Has anyone ever focused on only catching MONSTER fish?
This year when possible I am going to rig my 2nd rod with VERY large bait, weight, etc. for MOSTER fish only. I dont mind catching small Flatheads, buts the 40+ lb fish I am after!
What techniques did you use? What bait did you use?
-Doc
p.s. I know big fish will eat small bait, but I want large bait so when the clicker goes off, I KNOW it’s a BIG fish!
Hey Dr. Flathead!
I think all our goals when we go out for any fish are to get the biggest ones!
That being said, I think a general rule is to use large baits, mostly bullheads and the largest sucker minnows you can find. There is also a lot of knowledge and teory that goes into where to target the monsters. I’ll leave that up to the gurus around here!
You would be surprised how small of fish will eat a LARGE bait. I know guys that have used huge rough fish (like the 3lb variety) and have caught 15lb Flatties and I know guys that have caught fish over 50lbs on a creek chub the size of your pinky.
My personal thoughts are that the biggest baddest fish live in the biggest baddest parts of the river. The biggest snags, the deepest holes, the nastiest wingdams. I think you most certainly up you odds in these areas and by using bigger baits.
For anyone going with MEGA baits, I would highly suggest using some sort of quick strike rig with a harness system, or find a way to bridle your bait, as the hardest part is not getting bit, but rather getting the hook into the fish.
It’s going to be a great year partially due to the DNR allowing bullheads up to 10″.
Might have to up the no-rolls to 5 oz instead of my standby 4 oz.
I’ve seen some pretty dog gone big flats using the Marcum camera. Now it’s just figuring out were they go after wintering. Seems there’s larger flats down stream of L&D #3 than near the dam…which is why my boat is going to venture down stream of Everts more this year.
Thanks for the post Doc…got the slime a pumping again! 
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I know guys that have caught fish over 50lbs on a creek chub the size of your pinky.
Agreed. I have seen big channels come in when fishing with nightcrawlers for carp and suckers. I have also seen a 5lb channel cat hit a hook full of corn.
I think some of the biggest flats that get posted each year are accidents caught while jigging walleyes. It may be more about being in the right place at the right time rather than the size of the bait. Those fish get big by being opportunistic and eating everything that fits in their maws, be it big or small.
One of my most favorite photos is of a 1 pound flat with the head of the bully in it’s mouth.
When the hook was “set”, the pectoral fins expanded and “caught” the flathead. The hook wasn’t even close to it’s mouth. 
They certainly don’t know what size they can eat.
I wouldn’t mind using mega bait on a second pole in June prespawn when they are aggressive. Outside that time, I would probably split time between 2 modest baits on both lines and 1 pole with a mega bait unless I saw results.
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I wouldn’t mind using mega bait on a second pole in June prespawn when they are aggressive.
Thats the plan….after spawn, go back to “normal” techniques.
Bk does the 10″ bully upgrade apply to just the ‘sippi or does it include the St.Croix as well?
Has anyone tried live sheepshead? I always seem to catch a few in the big bait size range. They have a similar profile to bluegills which seem to be a favorite bait outside of Minnesota. I would think they would throw off a lot of vibrations in the water, kinda like a dinner bell for Ol’Whiskers.
I think a bigger bait would be more effective later in the year and especially into Fall. In June I really don’t care, they are going to eat anything and everything.
Also IMO, the 10” bullhead rule will only make our life a little easier. I doubt it will yield a bigger average fish size or more fish caught.
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Bk does the 10″ bully upgrade apply to just the ‘sippi or does it include the St.Croix as well?
Any waters in the State of MN including the border waters as long as your South of HWY 210.
Which includes the St Croix.
If this was answered in a previous post, I apologize.
Isn’t that 210 line to prevent black bullheads from entering lakes where they are not native?
Also, has anyone used mooneyes or goldeyes as bait? If so, any luck? They seem to be a perfect baitfish, at least in the Minnesota
I think the general consensus is that sheephead are not a good bait. I could be wrong though, just going off posts in previous years.
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I think the general consensus is that sheephead are not a good bait. I could be wrong though, just going off posts in previous years.
Muskies love em
I’ve used them (sheepies) for cut bait with some, but little success. Although Chappies 11 pound walleye had an 8 inch sheepie in it’s tummy when it nailed his bullhead.
I’ve never used mooneye live, just frozen in spring. Darn hard to keep it on the hook. Not impossible, but it sure gets mushy.
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I think the general consensus is that sheephead are not a good bait. I could be wrong though, just going off posts in previous years.
Muskies love em
Cats like them too. I use them a lot both live and cut with good success. This is the size I like for live bait –
Stop and think about it. It stands to reason that sheepshead are a primary flathead forage fish. Sheepshead are everywhere and it is just logical that flats are going to feed on anything that is abundant and easy to get. With the current price of large suckers I’ll take a sheepie this size whenever I can get one. I’ve got a couple of bait spots that give me some nice suckers and sheepshead with a minimum amount of time and effort. Those spots are more precious than some of my favorite flat spots.
Your comments agree with what I was thinking on the sheepies being abundant food for flats. Has anyone had any luck rigging a 2 hook harness with a spinner blade(just to make it legal). My uncle used a similar rig for channels on the St. Louis for years, I was wondering if anyone had ever tried them?
I use sheeps everytime I catch em, primary for cut bait, and have caught a few channels with em. Where I fish though the current tends to wash all the blood n gut material off within 25 minutes or so. As far as live sheeps, all I can say in snapping turtle attractant, had 2 come up to the bank last time I caught one following the struggle vibrations.
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For anyone going with MEGA baits, I would highly suggest using some sort of quick strike rig with a harness system, or find a way to bridle your bait, as the hardest part is not getting bit, but rather getting the hook into the fish.
Darren’s right about the challenges of fishing with large live baits. I’ve lost enough nice flats when my hook sets back into the bait that I have been tinkering with bridle rigs for the last few seasons. I’m on prototype number 4 of my bridle rig but it seems to be working OK. I need another season to test it out.
I did find this bridle rig offered on Wild Wolf Products that may be the easy way to get an effective bridle rig. It is a little spendy at $50 but after the initial investment it might be cost effective for handling big 10″ bullheads. Check this out: Bridling Kit
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Your comments agree with what I was thinking on the sheepies being abundant food for flats. Has anyone had any luck rigging a 2 hook harness with a spinner blade(just to make it legal). My uncle used a similar rig for channels on the St. Louis for years, I was wondering if anyone had ever tried them?
I primarily use a two hook rig. I did an article on it a while back and it is in the In-Depth Outdoors Article forum. Read the article and all the responses as there was a lot of discussion on the legality of it. Here is a link to it: How to Hook a Bullhead
Here is the link to how to make the Cat Harness: How to make a Cat Harness
Thanks for the link, that is pretty much what I had in mind for a rig. I tied a bunch up on 65 lb power pro and can’t wait to try them out this spring.
Need a link to the walleye forum Jesse? 
I was actually wondering about adding a spinner to cut bait rigs as well. My theory is that it still puts out the stink for channel cats, but also gives off a bit of vibration for flatheads, so they might me more enticed to eat it.
Thoughts?
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I was actually wondering about adding a spinner to cut bait rigs as well. My theory is that it still puts out the stink for channel cats, but also gives off a bit of vibration for flatheads, so they might me more enticed to eat it.
Thoughts?
The trouble is most cut bait slip rigs end up with the cut bait sinking to the bottom even in a pretty good current. The piece of cut bait itself is pretty heavy and will sink out on its own. I’ve added a rattle bobber about 4″ to 5″ in front of the hook to float the cut bait and give some sound & vibration to the bait. Here is a thought – they sell these “Spin Floats” the walleye guys use on their slow troll rigs to get vibration and flash. Those “Spin Floats” might be a good addition to a cut bait rig to spice it up. The Cabela’s Tackle Craft catalog has the “Spin Floats” on page 28, Item # HM-31-4670 they sell for about $5 for 10 of them. If you are looking to add vibration and flash that might just be the ticket.
*sigh*
Must be the middle of winter.
But a spinner can’t hurt, right?!
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But a spinner can’t hurt, right?!
They are eating machines and will respond to any kind of stimulus that might indicate food. The vibration should entice rather than warn away I would think.
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