I thought some of you may find this interesting. One of the problems we sometimes encounter when fishing flatheads with large live baits is that on the hook set the hook will get set back into the bait fish and we will miss the flathead. I was reading a post on another forum and they were discussing a live bait rigging method called “bridling live bait”.
This technique is used in saltwater fishing where they use large baits. Basically the hook is not embedded in the bait fish. A string or piece of dental floss or a rubber band is run through the eyes of the bait fish with a needle or other similar type tool and the hook is tied off so that it rides completely exposed just in front of the nose of the fish. This method is used so that on the hook set there is no chance for the hook to be set back into the bait and miss a hookup on the target fish. This technique seems to be a good technique for trolling or free lining.
I may try this technique this summer with a large sucker or sheepshead to see if I can lure a flathead to bite. I found this website that has the best pictures that explains the technique; Bridling a Bait