Ricky Eiselt and Virgil Hardin Post Record Weigh-In at Shiver on the River
by Ron Presley
Some great tournament weights indicate an improving fishery for Ohio River anglers following regulation changes in 2015.
Rod Rippin’ Catfish Trail’s Shiver on the River hosted 22 boats out of Leavenworth, Indiana on the Cannelton Pool of the Ohio River. Anglers were allowed to fish anywhere they could get by boat. Competing anglers were allowed to weigh 2 fish over 35 inches and 3 fish under 35 inches in a legal bag.
The result of the December 9, 2023 event was the biggest 5 fish weigh-in since the size and creel limit regulations became a reality for recreational anglers in 2015.
Aaron Wheatley is a long-standing proponent and supporter of the size and creel limits that now govern catfishing in Kentucky. He led a small group of dedicated volunteers who worked hard to get the legislation passed. The fruits of that effort are beginning to be seen.
“After seeing the weights from a recent tournament, I truly believe the Ohio River is on a comeback. Hard work is paying off for the next generation of catfish anglers,” Wheatley said.
Ohio River angler and tournament participant Ricky Eiselt agreed saying, “ I feel that the overall size of fish has been improving over the last 3 to 4 years.”
Anglers couldn’t be happier as they witnessed the tournament weights. The top 5 teams had 5 fish limits that pulled the scales to 100 pounds or more with the top weight being more than 180 pounds.
First Place and Big Fish
The top spot at the Shiver on the River went to Ricky Eiselt and Virgil Hardin. They brought a whopping 183.54 pounds to the scales to earn the top spot. Their bag also included the Big Fish of the tournament at 79.18 pounds to add some bragging rights.
Eiselt and Hardin are no strangers to the Cannelton Pool. They had found some fish while practice fishing about a week before the tournament and set a strategy to begin their day there.
“We started the morning off in an area where I caught a 65 and 35 the previous week,” recalled Eiselt. “When we arrived there were already 2 boats on the scene.”
With their opening strategy changed they ran 7 to 10 miles downriver and fished several other spots without catching a fish.
“We returned to the original spot around 10 am or so,” reported Eiselt. “We found that 1 of the 2 boats were gone. I anchored up on some structure and boated 4 small fish, a 15-pounder, a 12-pounder, an 8-pounder, and a 4-pounder.”
Eiselt and Hardin quickly agreed that it was not the bite they were looking for and made another move. This time they moved upriver several miles and fished a ledge that was holding structure in 45 to 55 feet of water. They found paydirt fast.
“Within minutes, Virgil hit a good fish,” confirmed Eiselt. “While he was fighting it, my rod went down. We boated Virgil’s 30-pounder followed by my 65-pounder.
With only a few hours to go, they decided to continue their pattern of fishing deep ledges with structure. Once again they moved upriver about 5 miles and set up on another spot with even more success.
“Again, within minutes, Virgil’s rod got smoked,” described Eiselt. “The fish fought hard and we knew it was going to be big. It took both of us to pull his 80-pound blue into the boat!”
They were determined to stick with their pattern and all their big fish came from ledges in 45 to 55 feet of water. Eiselt and Hardin caught 12 fish on the day, all on skipjack. Their success was enhanced by being willing to move and find new spots.
“I want to thank God for making everything possible,” concluded Eiselt. “And thanks to my wife for allowing me to chase my dreams.”
Second Place
The runner-up spot went to Willy Sylvester and Brad Bex. They brought 166.6 pounds to the scales to claim the 2nd place spot. The big fish in their bag was a beast at 69.40 pounds.
The team reported that the bite was not on fire but they did have some good bites and landed 9 fish on the day. The 69.40-pound blue was Sylvester’s new personal best.
Third Place
The third spot went to Kevin Yoder and Elden Graber. They brought 117.30 pounds to the scales to earn 3rd place. Their big fish came in at a whopping 58.79 pounds.
Final Thoughts
It seems the path to success at the Shiver of the River tournament was deep water and moving around to find a new bite. Congratulations to all the winners.
The more important point may be the good news that these great weights indicate. about the fishery. It does seem to indicate that Ohio River catfishing is improving and it is due mostly to a dedicated bunch of folks led by Aaron Wheatley several years ago.
Shiver on the River tournament director, Damien Clark agrees with others on the improved fishing on the Ohio River.
“I’ve been fishing for 8 years and running tournaments for 3 years,” said Clark. “I’ve never seen a bag this big on the Ohio since regulation.”
You can keep up with the activities of the Rod Rippin’ Catfish Trail by following them on Facebook. The 2024 schedule has already been posted there.
