Fall Flatheads

[mamba]

Hi All,

I'd like to hear what you guys have to say about fishing for flatheads at this time of the year. I wasn't able to get out as much as I would've liked this summer, but I'd like to try to get out and get a flat before the water temps drop below that magic 60-degree mark. What are the most effective strategies for fall flats with respect to bait, feeding patterns, locations, etc? I know there's a second, shorter period where the flats turn on right before they go into their winter dormant phase. Are we already past that hump at this point? 

[Stick500]

I'm wondering the same thing right now Mamba. I'm down in Dubuque, IA right now and I got out after flats for the first time ever last week on the Miss. near a big hole at dusk. Using big live chubs for bait and got a hook-up pretty quick but lost him in a big snag. Then I landed a small 22-incher. Then I made a big mistake and tried to save battery power on my bait bucket and killed all my chubs before baiting up again! Finished up the night with a 32 inch gar that picked up the dead chub off the bottom. Want to go back to the same spot and try again next week as air temps hover in the high 70s. Water is still pretty warm down here but nights are getting chilly.

So does anyone have any more info for us on when flats typically turn off in MN and IA?

[Rick]

The big flatties are biting well right now on the Minnesota, St Croix and Mississippi rivers. Depending on the weather this could go on for a month or more.

[Stick500]

Woohoo! I'm going out tonight (Weds.). Someone just told me that they heard on NPR that it was a special night tonite for fishing but that's all I know. Might have something to do with upcoming lunar eclipse?

[Mr Special]

The flats are still biting and biting pretty well.   in the last wk or so i know 6 flats over 40" being caught.  this season i usually got wit dead or cut bait. got this guy last sat on the criox  41x27.5" on crawler/fathead combo aka No.2

Edited September 24, 2015 by Mr Special

[Stick500]

awesome fish Mr. Special

my trip to Mighty Miss down here in Iowa ended up with lots of bites but no hook-ups! Only explanation is the gars were thick where I was at- heard it from someone else that they were in the area as well

[aanderud]

Like Special said -- cutbait and dead baits (shad, for instance) work well in the fall.  Find schools of shad and fish under/in those.  But go fast, as the water is definitely cooling fast.

 

[esoxrocks01]

I have a question.  Can flatties still bite during this time of year when the water is the upper 50's?  Especially from shore?  I don't have a boat.