Advice for Flathead

[MrUnderhill]

I've been following this forum silently for about a year now, so I would just like thank all of you guys who regularly post great advice and tips, and openly share your expertise. Because of forums like this, I know my first couple years of catfishing have been a lot more fun, and a lot more productive. I've even got my girlfriend and a couple of buddies hooked. Still working on the old man, who doesnt seem to get excited for any fish except walleye and crappie. But I'm working on him.

I've been fishing the banks of the Miss in Minneapolis and St. Paul for the past two years, and having a great time catching channels and drum and the occasional (small) flathead. I've been fishing with medium-power spinning gear that I also use for Walleye/Pike fishing, and it works just fine for what I've been doing with it. I have not yet met a channel that I can't wrestle to the bank.

Recently, however, I inherited my Grandfather's old 14' starcraft. I would really like to take it out on pool 2 and try to find some real monster flatheads, and maybe get into some sturgeon fishing if I feel brave or drunk. While the walleye gear has been fine for channels up to 30", I'm thinking it might not be enough for flathead fishing. So I have a few questions for you all, and appreciate any advice or just opinion.

1. What is the smallest engine you would go out on the miss, or any of the 3 major rivers with? The boat has a little 6 horse johnson on it now, and I am fairly sure that's not going to cut it (but who's to say?). I'm thinking i'm going to try to save some pennies for a 15 horse, as I don't think the boat is going to handle a lot more than that. I'm mostly concerned with safety, and not concerned with speed.

2. When you're looking at the ideal flathead/sturgeon rod for live bait or bottom fishing, what qualities do you look for? Do you look for fast action, moderate? How heavy is heavy enough? Should I be looking for the heaviest gear i can find, or is a good quality medium-heavy rod enough and worth the gained sensitivity? How long?

3. I don't want any of your flathead "spots", but since I'm used to shore fishing, I would like any advice you're willing to part with on what to look for in finding my own spot. Current breaks? Holes? Brush piles? Depth? Combinations of those factors? Any tips on what i should be looking for on my graph or in the water would be extremely helpful.

Any help on any of these topics would be appreciated.

[DTro]

Quite a while ago Hanson put together a comprehensive how to about people getting into catfishing. I would strongly suggest reading it.

http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubb...ers#Post1348927

As for boat/motor size. Personally I wouldn't go out with anything smaller than a 14' with a 15hp. Can you do it with smaller? Sure, but I think its a safe cutoff. 25hp is even better. The barges and wingdams can be a bit tricky on P2. I would also suggest doing some research on Navigational rules "of the road" and also try to take a look at some contour maps that show the wingdams (or at least make sure you are staying in the buoy marked river channel).

Good luck!

[Markula]

I think the Corps of Engineers has a river boating/navigation book available on their HSOforum. If you're new to boating on the river, this may be helpful for you. The river can be as dangerous as you let it, especially in the dark.

[TruthWalleyes]

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/education_safety/safety/boatwater/miss_river_guide.pdf

[TruthWalleyes]

http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/Missions/Navigation/NavigationCharts/UpperMississippiRiver.aspx

[Nhamm]

I'll let these guys tell you how to fish the flatties but as far as the boat goes I have a 14' with a 9.9 on the back it scooches around the river just fine. Been in high water and low. Get some weight in the front of your boat to counter your weight helps from "dolphining" in the current. I always keep an electric motor hooked up as backup so a #2 is always needed on the river. Hey worse comes to worse you launch the boat start the motor cruise around shore by the launch to see how it goes and if not comfortable with it reload it, bit I think you will be going to look for some good looking log jams adjacent to deeper water.