family Fishing Lakes. It was impounded in 1999 and opened to the public in 2003. It is the largest lake in the group.