# Flathead Time



## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

There has been a good bit of discussion about flatheads (shovelheads to us hillbillys ), so I thought I'd start a thread on them. It's prime time as they are just finishing spawning and we are going into the dark of the moon. My buddy and I set trotlines last week and it started out slow. I think the spawn was late. It has picked up the last day or two and I expect the next week to be the peak. So far we've only caught a few small ones, mostly 5-10 pounds, 1 twelve and one 15.25 pounds. We release everything under 15 and shoot to only keep 2-3 and hope for those to be at least in the 20 pound + range. Our goal is at least one 30+ pounder. Once we have some meat in the freezer everything goes back or we hang it up. This is what we do to entertain ourselves when the Saugeye bite slows mid-summer. Besides my wife likes flathead as well as Saugeye to put in the freezer. So let's talk Flathead season. I use mainly bluegills as they are easy bait to get, but over the years I have done well on hog suckers, small channel cats, bullheads and small carp. You need to clip the dorsal and pectoral spines on channels and carp.


----------



## Dillon.R.Nott (Oct 4, 2015)

Me and 3 buds went out last night at indian. Russels point. A few days before there was a fish kill in the area. We didn’t get a bite. Wonder if it was just the area. We had all bait must’ve been location


----------



## Specwar (Sep 22, 2014)

Big article in the Canton Repository about the Affolter family and their flathead history on Clendening. I grew up with a couple of those boys back in the day.


----------



## fishless (Sep 18, 2014)

Southernsaug said:


> There has been a good bit of discussion about flatheads (shovelheads to us hillbillys ), so I thought I'd start a thread on them. It's prime time as they are just finishing spawning and we are going into the dark of the moon. My buddy and I set trotlines last week and it started out slow. I think the spawn was late. It has picked up the last day or two and I expect the next week to be the peak. So far we've only caught a few small ones, mostly 5-10 pounds, 1 twelve and one 15.25 pounds. We release everything under 15 and shoot to only keep 2-3 and hope for those to be at least in the 20 pound + range. Our goal is at least one 30+ pounder. Once we have some meat in the freezer everything goes back or we hang it up. This is what we do to entertain ourselves when the Saugeye bite slows mid-summer. Besides my wife likes flathead as well as Saugeye to put in the freezer. So let's talk Flathead season. I use mainly bluegills as they are easy bait to get, but over the years I have done well on hog suckers, small channel cats, bullheads and small carp. You need to clip the dorsal and pectoral spines on channels and carp.


Do you fillet them ?


----------



## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

yes I fillet them. I cut under the skin along the top and botom on each side and pull the skin off. I also do this on the belly. The belly hold some of the best meat and you fillet it off by its self. I cut the fillets up into steaks at the thickness we like. Cut the lateral line out and trim off most of the red meat and you have nice mild white meat left....very good eating.


----------



## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

Well, so far the flathead fishing has sucked. We only caught 3 smaller ones the last two nights. We pulled the lines until next week, as we both have things on our calendars for the next few days with some travel. we'll move to a new location next week and hope for a better bite.


----------



## catfishjustin (Dec 2, 2012)

Is there a reason you release fish under 15 lbs? All my experience has taught me small fish taste better. Everything odnr and other resources has taught me is to keep little fish and release the bigger fish. Also why a trotline? I cant say ive never used a trotline but now that i dont use them i catch more fish in less time with less effort.


----------



## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

Q.) Is there a reason you release fish under 15 lbs?
Flatheads are some of the longest lived fish we have in Ohio and can live to 40 years old and obtain weights of over 40 pounds. Most of that weight is in the head and core skeleton. You yield less meat percentage on flatheads. I trim to the white meat and a fish under 15 just is low yield. I prefer not to kill what is in essence a juvenile. As far as taste, they all taste the same, big or small. Currently regulations limit an angler to one flathead over 35 inches per day. Because they feel they need to protect the large older breeders. They are becoming more rare because people are over harvesting juveniles and fewer are making it to the age that they can obtain large size and they are long lived. If you examine my thread you also see I only keep 2-3 a year and only larger fish. That is solely to maximize meat yield. Do we go out and target only fawns when deer hunting? Here is an example of my philosophy: last year I caught 19 flatheads between say 2 and 19 pounds. My buddy and I kept two a 16 and 19 pounder and released the other 17. There are still 17 swimming around growing larger and older as well as reproducing. Should I have kept maybe 10 of the smaller ones and released the two biggest? Which makes more sense to preserve the fishery?

Q.) Also why a trotline? I cant say ive never used a trotline but now that i dont use them i catch more fish in less time with less effort.

Hmmm, I guess the most honest answer is I like sleeping at night and letting the line do the work. I only trotline smaller streams and in my 64 years of life I do not know of anyone who consistently caught large Flatheads from these streams on rod and reel. Mostly they stay in deep trashy holes and you'll loose most you hook. I would disagree you catch more in less time pole fishing as far as flatheads go. My experience is most large flatheads feed between 2:00 AM and 6:00 AM. Like I said I like being in bed. To me a trotline is most efficient. About 1/2 hour to set one, 1-2 hours collecting bait and baiting. Then go home and wait till morning. It's still a thrill to run the line and see what you got. A large flathead still puts up a fight. I have tried pole fishing my favorite holes in years past and I think I disagree that I caught more large flatheads that way. In fact my production was pretty abysmal and I never landed one over 20 lbs. I have caught larger ones in lakes pole fishing where you can get them into open water. I do know a couple guys who have a select spot that they do well in, but still I never knew them to get any over 26 pounds from the stream. Now if your talking lakes or the larger rivers like the Ohio, you are probably able to do well pole fishing, but I still doubt your yield is better than a trotline on large flatheads. Even then on those area your going to spend hours sitting watching a pole. What I do see is a lot of flatheads caught in lake tailwaters by pole fishing. A lot are snagged and the fish are artificially concentrated when they are looking for a place to spawn. I would like to see tailwaters closed to flathead harvest in June and July. I have watched people carry them out by the dozens at Paint Creek Lake tailwater, all sizes. It seems almost unfair. The fish are jammed into one small shoot of water just trying to get to a place to spawn.


----------



## catfishjustin (Dec 2, 2012)

Southernsaug i hope i didnt affend you with my post and questions. Sounds like you are responsible with a select harvest and catch and release.


----------



## MIGHTY (Sep 21, 2013)

This year has sucked tremendously because of all of the rain. Have only made it out 4 times so far this summer. First trip was a dud. The remaining 3 trips we caught quite a few but none larger than 15 or so pounds probably due to the bigger ones spawning.


----------



## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

not at all catfish justin - Was a slow day and I had time to kill so I put out as detailed a reasoning as I could think of.


----------



## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

Thought I'd update the thread. I quit for a few days and took the Mrs. on a short trip out of state. Set back Sunday and it's still slow. Caught three the last two nights at 5-6 lb, ~10lb and ~12 lb.....released all three. Tonight has a front coming through so maybe better fishing. Total I think we've caught 11 flatheads from 5-15 lbs, but only kept the 15. Not setting any records for sure.


----------



## Roosted (Sep 28, 2014)

Ive heard and read about the Affolter family flathead fishing over the years. Jimmy Shilling a guy I went to school with that lives in the Massillon area is another big flathead cat fisherman and pretty sure has fished quite a bit with the Affolters. Interesting you brought that up.


----------



## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

Shovel heads are my favorite fish to eat. When I was younger and fished for them constantly I would only keep one a year. Usually in the 12-15 pound range.


----------



## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

MIGHTY said:


> This year has sucked tremendously because of all of the rain. Have only made it out 4 times so far this summer. First trip was a dud. The remaining 3 trips we caught quite a few but none larger than 15 or so pounds probably due to the bigger ones spawning.


If you aren’t targeting Flatheads during high water (on our Rivers), you’re missing out on some downright phenomenal action.


----------



## MIGHTY (Sep 21, 2013)

I’ll take your word for it.


----------



## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

MIGHTY said:


> I’ll take your word for it.


Find open pockets below Spillways. Money in the bank...


----------



## Atavistic By Nature (Jul 4, 2018)

Where are y'all talking about catching all these flatties from?
I'm not sure when the full moon is but if I can avoid fishing it, I plan to spend 2 nights fishing Clenending Reservoir, and whatever the other one is that's near it, for the first time next week (I'm in Wooster). Seems like full moon keeps their jaws tight!


----------



## catfishjustin (Dec 2, 2012)

acklac7 said:


> If you aren’t targeting Flatheads during high water (on our Rivers), you’re missing out on some downright phenomenal action.


Wish someone told me this years ago. Now i have flow numbers for a few spots and best part is i never see anyone else on those days.


----------



## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

> Big article in the Canton Repository about the Affolter family and their flathead history on Clendening. I grew up with a couple of those boys back in the day.



I had to look this up.

https://www.cantonrep.com/news/20190728/this-ohio-catfish-record-still-stands-40-years-later


----------



## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Thanks for sharing I love reading that stuff.... "I can smell them" thsts awsome... 
My buddy caught a baby about 12" the other day this thing smelled just like raw shrimp. Thing must of been gorging on crawls......


Lewzer said:


> I had to look this up.
> 
> https://www.cantonrep.com/news/20190728/this-ohio-catfish-record-still-stands-40-years-later


----------



## Atavistic By Nature (Jul 4, 2018)

I fished Clendening and Salt Fork weekend before last and neither of us caught a cat. Live bait, cut bait, chicken breasts, breasts with cherry kool-aid, crawlers...barely a nibble from 9p-7a in 2 days. Ouch!


----------



## jwfish (Jan 28, 2005)

It been about two weeks sence we have had any rain get a good inch of rain and hit the water on the rise if you can and they will be hitting on any lake or river.


----------



## PolkRunKid (Aug 25, 2015)

Yes, rain needed badly for all!


----------



## Atavistic By Nature (Jul 4, 2018)

Hell yeah, I'm always trying to fish on the rise, couldn't agree more. Heading to Charles Mills tomorrow (Friday) to see how the spillway action is going since we had a bunch of rain last night. Just caught some gills for cutbait and dumped cherry kool-aid powder on some chicken titties, I'm ready to rock!


----------



## Atavistic By Nature (Jul 4, 2018)

You guys ever use drum for flathead bait? Saw some jackass throwing them on the bank so I picked one up and tried them out a while back. They slayed! I cut the tails off to make them bleed and thrash around more. Caught my pb channel on one of them too.


----------



## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

I've been trying the scioto just south of 270 the past few weekends with live gills and chubs and have only caught 2 around 8 pounds,, thinking I need to venture more south I reckon


----------



## Catstalker1956 (Feb 25, 2013)

Go south to the 762 Bridge, then walk south about 250 yards.


----------



## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

That's exactly where I've been lol,,it's pretty shallow down there though


----------



## Catstalker1956 (Feb 25, 2013)

Your not far enough then, there is a deep hole after the rapids.


----------



## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

Well thanks man I'll have to walk a little further next time I decide to make the trip down


----------



## MIGHTY (Sep 21, 2013)

A boat would be useful out there at the spot on 762 if you have one. Used to fish out there some but not anymore. Wonder if I’ve seen any of you guys recently on my way home from fishing out that way. Drive over the bridge and see bon fires all over the place.


----------



## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

I wouldn't be one with the fire as I thought they are not allowed,, but I do find the remains from them along with a whole lot of trash down there,, and whats the advantage of a boat down there


----------



## Catstalker1956 (Feb 25, 2013)

I used to carry a five gallon bucket with bait along with poles, etc. Boating made that easy. It's not very deep in some areas, I had a semi-v boat. I have not been there in 10 years. Caught some nice flat heads in the first hole below the rapids. Then a big tree fell in the middle of the water and I never went back.


----------



## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

Man, a tree in a deep hole below a rapids....sounds like a prime flathead spot to me. I think I'd be hitting that!


----------



## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

There's actually a whole bunch of stuff in the water rite there that makes it impossible to cast from the bank that's why I've been up on the Rapids just trying to cast as far as I can too the end of them..might take my kayak next time to just anchor in the middle of it all


----------



## MIGHTY (Sep 21, 2013)

river..rat said:


> I wouldn't be one with the fire as I thought they are not allowed,, but I do find the remains from them along with a whole lot of trash down there,, and whats the advantage of a boat down there





river..rat said:


> There's actually a whole bunch of stuff in the water rite there that makes it impossible to cast from the bank that's why I've been up on the Rapids just trying to cast as far as I can too the end of them..might take my kayak next time to just anchor in the middle of it all


 you answered your own question.


----------



## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

In deed lol


----------



## catfishjustin (Dec 2, 2012)

What water temp do you all stop or prefer not to fish flatheads? 

Been trying some new spots lately. Havent found a bad one yet. Hadnt caught a 30 lb range flat, then in 1 night i pull in a 31 and a 33 within an hour of each other. Lost 2 fish last night that both could have been my new pb. Stepping up all my line to 30 and 40 lb test today.


----------



## MIGHTY (Sep 21, 2013)

Heck I can’t remember...what is it like 52-55 degrees or something around there? As it gets cooler I start to switch more from creeks to bigger rivers. About 2 years ago I had a good week long stretch on the scioto halfway through November when the outside temp was 45-50 as far as numbers went but nothing over 20 pounds.


----------



## catfishjustin (Dec 2, 2012)

Ive read 55 degrees and 50 from a few different sources. The fall pre winter time never lasts long enough.


----------

