what makes a good catfish hole?

[hanso612]

My best flathead holes are off the main channel. They are usually 18 to 25 feet deep when the vast majority of water nearby is 6-10 feet. All but one are on an outside bend in the river with an undercut bank with fallen trees. My best hole has a riffle downstream and a large flat on inside bend of river.

What are others most productive holes like? Hans

[SteveD]

What makes a good catfish hole. A good question near and dear to the heart of any flathead hunter. There was an interesting article in the 2006 Catfish In-Sider titled: "On the Trail of Flatheads" which chronicled Purdue University research projects in 2002 and 2003 that explored the habitat and movements of flatheads on the St Joseph River in Michigan. Here is an excerpt from that article:

"Science had helped us make better decision on how and where to spend our fishing time. In recent years, traditional thoughts on the areas fish call home have been called into question. With regard to flathead catfish, it seems that deep water isn't always their home, especially during summer. Purdue researchers Trent sutton and Dan Daugherty found that summer flatheads occupied the shallowest water of the year in anywhere from 3 to 9 feet. So, for warmwater anglers bent on maximizing fishing time, fish shallow in small to medium northern rivers. Research suggests that riverbend pools can be low-percentage water in the dog days. When prospecting new water for big fish, stay within about 75 yards of any sizeable woody structure."

This was a really good article which has me rethinking how I am going to fish my normal spots this summer. They have a schematic in the article which shows that flathead normal daytime locations are in heavy cover in 3 feet to 6 feet of water. The article states: "During the heat of summer, the tendency for long-distance movement slowed. Most of the time, when flathead catfish reached hot weather haunts they stayed close to home, foraging extensively on nighttime forays in the immediate area of their base. At this time, the majority of fish moved less than 3/8 of a mile from the original capture site." In the schematic the nighttime locations are shown as shallow flats 3' to 9' deep very close to their daytime lairs.

I can't tell you how many hours I have spent camped on an outside bend in 18 to 20 feet of water with good cover and current flow drowning a couple of bullheads with nothing to show for it. This summer I am going to test the information provided from our friends at Purdue University - I've got a ton of spots which mirror the conditions they describe. I'm going to see if those spots will produce.

[hanso612]

That article is consistant with what I have seen as well. I have spent many hours over daytime holes with nothing to show for it as well.I think it is because when they are in the hole they are not active. I catch fish coming out or going back into their daytime holes. If I miss those times I'm out of luck. I also think fishing winter/daytime/? holes gets better as the temp drops. I can also say I have had no luck fishing deep holes in big water. Too much current is bad too. An eddy is way better than a scour hole.

If I set up on the feeding flat, I have other problems to deal with. Longnose gar and leatherback turtles can clean you out of bait pretty quickly. The flatheads seem to be more spread out and finding the "spot on the spot" is way harder. Although, I do think they are actively feeding when up in the shallows. There is also more competition with natural forage on the flat as well. Cats can break off on wood on a shallow flat, get them off the bottom over deeper water and you have a better chance of getting one in.

Anybody catching flatheads from 1 to 4am. or are you guys seeing a midnight and 5 am patern when fishing holes versus flats? What about on the flats. What times are hot? Thanks, Hans

[DTro]

I prefer the mid depth range which is relative to the area I'm fishing, mostly 8-15ft.

Having said that, my big fish last year came out of the deepest darkest water in several miles. If you can put a nice offering right in front of their nose in that deep hole, there's a good chance she's going to eat it.

Deep holes, may not be the best bet for catching fish, they can however be the best spot for locating and zeroing in on them.

[Shack]

what makes a good catfish hole?

Well let's see. A spoon full of sugar, a couple clicks of the heals and a rabbits foot will help.

No, its good buddies that show you the holes .

No, no !

I think it is bars located near deeper area, that hold bait fish (marked on electronic). Time of year makes a huge difference, pre-spawn, spawn and post spawn all come into play. The deep, deep hole I have fished from shore/boat on Pool 2 have produced in years past 20lb fish up on rocks in and around 12‘, when the max depth of the hole is 40‘. Getting your bait not to sink or get lost into the bottom has a big bearing on getting fish. Bait placement (snell length, current and all the above) is key factor. Type of bait you are using in and around the hole is another factor. I am not a true believer anymore, flats are in the deep holes, but around the edges.

Now for channels in the Mississippi North, deep the better during late summer months (warm water). But during cooler water temps place your baits right before the hole or just down stream of it, will produce fish. It comes down to getting the bait in the right position from the bottom for me. Sometimes a longer snell in strong currents, but the smaller snell seems to work the best year round for channels.

Good luck..

[UncleKes]

Its been my experience that Flats like to lay up in cover or along a deep cut bank during the day and that they are mostly nocturnal.

Down South they will dig a burrow in the mud along a cutbank and hole up in there (maybe to escape the sunlight or what waiting for sunset. Those adventurous people who enjoy noodling will locate these holes and catch them with their bare hands. (A sport I consider on the par with Russian Roulette by the way) Every once a awhile some noodler will stick his hands in a snapping Turtles mouth and come out holding the bloody stump or accidently grab a water moccasin and get snake bit. Oh the joys of noodling???

Anyway, Up North is God's Country -otherwise known as Minnesota

(We all its Gods Country because only God would want to live here and God Only knows why???) My best fishing for Flat's is from dusk to about 2:00 AM.

Tight Lines;

Uncle Kes

[hanson]

 Originally Posted By: hanso612

Anybody catching flatheads from 1 to 4am. or are you guys seeing a midnight and 5 am patern when fishing holes versus flats? What about on the flats. What times are hot? Thanks, Hans

If I knew, I'd quit spending the entire night on the river fishing.

I do know the pre-spawn bite is typically a very good sundown bite, and a couple hours after the sun drops. If there is any consistant pattern to flathead fishing, pre-spawn is definitely it IMO.

Once the flats are in spawn and come out of the spawn, all bets are off for a consistant pattern. You can pick them up during the day, you can pick them up consistantly on cutbait, they bite at random times throughout the night. I often wonder if the bite becomes difficult in August as a result of water levels, water temp, and flow more than anything else. Baitfish are spread throughout the river and the flats aren't "pinned" into areas by current.

The fall bite as the flats are holing up for the winter is supposed to be a great pattern as well. I just haven't put it together yet.

[Larry FlatCaster]

 Originally Posted By: hanson

 Originally Posted By: hanso612

Anybody catching flatheads from 1 to 4am. or are you guys seeing a midnight and 5 am patern when fishing holes versus flats? What about on the flats. What times are hot? Thanks, Hans

If I knew, I'd quit spending the entire night on the river fishing.

I do know the pre-spawn bite is typically a very good sundown bite, and a couple hours after the sun drops. If there is any consistant pattern to flathead fishing, pre-spawn is definitely it IMO.

Once the flats are in spawn and come out of the spawn, all bets are off for a consistant pattern. You can pick them up during the day, you can pick them up consistantly on cutbait, they bite at random times throughout the night. I often wonder if the bite becomes difficult in August as a result of water levels, water temp, and flow more than anything else. Baitfish are spread throughout the river and the flats aren't "pinned" into areas by current.

The fall bite as the flats are holing up for the winter is supposed to be a great pattern as well. I just haven't put it together yet.

This last year was an eye opener for me. I caught a few early morning flats, August seems to be my best month out of all for the summer for the last 2 years. I'm hoping to get the early season bite dialed in a little better. Last year was a huge improvement over the year prior.

Now its hurry up and wait....

[slipperybob]

Is that why I sometimes do so well for big cats in the shallows next to deeper spots? I shore fish and at night, well I just don't cast far. I simply anticipate foraging predators to come shallow and I love that slipbobber lite trick at night.

[rushing]

Well do you think you are more likely to get a flat to bite when they are in bed or in the kitchen? You can catch em where they sleep but you're better off finding where their kitchen is.

[Scott K]

"What makes a good catfish hole?"

Consistant fish over 15 lbs

Really though, my best spots arent in the deep holes, or steep banks. My best flathead spots are along sandbars, that a near deep holes, and snaggy high banks. Unless day time fishing then I target the deep banks, and the deeper snag piles.

I cant wait to get out on the river, and set the hook on the first flattie of the year!

[Cicada]

12ga.

[Cicada]

Sorry, just struck me, the bigger the hole the better.

[slipperybob]

 Originally Posted By: Cicada

12ga.

LOL's

That's cruel.

[DTro]

lol

what are those annoying little bugs that drive you mad with their high pitched buzzing during the dog days of summer???

[hanson]

 Originally Posted By: dtro

what are those annoying little bugs that drive you mad with their high pitched buzzing during the dog days of summer???

Cicada

[Cicada]

HEYYYYYY!...touche`

[rushing]

 Originally Posted By: dtro

lol

what are those annoying little bugs that drive you mad with their high pitched buzzing during the dog days of summer???

Walleye and Bass fishermen?

[DTro]

 Originally Posted By: Cicada

HEYYYYYY!...touche`

just a little friendly ribbin....nothing personal

[Grant]

 Originally Posted By: rushing

 Originally Posted By: dtro

lol

what are those annoying little bugs that drive you mad with their high pitched buzzing during the dog days of summer???

Walleye and Bass fishermen?

*snort* - I don't care who ya are, that's funny!

[slipperybob]

 Originally Posted By: rushing

 Originally Posted By: dtro

lol

what are those annoying little bugs that drive you mad with their high pitched buzzing during the dog days of summer???

Walleye and Bass fishermen?

Bass fisherman, they throw those annoying high pitched buzzing, klacking, water chugging, lures...trying to catch a bass in abouts a bunch of downed log, exactly where I'm staging my rig. LOL's

[DARK30]

Sometimes you gotta fish for bass...if you can't get any good bullheads

No two spots alike but a hole is just part of it. I like rock, gravel, and side channels.

[rushing]

Waits for tracker to make a 25k Sparklie Bullhead Boat.

[Flaco651]

 Quote:

Waits for tracker to make a 25k Sparklie Bullhead Boat.

[UncleKes]

I agree with everything that has been said here. I love a good wrangle with a Flathead! God knows they can sure give you one. But you know some of my most enjoyable fishing has been in small rivers or creeks where the average depth is 5 to 6 feet. There is just something about poling or rowing a jonboat up a small river where there is no one around and floating a cork into a bunch of timber and letting channel catfish spar with you. Yeah, I know they are not the biggest catfish in the world. But, for me at least it is quiet and peaceful and you are in some of the prettiest country God ever made.

Sometimes I will even pick up a flathead and that makes it a super trip. But mostly I catch channels in the 2 to 4 pound range. There are lots of small rivers and creeks that don't get a lot of pressure and have decent catfishing out there. You might find a hole every few miles or you might find only one. I prefer fishing cover in the daytime. It is just a superb way to spend a summer day.