Rookie flathead question

I’ve been out for flatheads a few times this year and I’m yet to land one, but not due to lack of opportunity.

I’ve had a half a dozen runs or so, but I’ve not been able to sink the hook in yet. I’m using approximately 12″ suckers with a J hook. Sometimes I stick it through the lip, sometimes parallel to the dorsal. Most of the time, the sucker comes back chopped in half.

When do I set the hook on these guys? I’ve tried setting it early, mid run, and when they stop running and I get nothing! What am I doing wrong?

that’s b/c they’re turtles

I would say its gar or turtle also. Had it happen to me last night about 4 times.

Turtles will chomp a 12″+ sucker in half? That must be a giant dang turtle.

Ok, so when I finally do have Mr Whiskers on the end of the line, when should I set the hook?

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I’ve tried setting it early, mid run, and when they stop running and I get nothing! What am I doing wrong?

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I’m no catfisherman but from my years of fishing I’ve learned that if a run stops 2 things are/have happened :

A: the fish dropped the bait

B: the fish has the bait but not in the manner the fish wants so it’s “readjusting” the bait so to speak.

Neither are a good time for a hook set though, best hook set time is when the line is peeling you know that fish has a good hold of the bait (JMO)

Best way to learn is to contact Brian Klawitter. He will shorten the learning curve tremendously! http://www.brianksworld.com . I’ve taken 3 trips with him and have never been disappointed.

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Turtles will chomp a 12″+ sucker in half? That must be a giant dang turtle.

Ok, so when I finally do have Mr Whiskers on the end of the line, when should I set the hook?

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I would bet on gar, they tend to shred your bait if you actually get it back.

in my experience (which hasn’t been much lately) if they run with it they usually have a good hold of it and there is a good chance it may already be hooked. usually when I get a good run I just set the hook right away. if they don’t run with it I’ll usually put a little tension on the line to try and figure out whats going on down there. I’ll usually set the hook if I feel a couple good solid tugs on the line.

you could also use circle hooks. some people love them, some people hate them but if the hook is in there mouth and they run, they’ll usually hook themselves.

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you could also use circle hooks. some people love them, some people hate them but if the hook is in there mouth and they run, they’ll usually hook themselves.

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Based on the opinions of a lot of guys on here, I only use circles for sturgeon. There was a thread about it earlier talking about how J hooks have a better hookup rate and less hook swallowing when it comes to flatheads.

Are there pike or gar in the waters? I wouldn’t think a flathead could bite a sucker in half.. even if he is holding on to the tail when you set the hook, it should pull it off the hook before it rips in half.

It could be big snappers, they will bite a 12″ sucker in half easily.. but they usually dont make runs, you’ll just see the line twitch and pull slowly as they walk around with it.

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Are there pike or gar in the waters? I wouldn’t think a flathead could bite a sucker in half.. even if he is holding on to the tail when you set the hook, it should pull it off the hook before it rips in half.

It could be big snappers, they will bite a 12″ sucker in half easily.. but they usually dont make runs, you’ll just see the line twitch and pull slowly as they walk around with it.

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It was on pool 4 and I think there are gar in there. Don’t know about any big slimers, but it wasn’t one of them. I’ve caught enough to know that for sure.

It didn’t strip line like jaws, yet it didn’t seem like it was something “walking away”. It was kind of in between. It was definitely taking line though. It was probably a speedy turtle.

Is there any way to prevent turtles from stealing your bait?

It could be a spiny soft shell turtle I have caught them catting on the zumbro. They ran with the bait and have the Sharp jaws that can cut like a snapper can. Actually put up a fight. Also think you have a cat on at first. Were the suckers cut clean or crushed? If they are cut has to be turtles cats would crush it in half.

Mwal

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It could be a spiny soft shell turtle I have caught them catting on the zumbro. They ran with the bait and have the Sharp jaws that can cut like a snapper can. Actually put up a fight. Also think you have a cat on at first. Were the suckers cut clean or crushed? If they are cut has to be turtles cats would crush it in half.

Mwal

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They were cut clean. Damn turtles!

All I use are circle hooks. Hook up your bait the normal way using an 8/0 circle hook, toss him like usual, get a tight line to the bait and engage your reel so the line will not go out. Put your rod in a rod holder and wait. Patience is a virtue. When he grabs the bait and makes his run he will hook himself. Don’t take the rod out of the rod holder until it doubles over.

Like I said, patience is a virtue. Most people can’t wait for the rod to double over. If you have to pick up the rod and he hasn’t hooked himself (DO NOT SET THE HOOK). Simply reel up any slack and just start reeling and you should get a good hookset.

If you are using heavy action, stiff as a cue stick type rods it is sometimes hard to get a good hook set with a circle hook. I like a rod with a little give in the tip that helps absorb some of the shock from the initial hookset. Like I said – I only use circle hooks and I have good success. Others have their opinions – most of them wrong.

For setting hooks on catfish on the Minnesota I have always set it hard mid run. If they take it then stop i pull the line with my finger very softly then normally it snaps down and they run again.

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Like I said – I only use circle hooks and I have good success. Others have their opinions – most of them wrong.

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I agree with you Steve!

I love circles but you do have to understand how to use them.

Got this one tonight on a bullhead. This was a big King of the Cats upgrade for me – he’s 34″ X 20.5″. He just slammed it while the rod was in the holder and doubled it over and hooked himself. I had a heck of a time getting the rod out of the rod holder he was heading out with my bullhead and did not want to stop. Circles are the “Bomb”.

I also got a 31″ flathead on a bullhead. He hit it the same way and hooked himself. It just takes a little patience and trust – let the hook do the work.

Sounds like you’re fishing in eddies – try to find a spot with more direct current. Both turtles and gar are more common in slackwater next to current, not that they won’t be in the current too, just not as many. Is this happening after your bait has been out there a long time? If so it could be that your dead suckers are getting hit.

Suckers aren’t my favorite flathead bait since they’re a popular menu item for so many non-flathead critters.

Maybe try some bullheads. And, I generally look for spots with structure/cover in some direct current or on the edge of current like a seam.

shawn