# need help with flatheads............PLEASE



## rayroofing walleye master

bin trying for a couple seasons now and nothing .....I guess I don't know what the h### im doin ...I don't want any secret spots just a little guidance or push in the right direction. thanks


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## Fisherman 3234

What part of Ohio are you fishing?


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## rayroofing walleye master

I live south of canton close to atwood /Leesville. I fish really all over willing to travel for a good fight


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## Fisherman 3234

You are fairly close to excellent waters, mwcd lakes, Ohio river and the muskingum river are not far at all. The time to catch fish is now!!!


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## FlashGordon

rayroofing walleye master said:


> bin trying for a couple seasons now and nothing .....I guess I don't know what the h### im doin ...I don't want any secret spots just a little guidance or push in the right direction. thanks


What kind of bait/rig are you using?


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## catfish1605

A live bluegill, bullhead, small carp, or sucker on a carolina rig is probably what most guys use. I know when I first started I used bait that was too small and didn't do well. I was using bluegills that were 2-3 inches long, I now use them the size of my hand. I fish rivers for them, I try to find wood cover near deep water. I'll set my boat up so i can fish both the deeper water and around the cover.


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## Fisherman 3234

Be persistent, your doing everything right and you're in the right area. I would suggest river fishing to catch you first flatty.....


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## FlashGordon

catfish1605 said:


> A live bluegill, bullhead, small carp, or sucker on a carolina rig is probably what most guys use. I know when I first started I used bait that was too small and didn't do well. I was using bluegills that were 2-3 inches long, I now use them the size of my hand. I fish rivers for them, I try to find wood cover near deep water. I'll set my boat up so i can fish both the deeper water and around the cover.


I agree with everything Catfish said. I'd also add that when I started out targeting flatties, I was using hooks that were too small. My standard now is an 8/0 Gamakatsu octopus circle.

Also, try using cut bluegill. You won't get many flatheads over 10-15 lbs on cut, but we've had some nights where we were fishing live and cut side by side and had them consistently take the cut bait over the live.


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## rayroofing walleye master

FlashGordon said:


> What kind of bait/rig are you using?


im using chubs 5 to 8 inch sum gills 4 to 6 in 1 to 2 oz weight 30 pound big game on 7 to 8 ft spinning out fits.dont no if im in wrong area or what they r making me and my fishin buddy look really dumb ...channel cats love us.....


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## FlashGordon

rayroofing walleye master said:


> im using chubs 5 to 8 inch sum gills 4 to 6 in 1 to 2 oz weight 30 pound big game on 7 to 8 ft spinning out fits.dont no if im in wrong area or what they r making me and my fishin buddy look really dumb ...channel cats love us.....


Sounds like you are doing everything right in terms of your bait and rig, so your location seems to be the only thing that could a problem. 

Are you getting any runs?

You fishing lakes or rivers?


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## rayroofing walleye master

well I grew up fishing ...I go to lake erie quite often after smallies and them walleyes. I just have itch to catch a big flathead .ive caught a lot of big fish in my life and am very thankfull i eat what i need and the rest goes back for the future i also have a 10 n 2 year old daughters that love to fish so putting back is BIG BIG part an we all should think the same.my bait is good rig is good location sucks i fish salt fork quite bit also clendenning .wills creek a little.i get the idea just need to learn more about them


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## rayroofing walleye master

yes i do an like i said i will drive for a good time]just don't know the Muskingum river area all that well ive bin at salt fork the last couple weekends an nuthin wanna go to lock 6 on Muskingum an ole buddy they catch em there from time to time on gold fish just don't know how to get there


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## Fisherman 3234

Try fishing the dam areas or tributary mouths on the muskingum or Ohio rivers. They will be concentrating around these areas especially during pre spawn, which is now!!!


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## OhioUniv_Fisherman

Come on down to Cambridge for a weekend. I'll do my best to get you into one. Either the creek or Salt Fork.


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## All Eyes

Piedmont and Clendening are both good flathead lakes. The lower portion of the Muskingum river is also a good place to find them. At night I would concentrate on water 5 ft or less. See if you can bring up any old magazine articles written by a man named Art Bishop. He was the flathead king down that way and would talk my ear off to help put my friends and I on flatties many years ago. That guy really had it down to a science and was always more than willing to share his wisdom. He would use suckers up to 3 lbs and paddle out in his boat to drop the bait.


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## OhioUniv_Fisherman

All Eyes said:


> Piedmont and Clendening are both good flathead lakes. The lower portion of the Muskingum river is also a good place to find them. At night I would concentrate on water 5 ft or less. See if you can bring up any old magazine articles written by a man named Art Bishop. He was the flathead king down that way and would talk my ear off to help put my friends and I on flatties many years ago. That guy really had it down to a science and was always more than willing to share his wisdom. He would use suckers up to 3 lbs and paddle out in his boat to drop the bait.


I've caught my biggest flats in 4 feet of water or less. Good advice for a novice b/c all you hear about with flats is deep water. Deep water during day and deep into structure, shallow at night while they feed. Good Stuff!


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## All Eyes

Another misconception about flathead cats is that they are not good table fare. Actually, they are extremely mild, sweet white flaky fish and delicious if cooked properly. And not just the small ones. I do not like gamey fish at all and find channel cats to be too strong for my taste. Even if you do not like fish in general, you would be surprised at how non-fishy/muddy tasting flathead cats are. Deep fried in small cubes, they melt in your mouth.


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## chris1162

All Eyes said:


> Another misconception about flathead cats is that they are not good table fare. Actually, they are extremely mild, sweet white flaky fish and delicious if cooked properly. And not just the small ones. I do not like gamey fish at all and find channel cats to be too strong for my taste. Even if you do not like fish in general, you would be surprised at how non-fishy/muddy tasting flathead cats are. Deep fried in small cubes, they melt in your mouth.


Ahhhhhhh..... Blapshemy!!! Dont believe this guy! Flatheads are poisonous and even if the poisons doesnt kill you, the meat supposedly taste like mud, carp, and shad rolled up into one.


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## All Eyes

chris1162 said:


> Ahhhhhhh..... Blapshemy!!! Dont believe this guy! Flatheads are poisonous and even if the poisons doesnt kill you, the meat supposedly taste like mud, carp, and shad rolled up into one.


LOL @ Chris. I would never tell people they were good when I fished for them. You probably say the same thing about opossum meat. Now there is a tasty critter!
Never swerve, dinner is served.


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## rayroofing walleye master

OhioUniv_Fisherman said:


> Come on down to Cambridge for a weekend. I'll do my best to get you into one. Either the creek or Salt Fork.


  sounds good I will gladly come down its about 45 mins for me to get to state rt 22 we will c whats up this weekend hope weather is good ...


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## rayroofing walleye master

u guys r awesome ..thanks for all info ...im soakin it up like a sponge ..thanks


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## OhioUniv_Fisherman

rayroofing walleye master said:


> sounds good I will gladly come down its about 45 mins for me to get to state rt 22 we will c whats up this weekend hope weather is good ...


I'll never eat these big flatheads, something the size of an eight year old and equivalent to my grandma just doesn't sound good. Channels and some saugeyes are fine with me. You boys ever eat Saugeye cheeks? They are awesome!


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## OhioUniv_Fisherman

I've ran into some Amish that take shad and make soup out of it. Now thats worse than opossum.


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## OhioUniv_Fisherman

rayroofing walleye master said:


> sounds good I will gladly come down its about 45 mins for me to get to state rt 22 we will c whats up this weekend hope weather is good ...


Sounds good. PM me and we'll figure it out. My dad and I will be out there this weekend. You opposed to fishing out of the canoe? Want to drop lines in some cover. I have seat backs and cushions for er, not to bad.


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## OhioUniv_Fisherman

OhioUniv_Fisherman said:


> Sounds good. PM me and we'll figure it out. My dad and I will be out there this weekend. You opposed to fishing out of the canoe? Want to drop lines in some cover. I have seat backs and cushions for er, not to bad.


Or If you really want a flatty I'll take you to the creek for a bit. Lots of numbers difficult to get weight.


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## TClark

All great advice above...especially the cut bait. I've caught more flats on cut bait than I ever do on live bait. I use 2 rods, one live bait and one cut bait.

This was caught Tuesday night at Piedmont on a Zebco 808 spin cast reel and a night crawler...you just never know. My sister inlaw caught a 34 pound flat at Piedmont on a 1/4" piece of worm. I think more are caught by accident than on purpose sometimes.

Just be versitel...also a big gob of night crawlers on a 7/0 Octopus or Kale hook can be deadly as well.

Good fishin to ya!!


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## TClark

TClark said:


> All great advice above...especially the cut bait. I've caught more flats on cut bait than I ever do on live bait. I use 2 rods, one live bait and one cut bait.
> 
> This was caught Tuesday night at Piedmont on a Zebco 808 spin cast reel and a night crawler...you just never know. My sister inlaw caught a 34 pound flat at Piedmont on a 1/4" piece of worm. I think more are caught by accident than on purpose sometimes.
> 
> Just be versitel...also a big gob of night crawlers on a 7/0 Octopus or Kale hook can be deadly as well.
> 
> Good fishin to ya!!
> 
> p.s. I've lost LOTS of fish using circle hooks...never again.


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## rayroofing walleye master

sweet ill pm u walleye cheeks saugeye cheeks delicious......u talkin wills creek.


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## rayroofing walleye master

thanks t clark maybe ill c ya down sumtime


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## MuskieManOhio

Any of you guys from NEO I have been out 4 times this year and I'm trying to figure out if I missed the pre spawn or since the lakes were frozen for so long it's still early any input?


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## ducky152000

still pre spawn. most flathead will not spawn until first week of July. some may spawn in the next week or two but majority wait until around the first week of july.


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## catfishcc

I agree with ducky


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## BigMha

Caught him on worms


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