Att: Ed and Rusty, Flatties in the Red Lake River?

[Boar]

Say I just heard from a freind that people have been catching flatties of the point in red lake falls where the thief and the red lake meet. I know channels are in there but flatheads? He says not very big 2-3 pounds. This seems unusual but knowbody thought muskies were in the red lake either. I havent been in on the forum for a long time eitheruntill recently so I dont know what has transpired in the catfish realm lately. later Boar. Get One!

[CatManLee]

I am pretty sure there are no Flatheads in this river system. I can't say no way, but it's a very, very, slim possibility. My guess is the fish were just mis identified. If there were Flatheads in this system, there would be more caught here and there.

It would be great if they were in the red lake river, but I don't think we are going to be that lucky. Ask him to describe them to you. If it has a forked tail at all, you can rule the flathead out right there. Flatheads have a rounded tail fin and there heads are alot wider and flatter. The mouth is also bigger. It's pretty tough to mistake a Channel for a Flathead. Also Channel cats are much prettier! Those little mud puppies or whatever they're called look alot like a flathead. That would be my guess of what he caught if he's sure it wasn't a Channel, but I have never seen them any bigger than a few inches, definetly not 2-3lbs.

[Boar]

Yea it just dont seem right to me my first thought was a stone cat that gets to be 3-4 inches long but he say there eating size. I'm just gonna have to walk down to the point and find out what he says there catchin by catchin. Funny i do most of my fishing miles away from a great fishery thats blocks from my house. Duhh.... Thanks catman. LaterBoar. Get One!

[CatManLee]

I know what you mean when you say, we travel hundreds of miles to fish, when we could do it out our own back door.

Sometimes I think we take the easy way out. Instead of fishing our local rivers and putting some effort into it, we load up and head for a lake that consistantly produces fish. I've been trying the river here in town alot more this year, due to money issues. And even though I may not catch as many fish, It feels good when I finally do get into some fish. I looked and searched, tryed all different locations and finally put something together using the knowledge I've gained from fishing over the years. To me it's much more rewarding knowing that it was me that found and caught the fish, compared to "going where the other boats are" and catching fish, anyone can do that, but not everyone can go out on a river thats tough to fish and have no clue where to go or what to use and find a way to catch fish! Don't get me wrong, I do still go to those easy places and have fun, It's always fun when your catching fish, but sometimes a guy has to challenge himself. Or how good of a fisherman are you really?

[Boar]

I hear ya, I really love walkin a rivers edge, i tell ya the smallies here in the fall are dynomite and as simple as setting out a crawler harness lindy style, my daughter had one one that threw her hook I know would have been over 5lbs. Its just tough here with the tubers though in the summer. i'm really starting to concentrate on maple though many big eye's in maple tough to catch lots of forage to contend with and skiers but in the spring the chance for a eye over ten is great, also its tough not to go LOW when ya have trailer up there. Anyway ya wanna hook up an wet a line we aint to far apart. Later Boar. Get One!

[ibwhnt]

I would put money on there Bullheads. He doens't have a picture of them does he.

[Boar]

No pics. but I questioned him again an he said 15" 16" chers. So I donno, I think mistaking identity. I'm gonna fish it here soon an see what I can come up with. Later Boar. Get One?

[Wiskers]

Well I find it very hard to swallow but I mostly believe it is someone that is not femilure with the cat family that is saying that.

I hear people saying that they are catching blues all the time over here but it is just mistaken identification. However it would not be too hard to drop a few flatties in here and they might take off like the Muskies.. Pics would be the answer but for now I am thinking misidentification.

[Dennis Steele]

Or has Wiskers been sneaking a few home from the MN River???

[Canuck]

I find misidentification even up here in Canada. A friend of mine swears he has caught blue catfish out of the Red at Lockport. He is going by the colour, I told him he better keep the next one because he will have a record for blue in Manitoba. Blues and Flats just plain do not exist in the Red at Lockport. I would love to see them but will have to settle with the Channels, tough but will try.

[Wiskers]

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh........... LOL....

Our cats are in heavy spawn right now.. fishing is a bit tough for a while now. Water temps are about 73.River is dropping slow but sure. The Red is still way up there.