What makes good Flathead habitat?

[Iron Cowboy]

Hey guys, As my mind turns to thinking about the river opening up I have a question I've always wondered about. I fish the upper Miss. between Becker and Clearwater and the channel cat fishing is awesome. But I am always jealous of the guys I see getting the big flatheads on the minnesota river. If they can flourish on waters like that how come they cant on the upper Miss? As far as I know the dnr stocked the channels years ago and its been a great success. Why not the flatheads too? All I can think of in the difference between the rivers is the smallies, is it that they would hurt the smallie population? Thats just a guess I really have no idea, anyone more knowledgeable about this have any answers?

[aanderud]

I'm sure that the upper mississippi sections could handle flatheads just fine. I don't think there's a biological reason they aren't there, it's likely just the dam blocking them from making their way upstream.

I have my doubts that the DNR stocked any catfish in the mississippi river. I think most of the stocking efforts have been with channel cats in lakes and the horseshoe chain.

[Shack]

As far as my research has taken me, yes channels were stocked in the Upper Miss and the official reason I have been told by Fisheries biologists and read as to why flats do not live above the Coon Rapids dam is mainly because if the drastic habitat change. This is also why they do not further upstream even in Pool 1 because of the habitat change over. I was told it stems towards the lack of proper breeding areas and connection with deeper channel stretches.

I am not going to dig up anything but the stocking of the channel cats above the Coon Rapids dam is documented in articles on the MN DNR website.

[Shack]

I did a quick search.

There is more in-depth info out and about but this article gives some basics:

Click here

Quote:

y of their tributaries. (The channel cat originally inhabited the Mississippi only below St. Anthony Falls but recently has been introduced as far upstream as St. Cloud. It apparently gained access to the St. Louis River by a connection with the St. Croix River that existed in the waning millennia of the Ice Age.)

If you want to read, this article explains a little more:

Click here

It states stocking occurred in 1968 and 1974.

[Icefishfun]

Honestly just go with fat suckers, but one question, are the cats really biting already and if not when will they start feeding:):)

[JBMasterAngler]

A lot of fish weren't native above st. anthony falls, but have made their way upstream after the locks were put in, sheepshead, white bass, etc. Stocking flathead catfish anywhere would just be a waste of money, regardless if they flourished or not.

[SteveD]

A lot of fish weren't native above st. anthony falls, but have made their way upstream after the locks were put in, sheepshead, white bass, etc. Stocking flathead catfish anywhere would just be a waste of money, regardless if they flourished or not.

I grew up in Dayton on the Mississippi. Fished it my entire life. I've never seen a single sheepshead or white bass in the Miss from Monticello to Anoka. The Mississippi from Pool 2 down and the St Croix and Minnesota are full of sheeps and silvers but never seen any upstream.

I'm not sure how flatheads would do upstream from Coon Rapids. The channels sure seem to be able to strive in that piece of water. I remember when they stocked the upper Miss with channel cats - that stocking program has been a major success story in my opinion.

Would be nice to catch one of these upstream though.

[Brad B]

if I remember right the stocking of the channels cats above the Coon Rapids dam was done back in the late 70's and early 80's. at least this is what one of the fisheries person that works out of the Montrose office told me once. I mainly fish From Becker to Otsego and have to say the size of the channels is very consistant in that area. they are averaging between 3 to 5 lbs. there are a few larger one here and there too. it would be nice to see flat heads in this area but it gets to shallow during late summer and also the water around the Monticello area runs warmer(almost hot) then other parts of the river because of the nuke plant discharge.

Steve what did you run for a boat in this area.

[SteveD]

Brad - Back in the day (70's) I ran a 14' fiberglass Tri-hull with a 15hp Evinrude. Most of the time we would just fish the Elk River - Dayton area but our favorite trip was to launch in Monticello and drift to Dayton. We would take our time and fish the whole day away - it was always a blast. I had an old beat up prop that was our drifting prop. We would always put it on before the drifting trips because we would beat the hell out of a prop on that stretch of river.

That stretch of water is still one of my favorite fishing trips although I haven't done it in years. Now all I do is chase cats - I'm hooked on BIG fish.

[DTro]

The flatheads would probably find a way to survive, but remember we are on the very Northern edge of their territory.

IF... they could get established they sure would have a lot of good forage to eat up there.

All fish including catfish are very adaptive to where they live, flatheads don't need wood, they can live in rocks, sand, weeds, etc. In fact they can LIVE just about in any type of water, however to establish themselves, they need spawning habitat.

[jentz]

Our DNR did try stocking Flathead catfish in 2 lakes in Meeker county when they experimented with them,Richardson and Dunns lakes.They were wanting to see if they would control the bullhead population.There is a artical and the assessment on the DNR's site.I found it 14-16 years ago looking for stocked flats.Its a good read and may explain some questions of stocking flats.Search it out it is out there.