Flatheads from shore

[Riverfishin]

I don't have boat and want to try to catch some big flatheads from shore some where close.. What would be good spot to try and do I have to go at night or could I catch a big one during the day? I live in apple valley so any place with in about 20 minutes from here.

[JJB]

No one will give up a spot but get down the the river and find a good log jam,wing dam,old bridge rubble,ect.. and give it a try.I got one at 25 lbs so far off shore at 7pm and got one a few years ago that was 40 lbs while it was light out also so dont rule it out.But night time will be much better most the time.

[scotty B]

I live in the Fargo/moorhead area and always catch channel cats. Are there any flatheads around here that anyone knows about?

[Riverfishin]

I am just looking for a general area. also when you fish a log jam do you want to cast right below it?

[Lost]

There's actually some large Flatheads in the Red. I've heard of people going out and catching a bunch of bullheads as bait for the flatheads up there.

Get some nice ones too! 20+ pounds.

[Ed Carlson]

Unfortunately there are no Flathead catfish in the Red River system.

Often large adult male channel cats get misidentified as a flathead catfish, especially near the spawn. So far to date in all the NDG&F, MN DNR, and MB-CD creel, net, or hook and line surveys we have found no flatheads in the basin.

The opportunity is theoretically there for flatheads to venture into the Red River Basin from the Minnesota River Basin via Lake Traverse. From Traverse they would need to migrate into Mud Lake, then over the White Rock Dam into the Boise De Sioux River that eventually flows into the Red at Wahpeton ND. Yet to date we have not documented any Flatheads in this system.

I wish there were a flathead population in the Red River Basin, I feel they would do well once established. I have discussed the introduction of Flathead catfish into the Red River basin with the NDG&F and the MN DNR. They feel it would not be beneficial to the existing species, so we are not likely to see this happen any time soon.

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Backwater Guiding
"ED on the RED"
701-893-9107

[email protected]

[Lost]

Then I guess that guide that was on In-Fisherman a couple years ago that was fishing on the Red River wasn't catching large flatheads. Sure looked like them to me!

[DARK30]

Riverfishin, You could try the 35W area both north or south of the river. Down towards Cedar Ave would good too. There are spots to access the river from shore all over...just need to drive around a little. Shakopee/Chaska isn't too far for you either but be careful....Once you start following the river, you may never come home!

I catch most of my Flatheads from shore. Most guys love snags but I'd rather fish gravel and rip rap areas instead. The fish roam all over in search of a meal so don't feel you need to find wood.

One good spot I'll go public with is the area around the old hwy 18 ferry bridge. Its just downstream from the new 169 bridge in Bloomington. Theres a small bridge there now used just for peds and bikes. Just east of 169 on Old Shakopee Rd, you'll see a Burger King. Stop in at the gas station next to it and ask where the bike trail river crossing is. They have bait and if Chad is working..tell um Kevin says HI ! Theres a good spot on the Bloomington side downstream along the bike trail aways...Look for the Y-sticks

ScottyB, I don't believe there are any Flatheads in the Red. I know a few guys who wish there were though right Ed?

WET NETS!

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cast,cast,cast,cast......

[Ed Carlson]

They might have been speaking of another Red River system?

There is one in the South that does host a Flathead population and is known for good size cats. It is formed in Oklahoma by the confluence of the North Fork and the Prairie Dog Town Fork, it flows through Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana, before entering the Mississippi near Baton Rouge Louisiana. It is considered a Western tributary of the Mississippi River.

Their are a couple more, lesser rivers called the Red or the Little Red in Arkansas.

The "Red River of the North" is what is commonly refereed to as "The Red" up here and can be confused with it's southern cousins at times. This very well may be the case here?

------------------
Backwater Guiding
"ED on the RED"
701-893-9107

[email protected]

[DARK30]

You mean the bike trail spot I assume...You always have a chance during the day. I would recommend late afternoon into evening though. Now that I mention it, I'd like to run up there myself and see how things look these days!

Bullheads will do plenty good. Hook um through the tail between the dorsal and the tail itself. don't get too deep and hit the spine though.

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cast,cast,cast,cast......

[Riverfishin]

I am sorry but I am going have to ask a couple more questions? Dark the second spot you told do think I have a chance to catch one during the day? and what kind of bait I should use? I was thinking about bullheads because there's a little lake next to full of them. Thank you.

[JJB]

I went out last night from 6-9pm on pool 3. Ended up with my biggest flat of the year so far(40 lbs). Cought it about 7pm on a whole sucker about 9 inches. It was the olny flat of the night but my girlfriend ended up with 3 channels on cut bait.
Also missed a few runs(hate to say it)
But all and all the best night out there so far.
The spot I was in I have never fished at night but have got that 40 and a 25 so far in the last 2 weeks. Each time out we would get the the flats from 6-8pm and then all we get are channels after that untill dark.

[DARK30]

Nice fish! Was that from shore? I haven't got any over 40 this year {yet}. Believe it or not, most of my fish this year have come on rapalas from shore including one 38#. It sure is fun when they hit artificials!

WET NETS!

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cast,cast,cast,cast......

[rushing]

I have been using lighted bobbers with bullheads underneath. No flats yet but the walleyes sure seems to like it!

I cant wait to get a nice flat on and see my lighten boober cruise around under water.

tight lines
rob

[JJB]

Hey Dark,
I get all mine off shore. I havent got any out of my boat yet! but I dont spend enough time trying out of the boat either.When Im in there its to easy to give up and go catch eyes.
I have had some great luck this year in daylight hours.The spot I got the big one out of was a steep shoreline that drops pretty quick. There is about 100 yards of trees below a nice rip rap. The roots of these trees are in about 8-10 feet of water and been exposed from the high current.I just use one ounce sinkers and a whole sucker has worked best. Toss it out there and the current pulls the bait right up to the roots the olny problem is getting the fish up once he is on.I have lost a few because of it but there is a lot of flat and channels coming out from under them roots.

I have never cought a flat on raps but sounds like a blast.What type of area do you look for when using cranks and what size style ect.Theres some nice rip rap areas I know but never tried.

[DARK30]

I've caught flatheads on raps quite a few times in the past but I've always been looking for walleyes at the time. Early this year before all the rain happened I decided to hunt for some flats on purpose. A friend of mine had caught a couple one evening while we were walleye fishing. I didn't catch a flat that night but I decided to try it more often and in a few other areas.

It was mid May this spring and like I said, the river was nice and low with good clarity. Its not that often a fish can sight feed in the main channel of the Minnesota River. I didn't exactly pound on um but I was real happy with the consistency at which the flatheads were grabbing the 2" shad rap. I was fishing steep rip rap with fast current coming along the edge of it. I would say they were in full ambush mode at the time! Early evening would find me standing quietly just upstream from my target area. I'd throw the rap out into the river and let it swim with the current until it was "speed trolling" just off the bank in about 4-5' of water. I could feel it jumping over rocks and thats where the fish were, down in the rocks. The night I got the 38# was the same night and the same spot I pulled a 7.5# walleye. These two fish were only feet apart in the water and about 20 minutes apart on the Timex!

I'm looking forward to some more experimenting now that the river is finally coming back down to normal. I've been using the 2" rap but now have a few bigger ones that will be a little more visible if the water cooperates.

WET NETS!

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cast,cast,cast,cast......

[DARK30]

Boy was it sticky tonight! Threw out a big chub near belle plaine and popped a 35# and missed one. Nice fat yellow one too. This fish actually swallowed the hook. I did get it out and it swam away...I sure hope its ok.
The Minnesota is in prime condition once again. Now I just gotta keep the bait coming in! The bigger chubs have been hard to come by lately.

Sure would be nice if i didn't have to work!

WET NETS!

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[JJB]

Nice fish,
Hope I can get out tonight and get back on to some fish.Tried saturday and after about an hour that t-storm hit us.We got soaked along with my work phone.

How big of chubs do you try to use??
all I catch are usually 7-8 in. We have caught 12 inchers but not too often.But is it worth the work to get a few big ones.

[Mr Special]

Hey Dark30,

We should hook up sometime. That spot that we meet early this season used to be a good multi species spot. I've been itching to get back down that way. Is the water low enough that we can get out on that gravel point to fish?

Good luck

[This message has been edited by Mr Special (edited 08-03-2004).]

[This message has been edited by Mr Special (edited 08-03-2004).]

[DARK30]

JJB,
Those are the perfect size chubs...at least I think so. My chub spots have been running too high to catch many and I don't dare put the traps out when it could storm. I'll use larger suckers though and they are pretty easy to catch most of the time.

Mr. special,
I'd love to hook up...just gotta do it. I got skunked tonight but I had my chance....shoulda let um run longer maybe. I got cat league fri night and then I'm usually slow on sat night but during the week may work. I'll be up at Dangerfield's tomorrow after work for Happy two hours Thursday I'll be hunting bait.

That gravel bar is just starting to show. I see there are a few y-sticks already!

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[Mr Special]

Sounds good Dark30,
Here's my email

phillip underscore sengchanh at silentknight dot com

Set a time and date and I'll try my darnest to make it.

till then Good luck

[Hotspotter]

All this talk about flats on rapalas reminds me of.....:

http://fishingminnesota.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/000649.html

It was a spot known for good flatheads, where we'd caught 2 smaller ones that night. I still maintain it was a monster cat that snapped it in half.....though I'll never know.

Joel