First bullhead bait harvest didn't go well

[CHEX1982]

I didn't harvest many - just 5. A few are doing torpedo spins, one is on its side, and the rest are at the bottom just frozen still. I spent two hours tonight from 8-10pm getting these guys as it was a ssssssssssssslllllllllllooooowwwwwwww bite too. What a waste of time. What's worse....my morning fishing is done for.

I hate to say it but serious catfishing really blows when you don't have a veteran to help you along the way. I've spent over $200 bucks and two weeks worth of buying up new reel, rod, and tackle all on my own with previous zero knowledge of serious catfishing.

Well, back to bassin'. Screw this. I'll try this again in August or whenever. *SPITS*

[DTro]

FLathead Catfishing = mostly wasted time

If someone ever asks me when to start fishing for Flatheads in MN I always recommend waiting until at least Memorial Weekend and maybe even June 1.

Sure you can catch a few rogue fish before then, but the first several trips, I just soak cut bait and enjoy catching channel cats and the few flatheads that might eat the cutbait, I kind of like to wait until the water temp hits 60 to start using live bait, or I see other people start catching them.

[SteveD]

CHEX - I'm not sure you have the patience for chasing flats. Rivers are all out of their banks and all the flood plain is flooded well back into the timber. Rivers are running high, fast and cold. It is 10 May and the weather is up and down with unstable cool weather in the forecast. It is still "EARLY SPRING" even the bait is hard to find.

When the weather is perfect and river conditions are stable and ideal, your flathead success rate is still going to be only about 55%. At least mine is and I'm an experienced catfisherman. You want some help from a veteran - here is a tip:

It is not always about the catching - Enjoy your time on the water. If you don't like catfishing - go catch some of those itty bitty bass.

[DTro]

Actually Steve, the MN isn't too bad over here right now as far as flooding goes. Its very fishable but still too cold.

[SteveD]

Darren - I just got in. Fished from 0900 to 1400 - nothing. St Croix is really high, not that much current, fair amount of grass and sticks floating. Water temp was 53 degrees. I had one pick up but it felt like a turtle. Saw a few of those sunning themselves today. No bait in any of my spots.

[aanderud]

Steve's right -- you can't really go flathead fishing and expect to catch anything. You can hope, but expectations have to remain low. ESPECIALLY if you're trying to get out in early May with water in the low 50s. That's why I haven't brought my 6 year old out for flatheads, ever. He's pretty patient, but I would never want to turn him off on fishing because we happened to go for flatheads.

I've taken him sturgeon fishing, which is relatively slow as well, but usually an order of magnitude more action then flatheads. At least we've been able to boat between 4 and 10 each time I've had him out for sturgeon. If we'd gone for flatheads, numbers would likely have been between 0 and 4. In fact, I think the last time I've seen double digits for flatheads in one night was 2009. Channel cats, on the other hand, can be good action and will bite better in water this cold (or colder). If you have time to get out now, you should be going for those.

[wooduck26]

The Channels are biting, Flatheads....Good Luck. Go to the bait shop and buy some suckers, cut them up and have fun with the Channels....Better yet go find a few frogs, cut them in half and have fun with the Channels....they LOVED my old frozeb frogs from last Aug. on the miss yesterday. I wish I had more for today!

[HotPocket]

Water is still cold. I got lucky and hooked up with two flats already on cut shad. Frogs are starting to pick up more channels for me than shad.

[CHEX1982]

CHEX - I'm not sure you have the patience for chasing flats.

I was just very bummed out about the bullheads dying on me...as well as not catching many in the first place xD. When I bank fish, it's me, my rod, a pack of smokes, and beer - I can wait all night for a big bite.

I am more prepped now for bullheads. Went out and bought a 30-gallon bin to stock with bullheads. I suspect that the buckets I was using earlier may have bad soap residue.

I still went out last night with crawlers. Caught my first flathead on bunched up crawlers - small, maybe 7-8lbs. But it was fun and imagined hsolist'ing my bass setup xD. Now I'm even more excited to go get some bullheads.

[Mike_Bennewitz]

Congrats on your first Flat Chex! My first Flat is my #1 goal before College and Sturgeon season start in September. My #2 goal is a trophy sized one over 40 pounds! Good thing I am done working at 4:30 or 6 every day!