How to Go Catfishing For Flathead Catfish

Catch flathead catfish.

Flathead catfish get pretty big and they are a lot of fun to catch. With the right catfish bait and gear you can catch some monster flathead catfish.

Things You'll Need

• flathead fishing gear
• Catfish bait

Instructions

1. 

   Choose your catfish bait. Flathead catfish mostly feed by scent so stink baits are best. You can use a variety of things to catch flathead catfish. Make your own homemade catfish bait or buy flathead catfish bait at the bait shop. Find fishing sites online that have recipes for catfish bait. Use chicken livers, cheese or corn to catch flathead catfish. For live bait use worms, minnows, leaches and small bait fish.

   Choosing the right catfish bait is so important since catfish mostly use their sense of smell to find food. For the best catfish bait and recipes, use the site in the resources area below. Very effective recipes.

2. 

   Use treble hooks and large egg sinkers or regular size slipshot sinkers for flathead catfish. The bigger sinkers allow you to cast farther. Treble hooks work best at keeping the bait on longer and you're less likely to lose the fish.

3. 

   Get your fishing poles ready. You can use just about any pole but the pole or the line could break if it's too small and you hook a big catfish. You'll feel the catfish less when reeling it in on a 6-7 foot rod.

4. 

   Buy quality fishing line for flathead catfish. Green colored low visibility monofilament line is a good choice when fishing for catfish and other fish. Eight pound test line could break but probably won't if your drag is set right. You're likely to catch more fish with this line because it's less visible in the water. If you're fishing around lots of brush and trees in the water then use a hefty line of 20-30 pounds.

5. 

   Fish for flathead catfish in rivers near log jams, tree stumps, and rocks. You will have better results fishing for flathead catfish in the early morning or in the early evening and after dark in the summer months. Catfish tend to be more active at night. Keep your catfish bait on the river or lake bottom. Flathead catfish feed off the bottom most of the time.

Tips & Warnings

• Spray wd-40 on your fishing line when fishing for catfish

• Throw corn in the water before you begin fishing

• Keep pliers in your tackle box when fishing for flathead catfish

• Use a fishing bell for the end of your pole and place the pole in a holder

• Bring a net, flathead catfish get pretty big

• Keep the noise down, it makes a difference

• Watch out for the stickers on flathead catfish, it can be a nasty sting

• Find out the local regulations for flathead catfish bag limits and tackle

• Make sure you have a fishing license or risk getting a big fine

Resources

• 80 Easy Catfish Bait Recipes