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Post by Smoothkip on Feb 22, 2011 10:55:33 GMT -5
This is an article I wrote up for my blog,
Something that has made me a more sucessful flathead fisherman is change my bait choices throughout the year. At the begining of the year I like to use a more slender bait such as a sucker, shad or even a small bass. I also have figured out that what ever bait is running in the spring is a good go to bait, when the white bass are on the run in the spring that is one of my most succesful baits! During the spawn i like to use Bullheads and gills, they naturally invade a flatheads nest to eat the eggs and by far is my best baits in the summer, I also use what is called a green eared sunfish, They look alot like a gill but with larger mouths and green streaks up the side of there mouth and head, these baits are very agressive and easy to keep alive in the heat of the summer, in the tank and on the hook. Then as the water temp starts dropping in the Fall i start to go back to the slender baits but also use some bass and bullheads also. I also use some cut shad throughout the year but this past year was terrible dealing with the turtles and couldnt keep a cut bait in the water. The type of suckers i have the most luck on is the northern hog nosed suckers. I also believe in the saying "BIG BAIT BIG FISH" I always run at least one monster bait while im fishing and it might set out all nite without a run or it might be the bite to make your year or Lifetime! Good luck to all this year and cant wait t set into the first flat of the year!......smooth
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Post by catalac on Feb 22, 2011 14:04:00 GMT -5
what time of the year would be good for using crawdads, some of the places i fish have gravel bottoms which makes it easy to catch crawdads there, i figure if they are there might as well fish with them! possibly during the spawn also, flatties will be on gravel bottoms and i imagine crawdads invade nests too. let me know your thoughts!
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Post by katfish on Feb 22, 2011 17:33:12 GMT -5
I use suckers early when water is cool. I favor gills because they are easy to get and have for bait. When water warms where the gills die on the hook I change to goldfish till the water is again cool enough for the gills to tolerate.
Rock bass seem to be favored over gills but they are hard to catch bait size. I have used small carp when I get them in a cast net.
I tried bullheads over a period of several years and have never been able to get flathead to take them in the lakes.
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Post by ducky on Feb 22, 2011 18:59:10 GMT -5
what time of the year would be good for using crawdads, some of the places i fish have gravel bottoms which makes it easy to catch crawdads there, i figure if they are there might as well fish with them! possibly during the spawn also, flatties will be on gravel bottoms and i imagine crawdads invade nests too. let me know your thoughts! I dont like the idea of using crawdads because there is a great chance your bait would just hide under a rock and you wouldnt even no, and a crawdad would not make very much vibrations which a flathead keys in on when hunting. ive never used em but i dont care to try. im sure they would work great for channels if you killed them first. |
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Post by catalac on Feb 22, 2011 19:04:08 GMT -5
yeah good point ducky! really never thought of them hiding and vibration, just based the idea on they could be a nest invader. maybe i'll try them out for channels early and see if i can pick a flattie up accidentally. i may try to attach a small float to the end of my carolina rig to keep them off the bottom. thanks for the input
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Post by mogadorecatz87 on Feb 22, 2011 19:44:03 GMT -5
anyone use creek chubs? ive got a creek by my house full of um and im fixin to use chubs this season
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Post by ducky on Feb 22, 2011 19:50:24 GMT -5
yeah good point ducky! really never thought of them hiding and vibration, just based the idea on they could be a nest invader. maybe i'll try them out for channels early and see if i can pick a flattie up accidentally. i may try to attach a small float to the end of my carolina rig to keep them off the bottom. thanks for the input Ive thought of the poly ball rig for crawdads too, but never gave it a chance. |
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Seanstone
Catfish Freak
Multi-Specie Catch and Release Angler
Posts: 1,166
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Post by Seanstone on Feb 22, 2011 19:51:24 GMT -5
I tried using creek chubs a few times last year, but I dont like them because they die pretty quick when compared to blugills and bullheads. Another reason why I dont use them that much is becuase its hard to get really large ones. Every now and then I pull a 11" or 12" out of the creek but Ive never had much luck with them for flatheads. When they die they seem to produce alot of channel cats for my girlfriend.
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Post by ducky on Feb 22, 2011 19:51:38 GMT -5
anyone use creek chubs? ive got a creek by my house full of um and im fixin to use chubs this season Prime rib for channels, but they work for flatheads, if you can keep the channels off. |
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Post by catfishhunter on Feb 22, 2011 21:48:02 GMT -5
I love using large creek chubs in the rivers. That is my go to bait. 8inches or larger. When I go flathead fishing on the river I always have creek chubs. And I usually have some gold fish, bullheads, and maybe asian carp.
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Post by Smoothkip on Feb 23, 2011 6:13:16 GMT -5
Ive caught some flatheads off creek chubs but as Ducky said I usually get into the Channel cats with them. I fish rivers 90% of the time so I dont have much input for the lakes.
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Post by catmaster12 on Apr 1, 2011 17:19:08 GMT -5
I use creek chubs all the time and don't have any trouble. I always catch them off creek chubs always catch them flattys!
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Post by gotmehooked on Apr 1, 2011 17:24:52 GMT -5
techically what fish are you allowed to use for bait? Any of you ever had a game warden question what you were using for bait? I got a third of a 50 gallon drum someone cut in half for me and I wanna make it into a bait tank to keep fish a couple days before I go out. Any ideas?
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Post by Smoothkip on Apr 1, 2011 17:36:39 GMT -5
Any fish that you can legally catch on rod and reel and your within your creel and size limits is ok to use for bait. But different waterway have different size limits. Say saltfork has a 15 in. Min on largemouth but knox lake has and 18in min.you have to obey the individual laws. On the river there is a so called no size min. But a creel limit of 5 small or largemouth in combination.
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Post by rcbbracing on Apr 8, 2011 11:09:00 GMT -5
Some great info here...also agree about the channel cats getting to the Chubs before flats... I favor whatever baits r easy to get obviously but always like having some whitehorse and higog suckers and some bullheads along....those r my favorites...I really should try switching up for certain times of year but never really have....set in my ways a lil I guess
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