Am I Nuts

We all know the answer to that one

Some of my friends know I love to fish spots everyone flies by for pan fish, and I do very well

I know of 2 areas everyone flies by, including myself, but every year I think, why would this not be a good spot for Flatheads?
The 2 areas that I am speaking of are made up of…….large areas with some current flow over 30fow with no real structure in the hole to speak of. Off to the sides you will find pilings in 8-15fow loaded with bait fish (gills, crappies, small bass ). With an area so close to bait, why wouldn’t a large flathead lay in there to stay out of boat traffic during the day and make a short cruise to food at night?
Do you think this would not hold large Flatheads, or do you think it does?
Or….. have you already found Flatheads in these areas?

Bret

When you say “no real structure in the hole” are you including the head/tail of the hole? And what does the ledge look like approaching the 8-15′ sides? Sudden? Gradual? I would set up on the edge of the pilings and fish the point where side structure tapers out into the hole, probably near the head of the hole. I know you catch panfish in the day there, but also consider that panfish will crowd structure and shallows at night – I’ve seen them hanging out on top of logs almost on the surface to avoid the depths.

And do you know there’s no structure down there? Drag jigs through and I bet there’s something on the bottom, and if so – good! The slightest current break can provide a resting spot down there.

Try it!

If it would be a topographical map, the lines would be tight at the head of the hole dropping form 15fow to 30fow. The tail of the hole comes up gradually to 15 fow. The side with the pilings comes straight up to 15fow (at the front edge of the piling) and makes a slight incline to 8fow, leaving a flat of 20 yards to a rip rap bank.

Yep, your right Matt……I should give it some time!

Of course time is precious in June – depends on how many tried and true spots you have, but it sure sounds like it’s worth a try. I’m typically in shallower water in June though. How much current is there? Do you find panfish all year?

There are smaller pan fish are in this area year round. The larger 7+ gills are few because they are looking else where for the spawn, but the small to 7 inch gills are plenty full.

The current is enough to float a bobber down stream fishing lite for the gills, but not strong enough to pull it under on a tight line.

Yep, I would not hesitate to try it.
Each year that goes by, I realize more and more how little I know.
I have fished great looking spots and caught nothing, and I have fished rotten looking spots and caught some great fish. This year I have boated more fish in broad daylight than at night. Go figure…

Lately, I’ve tried to hit the river with a more open mind to fishing different areas and let the flatheads tell me where they are (or aren’t) . For me, that’s the only way I’ve learned what does and does not work. And even then I may not know for sure!
So to sum it all up…

WE ARE ALL NUTS!!!!!!!!!

I guess that’s the real beauty of flathead fishing.

Quote:

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The side with the pilings comes straight up to 15fow (at the front edge of the piling) and makes a slight incline to 8fow, leaving a flat of 20 yards to a rip rap bank.

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Sounds like a *feeding shelf* to me. The edge of that piling dropping to the deep water is also a great candidate. The flatheads can push fish tight to that piling while feeding and get a quick meal out of it.

That spot sounds like some I fish around the cities.