Flatheads
- Thread starter Tubakka
- Start date
ShaneHallum
Well-Known Member
If you want big flatheads, your best place would be Nickajack. IMO
If you just want some nice ones, the lower side of Center Hill has always been good.
If you just want some nice ones, the lower side of Center Hill has always been good.
B.D.
Well-Known Member
I don't know of anywhere local that you'd call a "dense population." I'd say for a "dense population" of flatheads you should look west, maybe to Kentucky Lake, Sardis, Arkabutla, or one of the reservoirs close to the Mississippi River.
My experience is limited, but from what little I know, it seems to me that flatheads are different from the other catfish like big blues and channel cats. Instead of moving along the river channel ledges from hole to hole like the big blues do, it seems to me like a big flathead is almost more like a big bass. He'll find a likely spot - say, a deep rock overhang under a boathouse with some brush - and he'll set up camp there, coming out at night to prowl in the vicinity and feed.
I theorize that their fondness for setting up a "home base" in specific types of cover is why the "noodlers" catch so many flatheads.
I know there are some spots on Old Hickory where we've caught a lot of flatheads between 10 and 30 on plastic lizards while nightfishing for bass. (A 15 lb. flathead can cause a lot of excitement in a night bass tournament). About all I'm going to tell you is "mouths of creeks on the lower 2/3 of the lake" though until I get a chance to spend a night out there with some live sucker minnows on a line. I don't want somebody else grilling my fish before I get a crack at them. :)
bd
My experience is limited, but from what little I know, it seems to me that flatheads are different from the other catfish like big blues and channel cats. Instead of moving along the river channel ledges from hole to hole like the big blues do, it seems to me like a big flathead is almost more like a big bass. He'll find a likely spot - say, a deep rock overhang under a boathouse with some brush - and he'll set up camp there, coming out at night to prowl in the vicinity and feed.
I theorize that their fondness for setting up a "home base" in specific types of cover is why the "noodlers" catch so many flatheads.
I know there are some spots on Old Hickory where we've caught a lot of flatheads between 10 and 30 on plastic lizards while nightfishing for bass. (A 15 lb. flathead can cause a lot of excitement in a night bass tournament). About all I'm going to tell you is "mouths of creeks on the lower 2/3 of the lake" though until I get a chance to spend a night out there with some live sucker minnows on a line. I don't want somebody else grilling my fish before I get a crack at them. :)
bd
Noodlers only get those fish during the spawn when they hole up in logs and rocks. I used to get into schools of them on occasion troling for muskies and bass on points, but haven't had the chance here to try that. I have a friend who does EVERY well on big spoonplugs in the creek channels on Santee Cooper...biggest is 80 pounds. They are almost entirely piscivorous and like live prey. They fight harder than muskellunge pound for pound. I was looking for the best place to try trolling for them....and Old Hickory was highly suspect. I'll give it a shot. I imagine too that they will readily take big swimbaits. We should go try some of your spots sometime BD. And...come spring time....I want to try noodling for myself. But you are right, they are ambush predators.
B.D.
Well-Known Member
I have caught a couple on deep-diving crankbaits, but most of the flatheads I have caught on artificials have been on big plastic worms and lizards. In other words, very slow moving baits near the bottom.
I will defer to others because I don't consider myself a catfish expert, but I'd think you'd do better on a lure they can sneak up on without having to chase, like a jig or plastic worm rather than a trolled lure or swimbait.
Really, I think my first choice would be a carolina-rigged sucker minnow or bluegill.
bd
I will defer to others because I don't consider myself a catfish expert, but I'd think you'd do better on a lure they can sneak up on without having to chase, like a jig or plastic worm rather than a trolled lure or swimbait.
Really, I think my first choice would be a carolina-rigged sucker minnow or bluegill.
bd
Tubakka said:
Actually I used to catch quite a few flatheads on JPP while nightfishing for smallies.
B.D.
Well-Known Member
If you can net some good-sized stonerollers or white suckers in the 6 to 7 inch + range, catfish eat them like candy. Plus, if you roll one past a big largemouth, they won't turn them down either. The suckers seem to be a preferred prey over spiny-finned fish like a bluegill.
bd
bd
B.D.
Well-Known Member
Not sure, but I'm betting he's talking about "noodling" as in the same thing as jug fishing.
I was talking about hand fishing aka "grabbling." If I'm not mistaken, people do it successfully for flatheads at times of the year outside of the spawn.
bd
I was talking about hand fishing aka "grabbling." If I'm not mistaken, people do it successfully for flatheads at times of the year outside of the spawn.
bd
I'd enver known it to h appen outside the spawn but if so I'd love to try it. Yeah, noodling or "hogging" as it was called in Southern Illinois is reaching in with bare hands to grab fish out of their lairs, but jug fishing is killer fun too.
stillinscrubs
Well-Known Member
Aqua water noodle i.e. noodling
...that's great that you use a pink flotation device when wading the Caney scrubs....but what does that have to do with what we're talking about? Do they use these as floats for jug fishing?....cause that's kinda stupid.
stillinscrubs
Well-Known Member
Why is it stupid? I have had it explained to me why they are used and it made both economic and functional sense.
No chapter in the Buck Perry book on being innovative?
No chapter in the Buck Perry book on being innovative?
TennesseeRains
Well-Known Member
I've seen people use those scrubs and they do work! I've just got a collection of around 200 bottles made-up and haven't switched over. Those noodles would definitely take up less room!
Because giant milk jugs are cheaper and more durable. Those funnoodles degrade quickly in a season. I remembered as a kid that would last about half the summer before they would crackle and start to fall apart.
...well heck maybe they do work. I'll have to try them out...but I imagine unless you used the whole noodle or half, it wouldn't be the best option for bringing up a big flathead. And its very easy to tie together two gallon jugs.
...well heck maybe they do work. I'll have to try them out...but I imagine unless you used the whole noodle or half, it wouldn't be the best option for bringing up a big flathead. And its very easy to tie together two gallon jugs.
username
Well-Known Member
I catch a ton of flatheads on Kentucky lake stroking jigs for post spawn bass in late May/early June. They never hit the jig unless you are stroking it though. The days that the bass prefer you drag the jig, we rarely catch a flathead. Still catch an occaisonal channel cat though while dragging.
I equate the strike of a flathead to that of a big smallie. Very exciting until they stop and you can feel their tail slapping the line! :)
Are they good eating?
I equate the strike of a flathead to that of a big smallie. Very exciting until they stop and you can feel their tail slapping the line! :)
Are they good eating?
ShaneHallum
Well-Known Member
I use 12 inch section of noodles. They have lasted me 4 years so far.. Nothing wrong with them yet.
B.D.
Well-Known Member
Tubakka said:
Sorry - Scrubs is right on this one. The pool noodles are pretty popular for jug fishing. I've usually seen them used for "eater" sized catfish, but judging by the pictures posted above, I guess they must work okay for at least medium sized flatheads.
The compact foam is surprisingly bouyant and the noodles are easier to store than a bunch of 2 liter bottles or milk jugs.
Evidently they last longer than you think too, because I've cleaned up some ancient ones off the shoreline behind my house. I do wish some jug fishers would be a little more conscientious about making sure they don't leave jugs behind.
bd
Noodle
Much easier to use than a jug. Noodle is 12 inches long. PVC 18 to 20 inches, 2 caps and an eye screw.
These have lasted 2 seasons and don't look any different than when they were made except for a little dirt.
70 pounders can't hold it under more than a minute.
Tubakka are you from up north?
Much easier to use than a jug. Noodle is 12 inches long. PVC 18 to 20 inches, 2 caps and an eye screw.
These have lasted 2 seasons and don't look any different than when they were made except for a little dirt.
70 pounders can't hold it under more than a minute.
Tubakka are you from up north?
stillinscrubs
Well-Known Member
That looks like equipment used by someone who takes their noodling very seriously. I am impressed by both the equipment and the results.
Thanks for sharing,
Scrubs
Thanks for sharing,
Scrubs
TennesseeRains
Well-Known Member
Scud said:
:D
That's exactly what I've seen people using! The reflective tape really makes a difference - got it on my jugs.
If you can call Southern Illinois near Kentucky north. Which it hardly is at all. in fact, it'sa lot like here as far as people and the outdoors goes. If anything its even more redneck.
I mean, those jugs look great, and I'll eat my hat, but still....we used to use gallon juice jugs from Sam's that we would pul reflective tape on. Last forever, and I doubt a big flathead could hold it down for more than a few seconds.
I mean, those jugs look great, and I'll eat my hat, but still....we used to use gallon juice jugs from Sam's that we would pul reflective tape on. Last forever, and I doubt a big flathead could hold it down for more than a few seconds.
B.D.
Well-Known Member
I always thought trotlines were a lot more fun than jug fishing. There's something suspenseful about setting out the bait, waiting all night, and coming back the next morning to see what I've caught.
It's kind of like putting up a controversial post on the TNDeer Politcs Forum... :)
bd
It's kind of like putting up a controversial post on the TNDeer Politcs Forum... :)
bd
Brian Dunigan said:
We count them as we put them out to make sure we get them all on the pickup. We have found a few more than a half mile from where they were put out with a fish on them.
We usually put out 50 to a 100 and try to get them set by dark. We stay with them and run them a couple of times and then come back at daylight and pick them up.
Most fish are in the 3 to 8 pounds range. But usually have at least one big (25 pounds or bigger)fish per night. More big fish in the late spring.
Those are flagging jugs. I put a weight inside that transfers to the line end and keeps the jug "flagged" when it's hit.
Noodling by definition is grappling. I've heard it called hogging a lot in TN.
Noodling by definition is grappling. I've heard it called hogging a lot in TN.
stik
Well-Known Member
TX300mag said:
noodling is long-pole fishing with a giant wad of nightcrawlers sticking it in holes in vegetation for bass. grabbling is sticking your hands in holes after catfish.
B.D.
Well-Known Member
What you call it depends on where you're from. Catching catfish by hand was called noodling where I grew up in Mississippi. I've always heard the long-pole fishing called "hogging" and the long pole is called a "hogging stick."
bd
bd
