Flathead Catfish Photo Gallery

[This Guy]

Can any one take a guess at how much this fish weighed. I have no idea was fishing walleyes on pool four and hooked into it. It was 52 inches long

[Gordie]

did you get a girth measurment?

I would guess it to be in the 50 lbs plus range

[This Guy]

No I didnt get a girth measurement. I think it was all of 50 lbs though. Not bad for 6 lb test and med light rod

[Gordie]

very nice mudeye congrats on the light line catch

[This Guy]

Caught 2/22 Red Wing

[EpicIceTrips]

I need some pointers on BIG flats, where i fish biggest one about 12lbs I wanna go bigger but dont kno where to start, any pointers?

[TruthWalleyes]

I'd start by fishing in a river large enough to produce bigger flatheads.

Then i'd read: "Good times in catfish country" or just read a bunch of old threads on this site. Big flatheads require a lot of time on the water! Just ask all the winners of last years KOTC. Took me 3 years to land one over 40".

[Scott K]

Pretty much anywhere on the MN River, there are some big ones. Along with most of the lower sippi. Small ones out number big ones like a gazzilion to 1, time on the water, and weening out the small ones and you will get lucky sooner or later and get a bigger one.

Big flats dont get big because they get caught often. These bigger fish are 25+ years old, that requires a lot of luck for a fish to get that big. So there isnt a ton of them. I fish over 100 hours a month in the summer chasing them, and if I am lucky, get 3-6 over 40" a year. Broken down, 400+ hours, to land 3 big fish. Not very good odds! Keep fishing, luck, and some skill will get you there if you are consistent.

I live by the rule "even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while"

[EpicIceTrips]

Thanks guys I do appreciate it, I hopin to land a big one this year.

[Gordie]

I need some pointers on BIG flats, where i fish biggest one about 12lbs I wanna go bigger but dont kno where to start, any pointers?

Like most said keep fishing they dont come easy but when one is finally landed you will say everything you have done to this moment is worth it all

I would bet that there is bigger flats in the river your fishing you just havent hooked up yet.

Good Luck

[Carp-fisher]

Thanks guys I do appreciate it, I hopin to land a big one this year.

Someone once said that chasing big catfish is like chasing big muskies, except alot lonelier. The guys that consistently catch big flatheads spend hundreds of hours on the water to get those fish.

[Scott K]

I am pushing 50 hours on the river already this season. Not that I had high expectations for a flat, but I was offering, they just werent taking.

[DTro]

I keep clicking this thread looking for pictures.....

[Gordie]

I keep clicking this thread looking for pictures.....

Me 2

[rushing]

Ya the mods really should be putting their foot down with all this non photo related chit chat!

[dan z]

Have a pair of flats to load up but photobucket wont let me upload at the moment.

[mrklean]

You dont need photobucket to post pics on here anymore

[dan z]

First clicks of the year resulted in this fish below... 39x23

And a Half hour later this fish bothered me... 40x26

[smeese]

Awesome! Thanks for posting!

[Gordie]

WTG Dan Thats a great start to the kitty season

[DTro]

WTG Dan!

I got a few more entries this morning as well. The bite is picking up slowly but surely.

[Gordie]

I keep clicking this thread looking for pictures.....

Found them

[dan z]

Looks like someone needs to get a 3rd fish...

[jamjumper]

It is beyond exciting to see a few fish being picked up already. With an odd year, meaning low water compared to recent years and such warm temps I would assume we are likely to see activity sooner than other years no? As a general rule water temp is key to the whole show, but how much of a role does time of year regardless of temp play? I only get lucky enough to fish the MN two or three weekends in a year, and she has been kind to me one night and mean the next but im excited to make a trip. perhaps sooner than I usually do.

[Mr Special]

Not huge but 1st flat ive witness this yr. Caught yesterday by my cousin before the storm on a big ole "WWG size" hunk of cut bait