Clicker for Flats?

[Pigmeat]

Am I right in thinking that the bait clicker is used with flats and live bait and the reel is locked down for channels?

[TruthWalleyes]

You can do either.

When using circle hooks i like to keep the drag tight and let the fish try to rip the rod out of the holder. Sometimes i will use a clicker and make a sweeping hook set after the run. But prefer method 1 because it is a lot of fun seeing the rods double over in holder...It can be just as much fun hearing the clicker screaming too.

J hooks, you should use a clicker then set the hook during the run. Hook will probably pull out if you leave the drag tight with no clicker when the fish runs.

Live bait catfishing...I tend to use clicker because it may take the fish a little bit of time to eat the bait and i don't want to alarm the fish by feeling the tension.

[mainbutter]

Regardless of species:

With J-hooks, I use a clicker.

With circle hooks I leave the reel engaged and set the drag "medium"-ish, enough to get the hook to penetrate and get that circle hook "corner of the mouth" when the fish runs. Some reels will let me have the clicker engaged to make a louder noise when a fish pulls drag, which also lets me take a nap

[SteveD]

I've gone to just using circle hooks and I don't use the clicker. I keep the reel engaged on a tight line to the bait. 90% of the time you will hear a thump from the rod holder when the cat picks up the bait which will start you moving to the rod. If it is a channel cat they will usually hammer the bait and immediately load up the rod and hook themselves. The rod will double over in the rod holder and you will even have trouble getting it out of the rod holder.

Flatheads will usually hammer the bait similar to a channel cat. Sometimes flats will pick it up and slowly move away with the bait. I've learned to be patient and leave the rod in the holder and let them load up the rod and hook themselves. If I determine they are swimming towards me I will reel up to a tight line and then just point the rod at the fish and just starting reeling and let the circle hook do its magic.

Some people just need that hook set and the immediate feel of the fish - I have better luck with hook sets letting them do all the work. When using live bait I mostly use a two-hook cat harness rig and have good success with it. I run a 12" to 18" leader of 65# or 80# test PowerPro with an 8/0 circle hook and a 5/0 circle stinger hook set back about 5" or so.

Most people don't like circle hooks for flats. I have good luck with them and a pretty good hook up percentage. I still miss fish - that is part of the experience. Go with what you have confidence in.

[Schollmeier]

how do you set up your stinger rigs? are both hooks in the bait? First hook in the back or the mouth?

[aanderud]

I also use the clicker with J-hooks, generally any time I'm using live bait. I use the tight-lined rod-holder technique when I'm fishing with circle hooks, usually cutbait or frogs and targeting channel cats for the most part.

[Gordie]

I have been using the circle hooks more and more this year and the last 3 flatheads I have caught have been on circles on cut bait also. I do not use the clicker with the circles and its real fun watching the rod load up and then double over. Its hard not to just grab and set the hook but I keep telling the fish to load it up and the your hooked.

When I use live bait and J stlye hooks I use the clicker like Steve D and aanderud but I do not use a stinger I have and found that I tend to get snagged up nmore with them when in heavy timber or at least thats what it seems like.

[SteveD]

I just got in from fishing. Nailed a big flathead tonight (46" X 27.5"). I hung him on my spring scale and he weighed 45 lbs. I had just layed down to take a short nap with the rod tight lined in the rod holder. I heard the rod holder thump and the drag screeching and I knew right away it was a big fish. 8/0 circle hooked buried right in the corner of his mouth. I had a heck of a time getting the rod out of the holder he was pulling so hard. He wanted that big 10" bullhead - anybody know where I can catch some Big 10" bullheads, I'm having trouble finding big ones.

[TruthWalleyes]

Atta way steve!!!

[nsnutter]

Boy that's a cool looking flat Steve - way to get em this year ... You're on fire!

[mainbutter]

Nice one steve! I use an engaged reel and drag ON when I fish cutbait off of the beaches in florida. Get your bait in the water, kick back in the beach chair under the umbrella, and nap until you hear that ZIIIIIINGG!!

My best fish off the beach have come when I was snoozing, woken suddenly, and find myself having a difficult time getting the rod out of the rod holder while I'm still groggy.

[SteveD]

how do you set up your stinger rigs? are both hooks in the bait? First hook in the back or the mouth?

A picture is worth a thousand words. I just snell two hooks on a leader with the main hook an 8/0 circle and the stinger hook a 5/0 circle hook about 5" back. I hook them just under the skin and not to deep. You want the hook to pull free of the bullhead when the cat takes the bait. This is how I hook them:

[Scott M]

Nice job Steve...Maybe I too should lose the facial hair to bring on the catfish mojo!

[KMR85]

On Sunday I was 50% on hookups with channel cats using J-hooks and a bait clicker. Of the three fish I missed one was hooked and on the way to the boat for about 5 ft and then came off. The other two I could feel the hook come out of their mouth. I had come circle hooks, but they were huge (10/0 I think) and I felt they were too big for the waters I was fishing. I haven't used circles much, so my confidence with them is low right now. If I ever make it to a boarder water where two lines are allowed I'll probably rig up a J-hook on one setup and a circle on the other and see how thinkgs pan out. In the meantime I'll stick with J-hooks on the home waters and listen to that sweet sound of the clicker screaming and just give 'em the business. Thanks for all the input in this thread, good stuff.