# Set Ups?



## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

SO just curious how you guys set up for Flatties. I fish only Channels but are really after some monster Flatties soon. So how do you set up? You fish live or dead bait? Treble or Circle hooks? Rod Length? Depth of the fish? Time of Day? I'm just trying to gather info so when I go for them I'll know a little bit. Thanks!


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## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

I fish the Ohio River mainly and target all 3 species. I fish for blues more so than any of the other 2 but still catch them all.

I use 8 ft. St. Croix Classic Cat Rods Heavy Action
30 Vicious Offshore mono with a 50 lb leader
8/0 circle hooks

That is my setup that I use for all 3 species. Weight all depends on the situation but I use 6 and 8 oz no-rolls when anchor fishing and 8 oz egg sinkers when drifting

I use cut bait 80% of the time and live shad about 20% of the time.


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## smoothkip25 (Nov 17, 2008)

I run 7'10" Quantum Big Cat Hvy action rods 
Abu Garcia 7000Ic3s spooled with 50# mono and 60# to 80# leader
I run either 10/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hooks or 10/0 Owner circle hooks.
I run live baits most of the time suckers, bass, gills, carp, etc. but i have also caught some good fish on cut shad. I fish the Muskingum River 90% of the time but at times hit a few lakes. I usually have my best luck after the sun goes down for flatheads. Patience is the biggest thing you need to be a successful Flathead fisherman!


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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

Most flathead fisherman that you will talk to dont have 1 set up that they use 100% of the time, but maybe have a "favorite" set up that prefer. 

My favorite set up for flatheads is a Grandt All American Series DR70C Rod, paired with an Abu 7000. This is a more expensive set up, but the rod has a unconditional life time warranty. You obsolutely cannot beat that! This set up will cost $167 new for the rod, and you can pick up the reels from Ebay in good condition for bout $75. 

Some of the other set ups that I use especially when i know my rods will be slamming against rods and other things include:

Rods:
Quantum Big Cat 7'6 Med Hvy
Bass Pro Cat Maxx 7' Med Hvy
Eagle Claw GOII Granger 7' Med Hvy
the Quantum Big Cat and Cat maxx rods you can find new for about $50-60. the eagle claw rods are about $30 

Reels:
Shimano Triton 200g 
Penn 9/209/210
Okuma Classic 300-450 size.

Basically any larger levelwind reel will work, I use regular hooks so a loud clicker is a must. The shimano triton reels are some of the best levelwind reels on the market for flatheads IMO. Next to an Abu 7000. You can pick them up on ebay for about $40-60. Any penn levelwind reel is good for flatheads, they are hard to set up to cast a long distance though, but if your dropping your baits they are great reels and you can pick them up on ebay for about $30 just be careful to not get one that was used in saltwater and all pitted up. The okumas are decent reels but they are made kinda cheap, they do have a good clicker but they pull out really easy so it makes it kinda hard to use in a river where there is a decent amount of current. but you can find them for about $25 on ebay.


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## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

Thanks for the info. I've caught Blues in Virginia. My best was 30lbs. while my dad caught a 70lb. Blue. Are their BLues in Ohio other than the Ohio River? Just curious. I'd enjoy fishing for them. But those Flatties I'm sure are fun to catch to.


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## smoothkip25 (Nov 17, 2008)

Soon there will be some good fish in Dillon Lake!
http://catfishingwithsmooth.blogspot.com/2011/01/dillon-lake-bluecat-update.html


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## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

Alright. Is that lake in Central or Southern Ohio. I live up in the North of Ohio.


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## AkronCATS (Nov 5, 2008)

I sent an email to the ODNR asking about stocking flats and blues in the Akron area. They said they have no plans but mentioned that Dillon Lake was kind of a test to see how it goes. So we can hope that if the blues do well there, that we may see them up this way in the future. As for flats, the closest to Akron is probably Mosquito, Tappan, Salt Fork, Clen Denning, and an outside chance at one from West Branch, Atwood, or Mogadore.


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## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

I'm saying my prayers. I absolutely love Blues and I hope that they do well in Dillon. It would be nice if they were stocked in Akron.


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## smoothkip25 (Nov 17, 2008)

I hope the meat hunters release these soon to be giants from dillon. I can see these blues moving through the spillway into the Licking and on to the Muskingum, But i think some will stay in Dillon and grow to be Giants. There is a large amount of shad in Dillon and really hope some take off here! It would be great to drift Dillon in the late winter to catch these blues in the future! Its all up to the people that catch and release, Hope it all catches on. I also hope they stock other lakes throughout ohio with these fish to breakup this boring non flathead season that we got in the great Buckeye state!


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## Joey209 (Oct 17, 2007)

There are blues in muskingum!!! I hope they really take off in the next 10 or so yrs now though!!!!


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