Small River,

[Derek Welch]

Hello,

There is a rather small river in my area that has some big flatheads in it. I am trying deferent methods of fishing it. I have caught a few channel cats that were around 10 lbs and smaller but I really would like to catch a big flathead.
This river flows at a trickle speed most of the time but when we get rain it over flows it’s banks and moves very fast. When it is low it consist of mostly small 10 foot deep holes with shallow ripples to the up stream and down stream of these holes. There is lots of log jams up and down the river.
  I’m going to fish a location on this river I haven’t tried yet. My plan is to quietly paddle my flat bottom boat up river and stop and fish the log jams on the way not spending more then 30 minutes or so on any one location if I don’t get a bite. Then after dark I’m going to fish the shallows up stream. I will be using live perch that are 2 inches to 5 inches in size.
  Does anyone have any advice ?

Derek Welch

[pinche]

Sounds like a good plan to me except I would also bring some other bait along ( worms or livers)

Good luck and welcome to the site!!

[crowkiller]

try large fresh cut bait to avoid the little ones

[pinche]

Hey I catfish a little, I use exclusively liver but always get small ones. The action is always non-stop and allot of fun but I would love to get into a hog. So I'm thinking two poles one with liver and one cut bait. finally my question......how big of a chunk and what part of the fish do you use? Also what is the hook set up best used for cut bait presentation?

thanks in advance Pinche

[crowkiller]

i just use big bait holders n cut the head off the fish n split his gut open a little so the blood flows preferable 6" chubs

[pinche]

ok thanks ill give it a try sometime

[bigredfishing]

Well, for flatties, In-Fisherman has always maintained that live bait is best - preferably something caught in the creek itself. The DEEPEST holes with the THICKEST cover are where the largest flatheads should be hanging.  Night time should be the time to catch 'em.  For channels, there's been plenty of good advice already on here.

Good luck.

[Lindz]

Well, for flatties, In-Fisherman has always maintained that live bait is best - preferably something caught in the creek itself. The DEEPEST holes with the THICKEST cover are where the largest flatheads should be hanging.  Night time should be the time to catch 'em.  For channels, there's been plenty of good advice already on here.

Good luck.

BigRed is ON SPOT here Derek - and welcome to MFF 

Get after them man...........and if you can post a picture or two

Lindz

[Pasquatch]

I think the old adage "If you're not getting snagged, you're not in the right spot" fits well here.

[Skipper]

Yep, put a big lively baitfish on a quick strike rig and hold on.

[Derek Welch]

What a blast, I didn’t catch a big one but I did catch 6 nice channel cats and a 5 pound flathead.  This spot has it all, a deep river bend with rocky bottom and banks,  mud banks everywhere else that are cut banks with tree root overhangs, lots of brush piles, and lots of shad and perch.
 
Thanks for all the advice I wish you where all here to go fishing with me,
Derek Welch

[crowkiller]

What a blast, I didn’t catch a big one but I did catch 6 nice channel cats and a 5 pound flathead.  This spot has it all, a deep river bend with rocky bottom and banks,  mud banks everywhere else that are cut banks with tree root overhangs, lots of brush piles, and lots of shad and perch.
 
Thanks for all the advice I wish you where all here to go fishing with me,
Derek Welch

sounds like you did ok , now that your catching the little ones try some bigger bait and hook the big ins good luck n lets see some pics next time

[Derek Welch]

 Will do.  I'm rested up now and I bought more 7 0/0 hooks, egg sinkers, and a fresh pack of night crawlers to catch perch.  I left to go fishing just after I posted last time so I didn’t get to read your reply’s till I got back so I’ll give them there day in court. I’m planning to go at noon today and fish the log jams as I make my way down river. After night fall I’m going to spend some time fishing the deepest hole just above a bend concentrating on log jams along cut banks. I caught some nice perch and seen a lot of shad and other bait fish working this bank last time so I’m thinking the cats have noticed the amount of prey along this bank also.  I’ll return after day break.
  If you get a chance check out the articles at this site, http://www.catguides.com/

Derek Welch

[Derek Welch]

Well I got called off the river early yesterday so I didn’t get to fish. I have to take care of a buddy’s animals today; I have to feed baby calves every 4 hours so I can’t sit on the river. I’m going to catch 8” or so bull heads for bait from a small creek behind my house and I‘ll catch perch from the river I‘ll be fishing.  I will probably fish with poles for a couple hours every time I check the limb lines tonight. I can only set 8 limb lines so I’ll only set them around old log jams around the deeper holes.

I hope you all found the time to fish this weekend,
Derek Welch

[Derek Welch]

  Well I didn’t catch anything on the river last night.  Nothing even bothered with the small bull heads I baited my limb lines with.  I did get a couple of bites in the deepest hole but they stripped my bluegills from the hooks without pulling hard enough for me to set the hook.  This spot on the river is very hard to get to and it takes a LOT of work so I’m beat I think I’ll give the river a rest for a wile and go back to fishing the lakes.
  On a positive note….. I did catch a 9 pound channel cat from the creek behind my house wile I was catching the bull heads I used for limb line bait last night and I had a blast catching the bull heads.  I wish that creek or the lake it feeds had flatheads in it I would just keep fishing it but I really….really….want to catch a nice flathead so I don‘t think the river has seen the last of me.

Derek Welch