Flatheads — where they’re not

Not looking for flathead hotspots… I’m wondering about where they are not. (Or not a lot.)

How come the upper Miss. isn’t known for flatheads? Upper St Croix?? Is there a difference in habitat? Sure, the northern stretches of these rivers are not as deep, but there are plenty of holes, bends, and logjams… plenty of baitfish to feed on.

Everyone fishes Pool 2 on down the line for flatheads. Yet Pool 1 has much of the same characteristics (depth, flow, species, lock & dam, etc.) and hardly anybody fishes for flathead there. Why?

no idea, pool 1 one of the last best secrets of catfishing in Minnesota..

this thread needs to go away….now…

St. Anthony Falls used to be a natural barrier and flatheads did not exist above it. It still pretty much holds true. I have never personally seen a flat above P2, and I think you’d be hard pressed to find anyone credible who has (I saw a blue cat!).

The habitat of the river above St. Anthony Falls is not conductive to flathead reproduction as it becomes rocky and shally pretty quick when the nav channel ends.

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no idea, pool 1 one of the last best secrets of catfishing in Minnesota..

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Not anymore…

Kill the thread then.

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I have never personally seen a flat above P2, and I think you’d be hard pressed to find anyone credible who has

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What’s your definition of “credible”?

Someone with no jigs in their tackle box.

Back in ’05 when my FW pulled in this 31 pounder…”urban” fishing.

Now excuse me while I go check to see I Jesse slipped any jigs in my tackle box.

That was above St. Anthony Falls? I stand corrected if it was.

Sorry, I’m bad! That’s an “upper” P2 fish.

I’ll have to look a little harder.

No, what you’re saying is correct Doug. The only way to get a flat above the falls is if someone planted them there.

Isn’t Pool #1 above the Ford Dam??

Now YOU are right. I amend my statement above to I have never seen a flat above St. Anthony Falls.

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No, what you’re saying is correct Doug. The only way to get a flat above the falls is if someone planted them there.

Isn’t Pool #1 above the Ford Dam??

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Yes pool 1 from SAF to Ford Dam. And no, there are no flatheads. Only single guys looking for a date.

I would not be one bit surprised if there was a fishable population of flatheads just above the falls.

Blackdog must be part of P1 then.

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Blackdog must be part of P1 then.

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Blackdog is an old trolling area. If you know where the Old Meeker dam is, don’t go there alone.

I have fished there once, and you are right.

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Only single guys looking for a date.

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Technically, your single Pug.

Back to the OP. There is some very good fishing in the Metro Area. For Flats. I’m thinking Taylors Falls dam is the final stop for flats heading up stream on the Croix, however I’ve never been up further then just North of Stillwater.

Where they are not?
They are not in your living room next to the computer or TV.

Water without “some” flow.
Water without “bait” fish near by.

As far as the Mississippi goes, they are moving from wintering holes towards their spawning grounds. They could be anywhere in between at this point.

The MN is much warmer. I would guess just down stream of feeder creeks with the low water levels…and the whole damn river is a spawning grounds for them. LOL!

MN DNR lists one location to find flatheads is below the Coon Rapids Dam. That is above the Falls. And don’t yell at me for revealing it, ’cause its right there on the “Catfish biology and identification” page, DNR website.

I bet they put that on there as is is the terminus for anything going upstream. If they put St. Anthony Falls, someone would correct them, because as Pug said, I don’t doubt a few individuals are up above the falls. Just don’t go soaking bullheads below the CRD and expect to catch a flathead.

Did someone say MN river and flats? Maybe just down from a feeder creek?

There are definitely Flatheads in Pool 1. Just not in the numbers you find on Pool 2 and below. Possibly lack of spawning areas??? Dunno? Only difference on structure or habitat that I can think of between the two would be lack of backwaters on Pool 1.

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Did someone say

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Shh!

I look at the feeder creeks/rivers coming in to P4 and say to myself…when there’s a storm coming and I only have a while to fish, I’m going to fish them. 7 years later, still haven’t…with the exception of in front of Everts a few years back.

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And don’t yell at me

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No worries Mr. S. Phigs is just being Phigs with his goofy twisted sarcastic sense of humor.

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And don’t yell at me

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No worries Mr. S. Phigs is just being Phigs with his goofy twisted sarcastic sense of humor.

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all of my honey holes are getting exposed on the net….

Could you be more specific?

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all of my honey holes are getting exposed on the net….

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Honey holes? So you must have fished Meeker too, because all the guys down there greet you with Honey, not Hi or Hello.

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all of my honey holes are getting exposed on the net….

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Honey holes? So you must have fished Meeker too, because all the guys down there greet you with Honey, not Hi or Hello.

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i’ll be honest…..a little creeped out right now…

I’ve personally seen a 4 lb. flat keeping a 3 lb. channel cat company on a fella’s stringer north of 694 a couple years ago. Never seen one that far north of Saint Anthony Falls before and haven’t since. They’re up here, but probably not in numbers that would realistically constitute a fishable population.