# first time flathead



## MogadoreRez87 (Feb 14, 2009)

lookin to get a flathead from shore, live in the akron area, wheres my best bet?


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## AkronCATS (Nov 5, 2008)

Your best bet is either Mosquito or else head south to any of the Muskingham Watershed Lakes (Tappan, Clen Dening, Atwood, Saltfork)


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## MogadoreRez87 (Feb 14, 2009)

thanks, ant tips on wat presentation/bait i shud use?


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## husky hooker (Apr 6, 2004)

shad,cut bait ,shrimp.large chunk of liver,blue gills and small bullheads just a few.


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

husky hooker said:


> shad,cut bait ,shrimp.large chunk of liver,blue gills and small bullheads just a few.


Trust me DONT try liver and shrimp for flats, We catch lake flats on cut bait in april and early may but its way to warm for cutbait now, inless your fishing rivers just use live bait, gills,carp, goldys,rockbass, green sunfish.


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## MogadoreRez87 (Feb 14, 2009)

ok, do they hit hard? u gota let um run wit it before you set the hook or set it quick?


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

MogadoreRez87 said:


> ok, do they hit hard? u gota let um run wit it before you set the hook or set it quick?


I let em run a little bit after takin the clicker off just so i am all ready and not rushed, i look back to make sure nothing is in my way when i run back to set the hook and i then engage the reel and wait till the fish feels like hes goin to pull the rod out of my hand then set the hook. but realy once you hear the clicker 99% of the time the flathead has all of the bait and hook in his mouth.


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## MogadoreRez87 (Feb 14, 2009)

ive got a creek by my house full of shiners and chubs, they prefer those over bluegills? and shud i go wit a circle hook instead of a treble?


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

If you take chubs to a lake your gonna have a mass feeding frennzy of channel cats, use gills or rockbass, i dont like circle or treble hooks for flatheads i use octopus 7/0 hooks


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## MogadoreRez87 (Feb 14, 2009)

thanks for the info ducky,


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## husky hooker (Apr 6, 2004)

yea ducky.glad i got mine on a minnow....lol


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

husky hooker said:


> yea ducky.glad i got mine on a minnow....lol


Ok so you want a prize for that? people catch flatheads every year fishing for crappys, its not like you were fishing for flatheads. It was a accident, good job on catching a flathead on light takkle and everything but it wasnt like you was fishing for flatheads, i caught a 47 at tappan fishing for eyes draggin a worm on a lindy rig, it was on 6lb test but it was also a accident. I was just telling the guy his best chances of catching flatheads is on big baits and baits that are not so appealing to channels.


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## jmackey84 (May 15, 2010)

letting the fish run with it for a bit, does that work with just flats because they are more aggressive? or all cats? because it seems like i missed half the fish that hit my bait when i was using a spinning reel, trying to set the hook after the double thud on the line, now that i got a baitcaster, i gotta tinker with it to see what works best, and like you said if they are running with it, they have hook and all in there mouth, whats the best way to let them run, bail button pushed, or set the drag really low?


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## husky hooker (Apr 6, 2004)

yea ducky,your right,i never ever intentally fished for flathead cats,i was just giving some advice that i picked up on here.i will indulge in the act of fishing for them now since i found out they fight so hard.and it was 100 percent luck,i agree on the one i got.


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

jmackey84 said:


> letting the fish run with it for a bit, does that work with just flats because they are more aggressive? or all cats? because it seems like i missed half the fish that hit my bait when i was using a spinning reel, trying to set the hook after the double thud on the line, now that i got a baitcaster, i gotta tinker with it to see what works best, and like you said if they are running with it, they have hook and all in there mouth, whats the best way to let them run, bail button pushed, or set the drag really low?


If you a have clicker just use that, but if you dont you can set a pop can up with the line around the can and the reel in free spool.


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