Best bait for flatheads

[Guest]

Ok guys I am not new to catching blues or channel cats but the flathead is another story. I have caught a few by accident on lures and minnows and such but have never really targeted them on purpose. I would like to poll the readers to see what everyone's favorite flathead bait is.

 

[SpurHunter]

Hmmmm, do your own "digits" count as bait!? emoBigsmile (HeathJ, and Cisco) emoLaugh

 

[Guest]

I've heard, not tried, taking a pack of the dried cheese from mac and cheez an then adding garlic to livers. My friends dad caught a 25 lber the other day and always has an abundance of them when he comes back.

 

[shsimons]

Cheez,

I went in May with a guy in North Carolina. We used live goldfish and shad. A live goldfish brought a fish in the boat, and a big one broke off under the boat.

I knew some guys up north that sweared by fishing for flatheads with readears, or shellcrackers as they are referred to here. I've seen a number caught on cutbait in october/november on the Ohio but they are much more abundant kind of like the blues here.

 

[Guest]

Cheeze, I have always heard that you need to fish for flatheads with live bait, live brem, live shiners, etc. You could do a google search on flathead cat fishing and find out a ton of information.

 

[Guest]

http://mastercaters.com/flatheading/whats-your-fav-bait-for-flathead/

I found this on a catfish board. Very interesting variety of baits.

 

[Bubbakat]

Cheeze use what ever bait that is indigent to the area that you are fishing in. Where I fish for flatties there are a lot of bream and punkin seeds so I use those live and also have used gold fish which bring better results then fishing with cut or art baits.

 

[j.bridges]

I have always been told live bait is the the way to go but I have caught all my big flats on big skipjack heads...55lb and 48lb being my two biggest...

 

[CATCHMAN]

Live Bait, especially a bluegill or sun perch.

 

[josh.schreiber]

big live goldfish, followed by a 3-4" bream. I like to snip off the tail, and make a couple slits in the sides to get that scent flowing.

 

[MrWiskers]

I have caught and hung most of the flatheads I have caught on large jigging spoons. I got that 20 lber on a jigging spoon with you that day at the Riverpark. Not sure if I would target flatheads this way but they will eat the thing.

 

[Guest]

MrWiskers - 7/16/2008 9:38 PM

I have caught and hung most of the flatheads I have caught on large jigging spoons. I got that 20 lber on a jigging spoon with you that day at the Riverpark. Not sure if I would target flatheads this way but they will eat the thing.

I caught a 25 pound flattie at Weiss 8 years ago on a 1/2 oz rattletrap and 10 pound line. He is still swimming in my catfish pond here at the house.

 

[SpurHunter]

I saw this same question on the BOC Cheeez, and it realy shocked me how many guys swore small mouth bass was their favorite bait. My question is....how does a flattie know a LM from a SM?? emoScratch

 

[Guest]

SpurHunter - 7/17/2008 12:15 AM I saw this same question on the BOC Cheeez, and it realy shocked me how many guys swore small mouth bass was their favorite bait. My question is....how does a flattie know a LM from a SM?? emoScratch

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[Guest]

Flatheads are predatory fish not scavengers like other cats, live bait will out perform cut, dead, or stinkbait on flatheads. Can't go wrong with a palm size bluegill.

 

[Guest]

SpurHunter - 7/16/2008 10:15 PM

I saw this same question on the BOC Cheeez, and it realy shocked me how many guys swore small mouth bass was their favorite bait. My question is....how does a flattie know a LM from a SM?? emoScratch[/QUOTE

I don't really know because I am not a flathead expert yet. My guess is that it would be the difference in color variation in certain types of water.

 

[drumking]

My PB flattie was a 30 lber that was caught vertically jigging a swimbait.

 

[Southerncats]

From my experience.....cut Skipjack the fresher the better change it every 15 to 20 minutes is best in the spring, early summer, and fall when the water is cooler......During the summertime use live bait such as bream (sunfish and rockbass stay lively longer on the hook).....you want them to swim freely I suggest hooking them through the lips....During the winter fish for Blues.