Fishing for Flatheads

[zak123]

I am going to the Ozarks this summer and wanted to fish for some flathead catfish. My uncle knows a guy who catches them off of this dock, but I am not sure if this is a prime spot. I was told to just use a whole live bluegill as bait. What are some flathead hot spots? How should I fish for them? What pound test should I use? Thanks

[kevin1]

Live gills will catch about as many snapping turtles as they will flatheads , try catalpa worms if available or Lil Stinker™ catalpa worm paste if not in a stinkbait .

[HighDesertWolf]

what lake you gonna be on?? I grew up in missouri and fished the ozarks alot, I also fished truman lake alot and the warsaw tributary for spoon bill and big flatheads and blue catfish.
Lake of the ozarks is great for big flatheads especially on the osage arm. Another good lake for big cats is bull shoals both the arkansas and missouri side I have caught some big cats, there you might hook into a big striper if you use live shad or blue gil as bait. Let me know where you are gonna be fishing at and ill try to be asmuch help to you as possible.


as for line, assuming you will be using medium size spinning or baitcasting rods and reels. if you prefer mono id use 15 to 20 lb test trilene big game or trilene big cat. If you prefer braided lines Id use 30 to 50 lb test spider wire.

My personal favorite rigs are 7 foot shakespeare ugly stick lite in medium action, for cats i like a stiff back bone with a soft tip. topped with a Shimano Corsair CS300 baitcast reel loaded with 20 lbs test trilene big game. I have a few of these setups but since shimano stopped making the corsair cs 300 reel I have switched to a abu garcia C5 reel on my newer setups.

[i shoot stuff]

blue gills are good also use lake chubs, and goldfish yes i said it goldfish they work like a charm. also night crawlers u can beat night crawlers

[silentassassin]

You need to fish live bait for flat heads. You may catch a few on catalpa worms etc. but you will catch more on crawfish and rice slicks (small bream). If it's a river find a drift in the river and anchor up stream and let the current carry your bait under the drift. If you are trotlinging do the same thing. If you are lake fishing then you will have to ask someone else cause I don't know how to catch them in the lake.

[fishadict]

Bluegil and chubs of the bottom will work great preferrably live but dead will work as well. I have also heard people tell me crayfish work great for flathead too. But they said if your going to use crayfish then you need to split the tail. Good Luck

[bwhunter501]

everyone has their own opinoin on what works best my favorite is chicken liver. its hard to put on but it works great my advice when using it is use a trebel hook.