Flatheads

[tnfatguy]

Any tips on how and where a guy might catch a few flathead catfish? Any tips/help would be greatly appreciated. emoScratch emoSmile

 

[JoeFD]

I'd be interested too! have never caught one and think it would be a lot of fun and a good fish for my younger nephew to start with!

 

[Jpull]

Well, I caught two yesterday bass fishing on Nickajack between downtown and the Suck Creek ramp. I was targeting heavy cover in shallow water adjacent to or near deep holes in the river and fishing T-rigged soft plastics. Caught quite a few spots and the two flatheads. I'm not a cat fisherman but it seems like cut bait in these areas might produce. The two I caught were both under five lbs. but the same area produced a 27 pounder for me last year. Again, on a plastic worm while bass fishing. Go figure. emoScratch . Great fight though.

 

[woodduck]

Catch some shad below the dams, either dam. dip shad or thrownet. Fish shad on bottom with heavy sinker around dam walls or drift swifter water.
Sometimes can be found down from dams in holes or along drops. You will know when you have a good one, they are great fighting fish.

 

[swamp]

They are real aggressive during the spawn.They will hit just about anything .lots of them caught by bass fishermen
this time of year.

 

[jb366]

swamp - 5/7/2019 9:56 PM

They are real aggressive during the spawn.They will hit just about anything .lots of them caught by bass fishermen
this time of year.

Yep. I've ruined many shaky head and crankbait hooks trying to get them out of their mouths.

 

[elwestb]

Use live bait! The old catfish fisherman that I used to know had a saying that if it ain't alive and kick'in that 'ol flathead won't eat it! They very rarely bite prepared catfish baits or cut baits.

 

[churly]

They are spawning in the shallows right now

 

[FishingwithRusty]

i caught one about 30lbs last week on a lure, have caught 2 big ones(30+ and 40+lbs) and several smaller ones all on lures while bass fishing, common denominator was edge of shellbeds with lots of bait around.