I target flatheads a lot and know quite a bit about them, but am still learning a few things here and there. Here’s a location question I’m hoping you guys can help me with.
We have a canal system that is used for irrigation, and it holds a number of flatheads, and there are some big ones in it. This system goes for a long ways, I’d guess about 80 to 90, maybe 100 miles. We fish a stretch that’s about 15 miles long. A lot of it is rip-rapped and featureless, but we fish a good area that has snags and is flathead territory.
A lot of it is 8-12 ft deep, but then you’ll see holes that reach down to 35 deep in some places.
Right now, due to irrigation, the water is raging; the current is pretty swift (for us). Here in central NE we don’t really have a river to fish, but this is the closest thing. But I’m not really able to compare it to your river flows, but I can tell you it’s pretty swift, and most areas are about 30 yards wide. It’s manmade back in the 1940s or so.
It’s mainly canal, but there lakes when the canal pours into canyons, and in the canal there are offshoots that hold water, but usually pretty shallow. With these areas and curves, trees, and rocks, there are good current breaks to fish. I know the flatheads venture into these places at night, as we usually target them in shallow water at night.
The water now is raging, but before and after irrigation, the water flow is pretty slow, and it’s easier fishing, of course.
So here’s my question: how do you think these flows affect the flatheads specifically? They are used to slow current, then the gates open and water blasts through. Do they hunker down deep in holes more? Do they tend to hang out in the offshoots and open areas (and lakes) a bit more because of the flows? I’m asking because we have a harder time catching them when the water current kicks up. I know part of that is due to spawn, but right now they are looking for food and the water is still raging (especially this year with all the rain we’ve had).
What do you guys think? And what tips can you give me? I hope I’ve given enough background on this area to paint a picture for you of what this area looks like. I included a few pics as well to give you an idea. Thanks for your thoughts!
