Tips on handling a large Flathead Catfish

[LoonState]

yea its the last time i grab a 10lb channel by the mouth without a glove. It's funny how you can handle a 40lb flat without a problem but anytime you grab a channel they just keep chomping down constantly no matter how big they are.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

^ Agreed man I don't get it. They are so feisty.

[Shack]

After an interesting conversation about the "gill hold" on flatheads last weekend that ended up referencing to the Griz's hold of the 59.5lb flathead followed by a "The Griz does it". Then a sudden rash of gill hold images I have seen on a couple others sites (one of a river guide I assume who is letting clients hold big flats this way) a review of the flathead gill hold is in order once again.

Since Dtro started this thread, has used him self as an example in the past and is a huge advocate of proper handling of flatheads we will use him in the follwing :

Bad

Good

Actually the gill hold Dtro is using in the first image is not that bad. You can clearly see his wrists, part of his hand and just make out some fingers. Some of the images I have seen lately show the angler with his hands buried up so far inside the gills only the upper half of his forearm is showing in the image and these are on very big fish. IMO that would take more work to that than properly holding the fish.

I guess you can hold your flatheads any way you want but the proper way (IMO) does not involve putting you hands inside the gill plates.

Plus the gill hold images (AIMO) look terrible and the mouth or belly hold looks way cooler.

Inside refrence here but "Do Not Be a Will and Hold By The Gill"

Read back to page one for the proper way to hold cats.