Gearing Up for River Flatheads

by Ron Presley

Matching your fishing gear to flathead behavioral traits can improve your success.

As long as I have been talking to flathead anglers I have heard two theories on baiting up for them. One school of thought suggests that flatheads only want live bait and it is an absolute must to have it. Others argue that it just isn’t so and they target flatties with the same cut bait they use on other species. This story is not intended to solve that mystery, but to suggest the type of equipment to use for various flathead behaviors.

Location and Set Up

One flathead behavior that most anglers agree on is their attraction to logjams and fallen trees in rivers. So the question becomes, how to find and set up on the locations for the best results.

First, good electronics will help you find these woody locations where flatheads lurk. Once found, the location can either be approached from an anchored (or spot-locked) boat or from one secured tightly to the shoreline.

To set up in the river from an anchored boat requires a good anchor (or two) or a quality trolling motor with an electronic anchor. Gauge the distance between the structure and where you want to be and anchor up.

Securing the boat to the shoreline can be accomplished with a Power-Pole or Talon-type shallow water anchor after nosing it up on the bank. Add a few ropes with brush grips or weights for tossing over limbs on the bank and a very secure fishing platform can be created. (See sidebar below.)

Rod, Reel, and Line Selection

Rod and Reel selection may well depend on your choice of bait. If you are a live-bait angler there are good reasons for using spinning gear.

Most anglers agree, when targeting monster flatheads, that a good heavy action rod (strong backbone) with a soft tip is a must. Live bait anglers especially want the soft tip to be able to detect the action of the bait and know that it is alive. However, flatheads tend to bite lightly and the soft tip also allows anglers to see the bite and offer the least resistance to the soft-biting cat.

A rod like the 10-foot B’n’M Silver Cat Magnum is one good choice. If you throw a lot of live bait and you can use the length of the rod to toss the bait, instead of having to sling it like you would with a 7-foot rod. That soft presentation translates into longer bait life and more fish.

A heavy action rod is best because it gives you the backbone to haul in trophy fish. Experienced flathead anglers understand that once hooked they give you a steady pull as they try to return to the bottom or nearby structure. This behavior alone requires good strong equipment from rod to terminal tackle.

So spinning gear is very suitable for live bait presentations but not necessary for cut bait anglers. Cut bait anglers can just as successfully use the same bait casting reels they use for other species. Using cut bait adds the option of offering different cuts of bait but rod choice is still soft tips and heavy backbones.

In either case, a mainline of 80- to 100-pound test braid is a good choice. The line strength is not necessary for the 80- and 100-pound fish, but for the durability of the heavy line. Successful flathead anglers will be fishing in trees and structure and that line is going to take some punishment.

A fishing line can get caught on a lot of things before a trophy flathead comes to the boat. Anglers should check the line throughout the day. If it looks frazzled, frayed, or nicked it’s best to cut off a few feet and re-tie the terminal rig.

Rigging and Technique

In the various fishing conditions discussed, a common three-way rig will do the trick for terminal tackle. Tie the hook leader on the center eye of a three-way swivel and tie the sinker leader off the bottom eye. The key is to use quality hooks, swivels, and accessories and take time to tie good knots.

Use a good quality 7/0 to 10/0 circle hook matched to the size of the bait. Be sure the hook has plenty of room for bait with enough hook left for a solid hookup.

Final Thoughts

Flathead fishing can be frustrating with the slow bite that characterizes flatheads. A good rule of thumb suggests not to stay in one location too long. And change your targeted depth about 10 feet at a time when you do move. Fish different strategies and let the fish tell you where they are on any particular day.

Trophy flatheads will give you the fight of a lifetime so don’t lose that personal best because of equipment failure. And don’t be afraid to use big bait if you really want to target a trophy fish. Brent Frazee reported in another story in this issue that the world-record flathead weighing 123-pounds had a 28-inch bigmouth buffalo in its stomach.

Stealth Mode for Flatheads

One group of well-known flathead anglers is known for their persistence in using stealth when targeting flatheads. Joey Pounders, Jay Gallop, and Dustin Goodwin are determined to approach their fishing spot and set up in the stealthiest manner possible. And, once they are set up they want a stable boat that won’t be moving around so they can remain quiet while fishing.

Pounders attributes his dedication to a quiet approach to the tendency of flatheads to be found together in groups. That translates for Pounders into a small target area to fish.

“I think the most important behavior trait to understand about flatheads is that they like to congregate together,” said Pounders. “If you are fishing a submerged tree, for example, the fish may only be at the root ball or they may only be at the top.”

Pounders says that he can put out 6 poles in the vicinity of that submerged tree and only 1 or 2 of the poles will catch all the fish because they are gathered together in close proximity. This is why he considers the approach and the setup to be so important.

“My goal is to maneuver the boat quietly to a position that will give me the best angle and position to fish a small area around the submerged tree,” explained Pounders. “My trolling motor and my throw ropes are the key equipment to do this.”

Pounders turns off the big motor far out from his target tree and uses the trolling motor to approach a predetermined spot on the bank. Then he will find limbs to toss his throw ropes over and pull the boat snug to the bank at the angle he wants. All this is accomplished as quietly as possible.

“This is a very crucial approach,” Pounders said. “These fish are very skittish and will leave an area at the smallest sound. I believe that flatheads in general are very sensitive to any sound. In my opinion, you want to be in absolute stealth mode when you’re on a hole.”

“It doesn’t matter how good your bait is if you scared them off,” continued Pounders. “Larry muse told me one time to watch the fish in an aquarium. If one fish gets startled they all get startled. I’m sure the big flatheads are no different.”

“This is something we do (Pounders, Gallop, and Goodwin) that others don’t,” concluded Pounders. “We get to our spots using the trolling motor and then secure the boat with throw weights. Stealth is the key. Generally, I think people want to get too close.”