Magic Water Temp.?

[papaw714]

I have always heard that 52° is the magic water temp. to start targeting river flatheads in the spring and to stop chasing them in the fall. So what temp.do ya'll target ? Is it different between lakes and rivers?

[Smoothkip]

I caught my first flat 2 years ago on April 4th. Water temp was 47 degrees. That nite the fish were on fire. I talked to capt. Hugh and they caught flats all year long in 42 to 43 degree water temps in the channel with no structure of any kind. In the fall the latest flat i have ever caught came nov. 16th and water temp was 48 degrees. Ive always said the closer to 50 is when the turn on.

[luckeywade]

i say 50 is the magic for me.spring an fall.

[Seanstone]

I have read that you can catch them around 50 degrees, but the bites really slow. They start feeding heavily again at 55 degrees. I can't prove any of this, just read it in a book. I use these numbers to convince myself to get out and fish the Early spring bite. I really can't say if there is a difference in rivers and streams. I know that flatheads winter in deep holes out of the current until early spring when they move into shallower water and start searching for food. I guess if you were fishing a tributary void of deep holes you may have to wait longer for the flatheads to move back into your area.

[ducky]

We caught our first lake flat last year on april 10th the next day i caught a 36 lb flat, the water temp on those two days were 60, i caught a few flathead in late march on the river when i used to fish it alot, i dont no what the water temp was i did not use a boat, 3 years ago chase and i went out on march 27th and caught 4 flats and 9 channels but we was fishing a warm water discharge, into the river. the biggest flat was 17 lbs

[bigcatpat]

55* is the magic number for me.I've caught em down to 48* but the action wasn't worth it for me.

[bassmassey]

what's up bigcatpat...........good to see ya here

[katfish]

I have found that there is no magic temperature or anything else for flathead.

There are more (maybe not larger) flathead in rivers. It may be the competition but I always get reports of flathead being caught in rivers before they get active in lakes.

All flathead do not react the same so I imagine there may be some active in lakes in cooler water but I do better when more flathead get active.

[bigcatpat]

Mar 23, 2011 21:28:28 GMT -5 bassmassey said:

what's up bigcatpat...........good to see ya here

Hey bassmassey!

[bassmassey]

i like that answer robby, there is no magic water temp, bait, or secrets to catchin flatheads.....there are techniques and methods that work better then others, yet what works today might not work tomorrow........

that's why I like to fish multiple days in a row for long periods of time......that's when you can really nail them down good and be on the fish.............especially when boat fishin.....

as far as water temp after winter I would say in the neighborhood of 50 is where they start moving around again.....I fished a lake in georgia for the last 4 years where the water temp never dropped below 40........and even then it was hard for me to target cold water flatheads, never caught a one under 50 degree.............heard of plenty and seen pictures from juggers of jumbo winter flatheads.........had a good buddy that jugged up a 50lber out of oconee in january........when he cleaned him found a dinner plate sized crappie in his stomach.............I don't know what the water temps in the river are like now, but as soon as it get's fishable i wanna be on it........fresh cut baits should be the ticket

[Catfishrollo]

We have caught flatheads into late december before, and often in early march on the river. I have also read the studys etc. I know for a fact, flatheads will eat under 50 deg. water temps. However, they seem to hang on in the fall/ early winter feeding longer when water temps. plummet. Than trying to fire em up after a long winter. Atleast thats my advice. Once they move out of their wintering holes, often after early spring rains we have been getting that warm the water fastly. It isn't long before they start showing up on the end of a rod rollo