bait size

[rcbbracing]

Seen a lot of info on about type of bait and changing bait species for time of year but what's everyone's opinions on livebait size in relation to time of year? You guys trying to run smaller baits in colder water and larger during middle of year or do even pay attention? I mean obviously you don't wanna run a 15" smallmouth in March but once water temp is up into the fifties do you consider it an anything goes scenario?

[Seanstone]

I'm still in the learning process of fishing cold water flats, but I'll share my opinions anyway. I use smaller baits when the bites slower or the waters colder, like you mentioned above. It's not so cut and clear though. I have seen some post spawn nights where flatheads wont touch any of our small baits, but as soon as we drop a larger bait in we get hits. I have also spent nights fishing where they tend to prefer smaller baits. My personal best flathead came off of a 4 inch goldfish, when there was a 8 inch redear bluegill 25 yards away.

[ducky]

this is the day i caught my first flat of 2010 april 11th, but the water is much much colder than last years, but as for bait, in april we like to use big and small baits, but not huge 6 to 9 inch shad work great, and fresh cut shad work well too, we do not catch alot of fish on gills but small green sunfish are a good choice also and if i can get em 7 to 12 inch suckers are great in april.

[katfish]

I think I am slowly beginning to understand that flathead in different waterways react to baits in different ways. This makes flathead fishing far more complex than fishing for other species.

It does cause quite a bit of controversy ;D Minnesota boyz claim bullheads are the best bait. I have never had a run on a bullhead and I tried them off and on for 6 years.

River fishermen report cut bait works well. I used to think that was because that was all some of them fished with and they were unwilling to go to all the trouble to use live bait. I now believe that flathead adapt to finding dead or cut up fish in river systems and even find security cover that has them facing into current to take advantage of baits comin to them.

You will soon see that river flathead are more numerous and therefore must be more aggressive to survive. My proof will be that river flathead begin feeding in colder water temps than lake flathead. This means the river boyz will begin catching flats a week or 2 before lake flathead fishermen.

Also you will learn that flathead may change bait preferences thoughout the season on your waters. This probably has more to do with available forage than what they prefer. But it will mean they may change locations to be close to the preyfish or key in on the part of the water column those prey prefer.

It does seem that flathead like to prey on fish that are occupied spawning. They sometimes seem to concentrate on shad until they get a certain size.

My conclusion is you could guess what a woman will do next before you can predict how a flathead will react.

[Catfishrollo]

We have always had better luck spring and fall during cold water with smaller slender baits. Chubs and suckers have been dynamite for us over past seasons. Once water warms we usually upsize our baits from big gills, greenies, and bass. However, it never hurts to mix up your aresenal, and still use smaller baits as well. Some nights they seem to key on or prefer certain baits over others. I agree that it is important to change your baits up throughout the year, and area and seasonal movements play a big role on what they are feeding on.. rollo

[Smoothkip]

As robby said about cut shad, the northern end of the Muskingum hardly ever produces flats at least of any size, while the more southern pools will produce good size fish on shad. Cut shad actually produces better than live bait in all my trips. As for bullheads I've only caught a few flatheads on them but they have been all over 40 pounds. I don't catch as many flatheads as most river guys but the ones I do catch are usually good quality fish. A lot of guys laugh or second guess the monster baits I use but I'm not driving an hour or two to catch channelcats or baby flatheads, I fish for trophy fish not numbers.

[Seanstone]

Kip, I once knew a guy who used to live by the saying, "theres no such things as too big when it comes to bait." When he fished for bass he would throw musky lures, and when he fished for channel cats he would toss out cut baits larger than his hand. Although I don't agree with his theory it's hard to argue with his success. He didn't catch many fish or get many bites, but he did catch fish. I jokingly tell him that theres no such thing as a bait too small, since people catch Flatheads on minnows when crappie fishing.

[Catfishrollo]

I agree Kip. Northern end of the Muskingum rarely gives up big flatheads consistently on cut shad or cuts of any species for that matter. Spring and fall have been best for us with cuts up this way. There is an abundant supply of channel cats on the upper Muskingum. This makes fishing cuts for big flatheads very difficult in most areas. I credit the shallow long sections, mostly sand and gravel bottom as the reason for great habitat for channels. There are big flatheads present as well. But... likesaid, it changes how you try to target them compared to other river sections as we have seen. rollo

[Varmint_Sniper]

Starting May 1st Well my bad April 30th when Kip and I fish the Tappan Lake turney together i will be looking to throw 1 rod with a BIG live bait and 1 rod with a med live bait i would rather get that 1 hit and have it be 40plus than catch 25 10lb flathead's I"m shooting for a new lake record lol

[bassmassey]

this early in the year I would fish whole cutbaits over livebait.......size depending on what you can get....

i've caught and seen plenty of flatheads caught on cutbaits, even in the hot summer months, I beleive fresh cut (when possible) makes a huge difference.........I like em floppin on the hook fileted up both sides......lol I do like to use good livebaits closer to spawn and ofcourse postspawn and untill it starts to cool again.....but sometimes a fresh cutbait is hard to beat.......

[bassmassey]

This means the river boyz will begin catching flats a week or 2 before lake flathead fishermen.

robby, do the flatheads in the mdw lakes usually spawn after the muskingum river fish?

[katfish]

I'm not sure when the river fish spawn.

You can count of July 4 to be in the flathead
spawn cycle on MCWD lakes.


Channel cats June 16 is middle of their spawn and the big headed males get very aggressive. We have to upsize baits to keep them off our lines.

As a rule of thumb larger fish (predatory fish) usually spawn
later in the year so their offspring will have prey to eat
when they hatch.

[gotmehooked]

I read an article not to long ago that talked about using cut bait on the river and the success it had especially fishing for flat in the day. It said cut bait was good during the day if you could drop it right where you knew they were because a study done on flats said they didn't roam much during the day, and some didn't venture more than 100 yards or so from their hole for 23 hours a day. It stated alive bait was better at night when the flats were out on the hunt and traveled further.

[dreadnaught]

I have yet to catch a catfish on live bait and, believe me I have tried for over 45 years. I can toss a 6 or 7 inch Bluegill in a spot and leave it for hours. Then reel it in (very alive and fiesty), put it on the floor of the boat and step on it and toss it back in the same spot and in 5 minutes, BAMMM!!!!! Instant Flathead!!!! I generally don't target Flatheads but, I catch allot of them every year (between 30 to 50) ranging from 10 to 50 pounds. All of these fish have came on cut bait (skipjack, shad and, bluegill). Yes, I fish the Ohio River for the most part and, the Green River part of the time!!!

Don't let anyone tell you that Flatheads won't bite in cold water. I use to believe this theory until I was proven wrong when fishing in Feb on the Cumberland River in Tennessee. The air temps were 33* with surface temps of 35* to 37*, while fishing in 22' of depth. We generally use smaller baits in cold water so, we had cut our bait sizes into half of what we normally use. I had caught a 39.5lb Blue and just got it back in the water when I got a strange looking bite on another rod. It took another 5 minutes for the rod to start loading up and, the fight was on. Granted it wasn't the best fight I had ever had from a fish this size but, he let me know he was there. To my surprize it was a 43.2lb Flathead (I couldn't believe it) A FLATHEAD IN THIS WATER TEMP...NO WAY!!!!! But there it was right there in front of me, proving WRONG everything I believed about Flatheads and cold water!!!!
Here is a pic of the Flathead I was talking about!!!

[bassmassey]

i remember that fish jw........we were fishin' that same hole the day before with the roundman.....i want some more of that venison sausage.........that was good.......