Best Bullhead Size

On my last trip out I had medium size bullheads and a few biggies. I used the big ones first, but they came off on the cast pretty easy, why the smaller ones seemed to hold better. What everyone’s experience with different sizes? I am thinking about not bothering with the larger ones. I know I wasn’t using the best rod. I have a feeling I should have a longer rod to make the cast smoother. The one I use is only 6’6″, but heavy action. Is it the fishing rod?

I like them as big as I can get them, but my cat rods vary from 7’6″ to 9′. I would think a short, stiff rod would be tough to cast one with, but I know that if the tip is too soft, it is hard to toss a large bullie and sinker.

Cmon Pug,
We all have to admit it You know it operator error.
Use the Happy Gilmore Swing/Cast.(That short rod with the under hand up swing….. that will get that large bully where it needs to be.)
Easy Mate!
Larry
You might need to hook your bait a little deeper.

Clear lake near Watkins is loaded with bullheads. They average 6-7 inches. Feel free to PM on location and preferd rigging.

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Cmon Pug,
We all have to admit it You know it operator error.

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Well that goes without saying! I think I am going to have to get a longer fishing rod. I cringe everytime I cast. I should probably have another one anyway. I like the backbone on this one and it’s good for shorter casts.

If you fish mainly from shore (which I think you do), I wouldn’t go shorter than 7’6″. 8′ is nice. I’ve got a 9′ surf rod that’s great but a large bully is a little tough to cast because it overloads the rod a bit.

A longer rod will help you cast futher that’s a givin. But I’ve got a 7’MH and a 6’3″ XH with 6500 on them and I can get them out a good ways. I think the trick to keeper them on the hook is a lob cast, instead of a slingshot type. “ie… bass fishing”

Later and good luck

Phil, you cast with a slingshot? Sounds like a good idea But don’t you get backlashes from that?

Nope, the only time I use the quick slingshot style is when I’m bass… I mean bait fishing with topwater stuff. But casting big weights and bullies I can’t remember the last time I had a backlash.

That’s just asking for one Yeah, it’s a lot easier to screw up when you’re casting a 1/4 lure than when you’re throwing a half pound of lead and bait

Not sure where I developed this. But sometimes and used the underhand pitch. I get funny looks when I do.

Flippin’ bullheads I like it! I do the same on short casts. It’s easier for the bullie when it’s not getting dropped from 30 feet above the water.

I’ll have to try the old underhand cast. I guess my bassing days might come in handy after all.

I have been “pitching bullheads” for a couple years now. It is way easier to hit yuor target and it does save the bullie from getting head trauma. I can’t imagine it does alot of good for a bullhead to hit the water from 30ft in the air.

Personally…as Sgt Rock and son can attest to…

I like casting them into an overhead branch…then softly lowering them into the water…for that “vertical jigging” effect…

Does size matter? To some extent…but I would prefer a 5 inch lively bully to a 7 inch sedated one.

Seriously, in my opinion it’s more the struggling of the bait than the size…although the bigger the bait..the bigger the struggle.

So that’s how you target suspended flats. And to think I was gonna use a stupid float. But I can’t talk your boat is averaging #30+ fish weekly.

later bud

If bullheads grew any larger than 7″.. I would be using them at 8 1/2″.

Brian said the key phrase.. A lively bullhead is the most important. The more air you can keep on your bait in captivity, the more lively the bullhead is going to be, and they will catch more fish.

If you have to use a bait net to catch a bullhead out of the bucket, then drop the bullhead in the sand to get a decent grip on the thing because it keeps drawing blood.. its just about right.

Bubble pumps will keep them alive, mass air systems like livewell recirculators will supercharge the water with air and have them jumping like trout!

I like to keep an Epi-pen with and give them a nice shot of adrenalin before I plop them into the water

Save your money – the simplest solution is to hook your bulls through both lips. They still struggle like heck out there, survive very well in any current, leave LOTS of exposed hook for a better hookup ratio, stay on the hook during a catch so they can be re-used, and don’t ever get cast off.

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Save your money – the simplest solution is to hook your bulls through both lips. They still struggle like heck out there, survive very well in any current, leave LOTS of exposed hook for a better hookup ratio, stay on the hook during a catch so they can be re-used, and don’t ever get cast off.

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Interesting…I’ll have to try it. I guess it can’t hurt my hook-up ratio any.

How well do live bullheads work for channels? My convenient fish-hole does not hold flats, and I have a goldmine for catching small bullheads very close to it.

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the simplest solution is to hook your bulls through both lips.. , and don’t ever get cast off.

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I never hook my bullheads through the lips.. just as an odd coincidence, I hooked one through the upper lip last night and it happens to be the cast I caught the 30 on. I did this just because I cast off my 1st bullhead on my 1st cast. The lip hooked bully held on well.. but so did the rest of my bullheads of the evening hooked under the adepost(sp?) fin. If I have to make the choice on hook placement for a *power cast*.. the lips will be 1st choice in the future.

I have a heck of a time getting the hook through the upper jaw, and it can cause a bunch of damage to the lower gill area if the bully isnt cleanly hooked. Hanson made the comment last night that the only time he ever lip hooked a bully it killed it.

I’m not saying dont lip hook them, I am just saying its not easy, and try to do it as cleanly as possible not to kill your bait if you do.

Be careful not to hook yourself in the struggle to push the hook through… a jack-hammer might help on those really fat 7″ bullheads!

I was sworn to secrecy. I never saw a cast into the tree.
Well it was dark out.

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Save your money – the simplest solution is to hook your bulls through both lips. They still struggle like heck out there, survive very well in any current, leave LOTS of exposed hook for a better hookup ratio, stay on the hook during a catch so they can be re-used, and don’t ever get cast off.

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This may be the solution. I can’t argue with experience.

Do you hook it through the bone? I have tried that a few times and that surely will hold’em, but I am not sure if hooking there would cause enough trauma to lead to an lifeless bully. Would I be better off just behind the lips?

I know what you mean Dave, hooking them there is a little scarey.

Dfresh , I think the consensus is they don’t work as well for channels. If I was to use them for channels, I would use the smaller ones.

Given a choice, I’d use suckers, mooneye, smelt or any other fish with a stronger smell, live or dead.

In my opinion, Flats and Channels are 2 completely species. It’s not just the size, but their behavior. Personally I think channels realy very heavily on smell, while flats really heavily on “sound” and even sight. I think that’s why we don’t see a lot of “accidental” catches when targeting one or the other.

The other thing to consider is the differences in their mouths. Flatheads are all mouth and head compared to channels. Both gorge themselves, but flatheads I think eat bigger things less frequently, while channels feed more frequent on smaller meals.

Pug – I personally like your advice, though if you caught a fish, it may lend some more credence to it!!!

Hook them through the bottom lip just behind the jaw and up through a nostril.

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Hook them through the bottom lip just behind the jaw and up through a nostril.

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I will give that a try tonight, I will let you know how it works.

If the bullhead foul hooks I have someone to blame

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Hook them through the bottom lip just behind the jaw and up through a nostril.

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I will give that a try tonight, I will let you know how it works.

If the bullhead foul hooks I have someone to blame

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Too late for tonight, but this works best with a hook like a 4/0 or 5/0 kahle, not those ultra-heavy gauge Gamas, and not any type of circle, wide gap, or octopus hook. A straight shank hook works well too, but the kahles have a great shape for holding the bull by the mouth.

I usually hook my bullheads behind anal fin right near or thru spine with the hook pointed down. They stay on (given I don’t spoof my cast) and kick like mules. Rod given most use is a Fenwick 6’6″ musky stick of MH action along with a 7000 spooled with 65# power pro. And hooks are 8/0 Gamakatsu Octopus circles.

I find with bullhead hooked this way I miss few runs. Maybe because hook point is facing the right way? Dunno, but it works for me.

Welcome Machinehead!

I was just thinking about which way to point a hook in a bullhead the other day. The fellow I was fishing with was hooking them so the point was towards the back of the BH…and I’ve aways pointed it towards the front.

My reasoning was that the hook would pivot and have a better chance at catching something on the way out of the cats mouth.

I’ve always avoided the spine..because I thought that would stop or slow the kicking…are you saying this is not the case?

PS what area do you call your home waters?

Again, welcome to IDA!