As spring fades and summer approaches, anglers are returning to the waters of Indian Lake for one of the area’s most anticipated fishing traditions: flathead catfish tournaments.

Indian Lake, widely regarded as one of Ohio’s premier inland fishing destinations, continues to draw both local and visiting fishermen. The lake offers a variety of species, including saugeye, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish, making it a year-round attraction for anglers of all skill levels.

With temperatures rising, catfish activity has increased, setting the stage for competitive tournament fishing. That was evident this past weekend during the High Rollerz tournament, a 13-team boat-only event that featured teams competing for both the largest fish caught each day and the highest cumulative totals.

Jason Leonard made headlines on Day 1 of the tournament after hauling in a flathead catfish weighing 39 pounds. The catch stood as the tournament’s largest fish of the weekend and set the bar for the competition.

His 39-pounder proved to be worth the struggle, earning him $650 for the day of fishing and positioning his team in a great position to get more cash prizes as the size of the fish caught weighed into the team standings for the weekend.

Jason and his partner Darwin would wind up in second place as a team for the weekend and took home 30% of the cash pool for the weekend. They finished with 4 fish caught for 92.54 pounds, less than 2 pounds away from first place.

Day 2 brought another strong performance, as Andy Brooks landed a 29-pound catfish, the top catch of the final day.

Events like the High Rollerz tournament highlight the continued strength of Indian Lake’s fishery and its reputation as a hotspot for trophy-sized catfish.

As the summer season gets underway, more tournaments will continue to bring anglers to Logan County, contributing to both the local fishing culture and the area’s economy.