Thread: chasing flatheads

Minnowsoaker, sounds like you know where a few of them big boys are! Good luck with 'em. Looking forwards to seeing a few posts (with pictures) before too long!

that's the plan Gabowman I've hooked some biguns in the past and they have wrecked my tackle. we'll see how it pans out with the heavier gear.

i use braid with a mono leader there both 40# only reson to go biger is if you are having probs getting them out of the wood with out breaking them off
alan

flatheads are very addictive for sure. since there is no cure,you mite as well learn all you can, and the best place to do that is at catfish1.com!!!

yall have some good info on here, im new to tightlineing for flatheads and was wondering what are yalls primary baits, time of the year, and water depths for that time of the year. I will be fishing on a small river that has moderate current and lots of layed down trees and logs.Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

My youngest son is probably the best I know on flatheads. He goes out and specifically fishes for them below our dam. Not only is he an accomplished noodler,(reaching into underwater holes and dragging out monster flatheads), he's very knowledgeable about bait fishing for them also.
He likes to take small live bream and hook them just under the back fin and throw them out with just enough weight to hold them on the bottom. The trick, he says, is not to set the hook when you first see the strike. He says that the flathead will strike his prey a few times killing it and then he will move off a short distance with it and swallow it. At this point you pick up your rod, reel up your slack, and set the hook.

Originally Posted by slabbandit

The trick, he says, is not to set the hook when you first see the strike. He says that the flathead will strike his prey a few times killing it and then he will move off a short distance with it and swallow it. At this point you pick up your rod, reel up your slack, and set the hook.

Which is why I use circle hooks. No worries about setting the hook at all. You don't 'set' circle hooks, the fish does that themselves.

Tom

yeah but with a circle hook for flatheads it gets a little pricey because snagin up a big fat owner cicrcle hook cost over 5 dollars each because to get the right gap and gauge for big flatheads you have to go really big in the circle line and with a circle your no suposed to let them run with it really i was told by alot of circle users its better to leave the reel engaged and let the rod load up setting the hook i would think that would lead to them feeling the tension and there fore spitting the bait

thats why alot of flathead fishermen use kahles and big bait holders usually 9/0 and 10/0 setting the bait clicker and let them run with it for about 20 seconds or so and then engaging the spool and burring the hook into what seems like an army tank going in the opposite direction thats what i do im not saying its the only way but i do know it lands alot of fish for me and i hardly ever miss one when it runs with my live bait

gbaddour1

most of my flatheads are caught shallow all spring summer fall any water temp above 60 seems best its just a little slower in extreme high water temps favorite bait would be really any live bait fish from bluegill crappie bass baby carp gold fish sucker chubs more lively the better i always fish shallow when going after flatties anytime i go best for me from 3 to 8 feet but i do cast a couple deep also at the same time but those dont seem to be as active as the shallow ones as flatheads primarily feed shallow and on live bait i always like to take a rod down stream and cast shallow and walk it back up to where im gonna sit for the night and i do 1 up stream like that also and then just start fanning the rest of the rods out till i get straight out from me covering diffrent depths with each setup hope this helps you some