48 Pounds First Time On The River

Nice !!
I’ve only been out twice at night for flatties and was skunked

What’s this legend all about?

Great Looking Flathead, Scott and Brian.
Jack

craig s wrote:

I’ve only been out twice at night for flatties and was skunked

You’re not the only one. My first night last week I caught a 27.5 inch walleye on a bluegill and the second night all I got was covered head to toe in mosquito bites.

BK do you have a lot of setline fisherman up there? Seems like everyone I talk to around here knows one who gives away mass amounts of flatheads caught on trotlines. Kinda grinds my gears

“Although it’s nice to get a big fish out of the way right at the start of a trip, it raises the bar so high that a decent 28 pound fish looks small.”

Funny you should make that statement Brian. A few of us that fish Mendota regularly have what we call the “Mendota Syndrome”. We catch so many large channel cats there…15 to 25 pounds…that when we catch a 12-15 pounder, we just toy with it at the boat and say “oh, it’s only a 12 pounder”. Now really, how many guys catch 12 pounders regularly? Someone could say we are disappointed with a 12 pounder but we aren’t. Took a first timer to Mendota and after a couple hours, he caught the “syndrome” himself…heard him saying “oh, it’s only a 12 pounder” just that soon.

That’s a nice looking string of flatties right there. I’ve gotten a 35, 24 and a few 10-12 pound flatties in the last two weeks. They are hungry right now. Have had many of my baits just smashed but not taken as well. Them flatties can be so frustrating at times but well worth the wait.

L8R…Ken

wicathunter11 wrote:

BK do you have a lot of setline fisherman up there? Seems like everyone I talk to around here knows one who gives away mass amounts of flatheads caught on trotlines. Kinda grinds my gears

WI has some mostly in it’s lower stretches I’ve heard but it’s not legal in MN… and I’m ok with that.