Flatheads are my favorite type of Catfish to go after. I can't wait until the begining of April
when the water starts to warm up. The Flathead is the last of the catfish to leave their wintering holes. Once the water hits
about 50 degrees the flatheads start to become real active. Usually by May they are turned on really well.
Flatheads main forage is live bait. Don't take this wrong a flathead can be caught on cut bait
also, just not as well. There are many different baits that can be used to catch flatheads. Blue gills, creek chubs, suckers,
shad, bullheads, goldfish, and even nightcrawlers. Yes nightcrawlers think about it they are a live bait too. My biggest flathead
which was 52 lbs. came off of a wad of nightcrawlers on a hook. My favorite live bait to use for flatheads are creek chubs.
Second on the list would be blue gills.
Flatheads mainly feed at night. During the day time they will most generaly find deep water
with lots of cover. Flatheads are very light sensitive. They will move out of there holes once night falls to start feeding.
Being up or down from a deep hole with cover is the spot to be once night falls. Flatheads will move into shallow water that
holds bait to pick a meal off at night. The more cover the better when it comes to this fish.
Another prime location for flatheads is around any man made structures also. Bridge pilons,
barge tie offs, barges, and any other big objects placed in the water.
When fishing for flatheads I perfer to use a regular style hook unstead of a circle hook. I
like getting a good hook set in a flathead then letting it set itself. Below is a picture of the hooks I like to use.
