Bluegills are the best flathead bait

[Carp-fisher]

Well at least that's what my counterparts down in Iowa claim. Last I knew, down in Iowa, it was legal to use bluegills and other sunfish (not bass of course) as bait as long as they were caught on hook and line.

Why can't we do this in Minnesota? Are we going to experience a shortage of small bluegills from all the millions of flathead anglers up here? Any thoughts?

[Flaco651]

A lot of the guys that fish Flatheads over in Wisconsin use sunfish too. It will probably never be allowed here.

[mainbutter]

God I wish I could use sunfish for bait here in MN.

[Jameson]

Minnesota can't figure out a way to tax sunfish used as bait. It will never be allowed in this state.

Oh boy how I wish it was.....

[harvey lee]

I don't believe I will ever see the day that Minnesota will allow fisherman to use gamefish for bait.

Many other states do not need to worry near as much as Minnesota in regards to fish populations due to tourism.

Didn't Iowa just place a limit on panfish this spring? Seems they were not at all concened about that resource.

[Shack]

I think bluegills have just as much chance as any other legal live MN baits when placed in front of a hungry flathead. Just my opinion though.

I have a buddy who is from Wis. and has laid claime to some monsters in the Croix. He uses bluegills as his primary bait. Two years ago I brought bullheads with. He laughed and said "no stinking bullheads are coming in my boat". I went out a couple times with him and did not get anything nor did he using sunnies. Last year I went a couple times with him and again brought bullheads. Got skunked again during my last trip with him during the summer, but this time as a thank you, I left him a couple dozen of them in his bait drum.

The last I heard threw the grape vine is he only uses bullheads now I guess sunnies are hard to keep and never have gotten him some of the monster eyes like he caught last fall with bullheads on the Croix

I think it is a grass is always greener thing when sunnies are brought up as bait in MN. Then again down south they seem to pull in large flats with them.

[Cooter]

I've caught flatheads on a variety of livebait - except for bullheads. In WI you can't transport livebait you caught and I can't find a place to catch bullheads in the systems I fish.

For me, bluegills are a lifesaver - flats like 'em and they are pretty hardy on the hook.

Have also caught flatheads on perch, suckers, and one on a walleye. Tried crappies after catching a 20lber that coughed up 3 of them about 8". No luck and the one I used didn't last long.

What would really be nice about finding some bullheads around here is that we don't have a size maximum, so I could have 3 lines out with 10" bullies on them

[mplspug]

I just read a study that showed that flatheads had a slight preference to bullheads. Negligible preference at that. But what it really found was that there was no preference. If you think that they do, I have a clonk to sell you.

Let's face it, they are eating machines that have no reason to show preference IMO. As long as the bait is active and throwing out little concussive waves as they struggle, I am happy.

[Gordie]

talked to some southern boys (far south) and they say that sunfish is the preferred choice for flats,they also call them green shinners

[Carp-fisher]

Yeah I hear that green sunfish are some of the best flattie baits known to man...

[RAB]

Green sunfish are heartier than bluegills.

I used bluegills and bullheads and don't notice a big difference.