And not to mention if you get a hook in that underbitten mouth, technically you didn’t snag it.
I have a hard time believing that cats in this state would “wake up”, go feed and then return to “hibernation”. Maybe if the fish in the video at least seemed agitated I could. I have yet to see on a nature show an animal that didn’t come out of a state like this based on environmental factors.
Were you perhaps drifting down stream when the flat took your grub?
Once a flat is in a boat, there’s very little a CO can do to prove it was snagged. Since they seldom if ever bite in the winter months, having a closed season will help the CO in their enforcement.
WI Flathead limits are 25.
Most people don’t realize if another boat is snagging flats and even if they do, there’s few who would care enough to take any action.
By allowing flats to be kept in the winter months is that same as shooting a bear in it’s den…except that there’s 200 bears in that den.
The people that participate in the catfish forums are not the folks that fish for flats in the winter. However there are folks that come from miles specifically for catfish…and buy a WI license.
Do you ever see a reason to fish with dare devils around the dam? Me either.
We have a great Trophy Flathead fishery in and around MN…closing the season in the winter will only make it better.
In case anyone is interested in reading an old thread about this topic:
Hey BK,
I caught (and released) about a 30″ flat head the day before your video. Not hooked in the mouth either. I was hoping it was that 12 lb walleye!
Ryan
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In case anyone is interested in reading an old thread about this topic:
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It’s you cheese eaters that need to get your fisheries department in order.
Somethings never change.
Funny too, I was trying to remember the thread where FD scolded me for joking around. 7″ Texas Rigged worms do work on crappies by the way.
And where is that Audmp!
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Hey BK,
I caught (and released) about a 30″ flat head the day before your video. Not hooked in the mouth either. I was hoping it was that 12 lb walleye!
Ryan
Now there’s a hoot. I hooked a 12 pound walleye last year, it felt like my 7″ bullhead. 
Sorry, everything is a bad joke.
We were casting. I’m sure the jig was moving 
UPstream. How else would it move? The fish fought hard considering the temps — it took multiple runs and maybe 10-15 minutes to land. You can’t prove that it didn’t eat the jig, can you?
I believe it ate it, but it doesn’t really matter because neither of us can prove a thing.
The videos do prove that flatheads are very vulnerable to snagging in the winter. Saying that they don’t eat all winter seems like hyperbole to me. I simply think you could do more good by pushing for a year round change in the flathead limits to something more like the musky limits. I agree that a closed winter season would be a good thing – because you’re right that they’re extremely vulnerable to snagging! – I just think you could do even better. 
Do guys still go out and try to snag them below the dam on pool 4? I remember years ago seeing a bout full of guys with heavy poles jigging dare devils of the bottom down there in one of the known cat holes. Dont think I have ever seen this since but then again Im not down there much.
Very cool Brian… 
How big was the sucker and jig??
Well let’s remember that they closed the musky season in the winter as well. Personally I’m not in favor of any type of season closure. Matter of fact I’m in favor of a liberal season for all fish. Have a harvest season, and allow catch and release during the off season. I really don’t care if people are out snagging flatheads and releasing them. I don’t think its very ethical and with education I think we can all come to a compromise.
Also let’s not forget that Catfish are only one of a few species that we are allowed to target during the entire spawn. An argument could be made that this time period is also questionable to catch them.
More and more people are transitioning to a higher amount of time on the water catch and releasing fish. Why not? It’s great fun!
IMO a simple solution across the board is a harvest season and a non-harvest season…..FOR ALL FISH.
I’m sure it was that awesome boat you were using that allowed such great footage! 
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We were casting. I’m sure the jig was moving
Were you fishing near a warm discharge?
dtro – I think you and I are exactly on the same page in terms of what we’d like to see in fishing regulations.
One of the issues with muskies is that they spawn relatively late and are very easy to find/watch/snag. Sort of the same argument that Brian is making, I suppose, except that muskies spawn in shallow water where you can see them and it usuaully doesn’t happen until early or mid-May. In any case, if everyone behaved ethically I think the harvest/non-harvest seasons would work perfectly. Maybe a harvest/non-harvest season plus increased fines for snagging? Then again, if it’s a C&R season would people bother snagging?
With muskies, people argue that disrupting the spawn is too easy to do because you can literally motor right up to the fish and harrass them. Would they get harrassed in a C&R season? I don’t know the answer, but I’d guess they probably would. I’m not sure cats have the same problem since you can’t see them, but maybe I’m wrong about that.
I think the December 1 closing date for muskies was pretty pointless. They limited open water opportunities for those willing to brave the cold (assuming they could find open water) and didn’t stop/change much else because nobody really targets muskies through the ice. So the only real difference, except that a few guys got their season shortened by a few days, is that now you can’t keep a muskie after Dec 1st … my understanding is that they wanted to force people to release the incidental tip up catches. Personally, if a guy figures out how to target muskies through the ice I don’t see a problem with it. Because I’m a huge supporter of C&R, I’d want him to release them all. Maybe they should have just said zero harvest after Dec 1st? 
You know, that brings me back to the flathead issue. If we have a closed season, when would it begin and end? What about the guys that have developed successful tactics for 40+ degree water temps? You can’t have a season open and close based on water temps. Should flatheads be closed until walleye opener?
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I’m sure it was that awesome boat you were using that allowed such great footage!
You know it man
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How big was the sucker and jig??
5 inch sucker and I’ll have to check on the jig size. You know if it’s not over 1 oz I have a hard time telling.
I’ve found that trying to change other opinions on line is pretty difficult…although I have to admit I’ve learned much more from people that do not have the same opinion as I than people that agree with my thoughts. Keeps me thinking out of the catfish hole so to speak.
I would suggest that one video does not tell the tale, but if there’s an interest in learning more on the subject, take a look a the data that’s available to anyone and talk to the people that have done the studies.
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A recent study provides a direct comparison of food consumption by flatheads across a range of temperatures in a controlled laboratory experiment. Dr. Jason Vokoun of the University of Connecticut, along with biologists Sam Bourret, John Hoxmeier, and Kevin Stauffer of the Minnesota DNR, presented preliminary findings of their research on coldwater feeding patterns, metabolism, and homing ability.
Over a 2-week period, flatheads were acclimated to 6 different temperatures ranging from 37F to 73F, fed rations of minnows, and consumption determined over another 2-week period. Consumption at 73F was higher than at the other temperatures. Flatheads rarely ate below 59F, most stopped feeding at 52F, and nothing was consumed at 45F or below. Metabolism, which was determined by placing flatheads in a respirometer and measuring oxygen consumption of the test fish in a resting state, also slowed at 59F and below.
I can’t speak about Muskies except that the guys that fish for them asked for a closed season on received it.
Also, the Fox River in WI has a closed season and a very restrictive slot for flatheads to deal with the issues there.
Brian,
What do you think about the idea of trying to change the limits? Or a C&R season? If you’re convinced that closing it is the best option, when do you think it should be closed? 
For any fish, there will always be a balancing act of those that want to fish for food and those that want to fish for fun. I happen it to like them both.
For me personally I would much rather see an “eater” slot for most all fish. I might be in the minority here, but I’m not a fan of the trophy “one over” slot. I understand people like putting fish up on their walls, but I don’t see the need to kill a 40 year old fish for that. How about a picture or a replica?
At any rate, the Flathead regs are pretty darn good right now in MN. I think it is a different story in WI and border waters though.
My best wishes for Flatheads would be a small bag limit of like say 2 or 3 with a keeper/eater slot of maybe 24-30″. Everything else has to go back. Yes, even the monster (once in a lifetime) trophy.
You don’t see people keeping monster White Sturgeon on the Columia do you?
Protect the big fish and you will have a great sport fishery for many many years and maybe not worry so much about the 1% that might go out snagging them in the winter. Those guys are going to do it whehter there is a law or not. We already have a law against snagging anyways right?
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I might be in the minority here, but I’m not a fan of the trophy “one over” slot.
If you are, then that makes 2 of us. There just is not need for people to keep a trophy fish in the age of replicas. It always strikes me when I am at a launch and I see a slot, but then you can keep a trophy sized fish.
Very cool video BrianK, theres no place else to go to see video’s of 100’s of pounds of underwater wintering flatheads other then BrianK’s World, very cool.
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There was a big cat posted here the other day that hit a rattle bait … I assume it ate it, but who knows. My only point is that you’re going to find exceptions to the rule you’re trying to prove.
John, the flat that hit the rattle trap was in open water. A power plant discharge lake.
As always…never say never on the river…because Ma Nature is bound to prove you wrong at some point.
I’m off to noodle walleyes on P4.
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