Must have found a flathead hole 2-17-2006

[Jmax]

Yesterday I went fishing for crappie and never did all that well so was'nt in a rush to post it but DHaun wanted me to tell ya'll about the big flathead I caught. I got run off the main lake where I was trying to find some crappie and went up wolftever (wind). Last week on Saturday I found an underwater ledge in about 25 feet and caught five of the eleven crappie I caught on it. I also managed two nice flatheads one was 10 and the other 8 lbs. Well I went there again yesterday and only caught two crappie but I hooked something that didn't move. For a second I thought I was hung but than it did move. It took off for open water. I tried to raise it but it kept going back down, so I followed it with the trolling motor. I was using only 10 lb test and backed off the drag as not to break my line. After a while that seemed very long but was probably around 10 minutes I saw it and it was a big flathead. I fought it a little longer before I got it in the net and it was over thirty lbs. To the best of my memory that is the biggest flathead I have ever caught. I did not have any way to take a picture and it would not fit in my live well so I just let it go. Lots of fun to catch and a nice memory for years to come.
Total for the day was 2 LM, 1 spot, 1 SM, 3 drum, 2 bream, 2 cats, 1 white and 6 crappie. Alot of catching but not what I really went after. Take'em anyway you can get'em.emoLaugh Jmax

 

[DHaun]

Thanks for the report JMax! Sounds like you had a great day and found a nice ledge!

 

[jason]

I'd love to hook a cat that heavy. Although I've caught several channel cats while bass fishing, I've never had one over 15lbs. I would imagine that he put up quite a fight.

 

[polo-dog]

Jmax, are you fishing in my flathead hole again? I thought we went through all that in December, remember, that 30+lber is for me to catch on 2lb test. You weren't supposed to get that fish hooked until I had already caught and released him again. Were those fish in the "hole" that we are both well acquainted with?

 

[Jmax]

I'll never tell but the water was 52 and it was the only water I found over 50. I did look for any hooks or two lb test but not a sign one.emoAngel You can trust me????emoLaugh emoLaughJmax

 

[jon the fisherman]

Big baits will catch big fish. With that said, a few years back, I was at the Kingston Steam plant trying to catch some big striper. I would catch some big hickory shad(Tennessee tarpon) and use them for bait. I had one about 12" long and was drifting it down the river right off the bottom. All of a sudden, the bait clicker on my reel started to sing. I let him have it for a minute and then set hte hook. The first thing I noticed is that it was not a stripe, because it never ran. It just swam around under my boat and was pulling my boat around. About ten minutes later(seemed longer) I finally saw it, a huge blue cat. It was so big, I could not land it in my boat which at the time was a 14' foot little bass boat. I beached the boat and drug it onshore. I had scales and weighed it and it was 34# 11oz. Biggest Cat I have ever caught.

 

[Jmax]

What I thought was strange about this is I was using a little crappie minnow. As big as that thing was you would have thought that the little minnow would not have been worth his trouble. Compared to his huge mouth the minnow was a dot. I also was using a little golden crappie hook and it hooked it just right so it didn't straighten out or come unbuttoned.emoBigsmile I guess it was meant to be. I was thinking I wished polo had hooked him with his two lb test. He didn't pull my ranger but if I had not followed him and had tried to force him I don't think I would have got him in. I don't see how polo does it on two lb test.emoWorthy Jmax

 

[polo-dog]

As you remember, he doesn't. That one week I had two out of my "hole" in Wolftever on for a total of over 5.5 hours and didn't land or even see either.

 

[jon the fisherman]

Jmax, I guess that just proves that it does not matter as long as you get it in there face. I wonder if I had fished a minnow on that day instead of a foot long shad, would it have bit it too? I guess it is location that matters more.

 

[2jigs]

Great day of fishin Jmax I'd bet you had a ball with that 10Lb. test. And to catch that many fish it sounds like you did'nt have to wait long in between fish. Personally My biggest cat came last spring. We were fishing for striper with threadfin shad minnow's below chick. dam ,and hooked in to a 49.8Lb. blue cat (picture attached). He put up quite of a fight on 30Lb. salt water Andy line. I cant imagine 10Lb. test Great catch!

 

[2jigs]

Site was down to down-size the picture -- here it is now.

 

[DHaun]

Nice Blue Cat - Great pic 2jigs!!! Were you near the boils or tied up behind the wingwall? How do you normally score your threadfins below Chickamauga dam?

 

[2jigs]

The best thing to do is have a round insulated livewell,so they won't die so quickly. Sometimes you can get them rite over by the rail at chick, before you put you'r boat in. Other times, I,ll idle up the rocks with my budy on the front of the boat. Sometimes they'll be over off the wing wall. And sometimes I just have to throw a white hair jig with pink heads, or vice versa. To catch hickery shad. In my opinion the best cut bait you can use, but that's a different story for a diffrent day. PS. I have heard of people using whole brem just hoked through the back. Beter not let TWRA slide up on ya like that. He'll take your money for next months gas bill.emoBang

 

[Jmax]

Good look'en cat there 2jigs!!!!emoCool Jmax

 

[drc]

2jigs - 2/20/2006 10:49 PM

The best thing to do is have a round insulated livewell,so they won't die so quickly. Sometimes you can get them rite over by the rail at chick, before you put you'r boat in. Other times, I,ll idle up the rocks with my budy on the front of the boat. Sometimes they'll be over off the wing wall. And sometimes I just have to throw a white hair jig with pink heads, or vice versa. To catch hickery shad. In my opinion the best cut bait you can use, but that's a different story for a diffrent day. PS. I have heard of people using whole brem just hoked through the back. Beter not let TWRA slide up on ya like that. He'll take your money for next months gas bill.emoBang

I have used live bluegill many times when flathead fishing and was told it was legal in TN as long as they were caught by r&r and not nets or traps. I tried to do a search on the TWRA site and couldn't find anything specific. If I'm in the wrong let me know cause I don't want too break the law and sure don't need a ticket.

 

[rsimms]

drc... you are correct, as long as your bait is caught by legals means, you can use them for bait. In other words, you can't use bluegill caught in a cast net for bait... but if you catch them on hook & line you can (they are technically classified as a "game fish."). However shad are not classified as "game fish," therefore it is OK to catch them with a cast net and use them for bait. Confusing, but that's the law.