A little Pool 4 fun… again!

Nice catfish

Are you saying I should run out and buy some Fin-tech Zone-R Nuckleball’s to catch wintering flatheads?

Or that these jigs are strong enough to bring in one of these large dormant fish?

Don’t get me wrong. The are a hoot to snag in the winter on walleye gear, but the way your post reads, it’s the jig that caught the fish(es) when a treble hook will work much better.

There is a reason the MN DNR is working to protect these fish in the winter dormant months.

Is that better BK? Winter months? The water is still near 50 degrees. Funny thing is I caught it going up river in 12 ft of water. Catfish dont go dormant in 12 ft. But thanks for posting though.

Very nice fish , they taste great also .We are bringing up a crew this year that will catch and clean . They cant believe we catch them on crappie jigs and crank baits .

Did I miss the memo on Get BK Going Day today?

No problem and happy to do so.

My reply was spurred by your 11 posts that focused on Fin-tech jigs catching flatheads when they seldom bite. As I said last year, you’re doing Fin-tech a dis service by mentioning their name. At least to the cat guys around here.

They are a very good jig, but saying it was the reason you caught it (anywhere in the water column) is a bit outlandish at best.

We welcome the folks from IN to come on up and enjoy the spectacular resource we have in the Mississippi River. Let me know when your coming. I would like to try flathead too if you’ll share. I’ll bring the beer.

Msw, Fin-tech does catch walleyes to…right??

I always just tell people what I catch fish on. If I caught it on lead core and a rap, thats what I will say. 11 posts? Try 2

Will do BK , he tells me its the best tasting fish in the river !

BK, serious question. I have caught several catfish ice fishing on Pepin with slender spoons. I know they go dormant, but how do they bite under the ice then?

That’s what I’ve heard too…but who is “he”?

Book some cabins at Everts Resort and we can talk more about locations ect. I would love to try one some time…. during the summer months.

Did you catch channels or flatheads on slender spoons? Channels will eat throughout the year.

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BK, serious question. I have caught several catfish ice fishing on Pepin with slender spoons. I know they go dormant, but how do they bite under the ice then?

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Sorry I missed this post.

As Pug mentioned channels love slender spoons with a minnow and they do bite all year.

Did you watch the video above? I have another one of a live sucker sitting in front of a wintering flathead.

I have another video of fiber bait catching (the video captures the bite) of a channel cat.

If you feel I’m picking on you for snagging a flat, I’ll be clear. It’s possible to “catch” one now. We are at the transition time where they just stop eating altogether. The do eat (very little) between 50 and 40 degrees.

If the videos don’t convince you, shoot me your email and I’ll send you the biologist studies.

But I thought this post was about Fin Tech jigs?

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Catfish dont go dormant in 12 ft

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What happened to your statement about “it wasn’t caught on the bottom”??

Now don’t be sneaky and change your above post after the fact. You’ll lose credibility in other things you’re “claiming”.

I”m not sure who told you they don’t winter in twelve feet of water. I don’t have proof in a published video, but I have a few clips showing cat(s) wintering in less than twelve feet of water.

I’ll look for it one of these weekdays. Now I’m off to the river to fish walleye/sauger.

See you out there

Flatheads taste best in winter. Doesn’t matter where their hooked. Cut off the tail and hang em awhile, then throw em in the crockpot. Tastes just like chicken!

Now Brian, how would you know…Mr. Professional Sheepshead guide?

This might sound bizarre, but during an ice fishing trip in Kansas about 2 years ago, I watched probably a dozen flatheads iced over a 3 day period. The largest was over 35 pounds and required the careful drilling of several other connecting holes to land.

Guys were catching these while crappie fishing and most were coming in suspended over 10′ off the bottom. We never hooked in to any however. The ones I saw caught close to me were on silver kastmasters. I have a pic of the big one and will try to dig it up to post.

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This might sound bizarre, but during an ice fishing trip in Kansas about 2 years ago, I watched probably a dozen flatheads iced over a 3 day period. The largest was over 35 pounds and required the careful drilling of several other connecting holes to land.

Guys were catching these while crappie fishing and most were coming in suspended over 10′ off the bottom. We never hooked in to any however. The ones I saw caught close to me were on silver kastmasters. I have a pic of the big one and will try to dig it up to post.

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Chances are they were snagging them. Especially when you say on KastMasters. I have seen guys sitting over a specific spot “catching” flathead after flathead. They were snagging a dormant pod of flats. Pretty frustrating to watch.

They very well could have been as I’m no expert on catfish. I will mention that all of these catfish were not caught in the same area per say, but mostly within a 100 yard stretch of the lake. At any rate, it was neat to see that big one come up through the ice.

Watch the video above.

As a neutral bystander to this conversation (I don’t know any of you), I’d say it seems a little presumptuous to assume that any flathead caught after say, November, had to have been snagged. This is just my $.02 worth, not trying to ruffle feathers.

No feather ruffling Andy.

Most folks don’t even know they have a winter dormant period.

I have quite a bit of video of them laying on the bottom sometimes stacked 5 deep, sometimes laying on their side looking dead.
Video of a live sucker stuck in front of their noses…wiping a dead shad over their nose.

Course that’s only a snapshot in time. That’s when I went to the biologist that have interest in flatheads.

To summarize the papers, it says in the controlled environment they lowered the water temps to 50 degrees and the flats ate very little. At 40 degrees and below they stopped feeding totally, losing very little weight. One of the reasons they look so healthy in the spring.

If anyone would like to see the complete report, pm me your email. It’s a public document.

The info that’s out there, if a person really wants to find it is convincing enough for the MN DNR to start a closed season for flatheads.

WI close the flathead season on one of it’s rivers because folks where placing fish-houses over wintering holes, snagging the flats, then taking them home as legally caught fish.

Now I’ll never say never…because I’m still amazed at stuff I never thought I would see. Still, chances are if they are coming through the ice, they were snagged and when a person says there were numbers of fish…I would put a $100.00 bill down on them being snagged.

But this thread was started and my reply was to the original poster that has since changed his posts.

On the other hand, I’ll take every opportunity I can to help people understand one of the few fish that go dormant underwater.

BK, what are you talking about? My original post only said they I caught a catfish on a Fin-tech jig. You are telling me that if I would have said I caught it on a three way with a floating head, your comments would have been different? Your replay was stemmed only because I mentioned the name of the jig. If I said I caught it on a Northland jig, you wouldn’t have said what you did. By the way, caught two more flatheads on Sunday in about 8 ft of water going up river off of a wing dam, again hooked inside their mouth, both took drag out instantly as they were active fish.. and saw another big cat get caught as well.. and yes the fish were of course released.

Sorry Bub, your credibility after changing your post rates “10” on the BS meter.

Go back to the top and read it. I haven’t changed it.

I don’t have a problem with folks “catching” flatheads or posting photo’s of their catch. I encourage them. Just don’t come here and say “my Brand X Jig is why I caught this fish”.

I only changed it because you had a heart attack over it. And no, you are wrong, all I said is I caught it on a Fin-tech Zone – R Nuckleball. Never did I say that was the reason I caught it. Seriously, you are dilusional if you seriously believe that. You completely take the fun out of posting fish. Thanks.

I really don’t think my reply indicated a heart attack.

Although your PM to me admitting you snagged last years fish did give me reason to question your integrity.

The cat I caught in March was legally caught, hooked it in the mouth. I said that I’m guessing I may have snagged it because the water was very cold and it didn’t instantly pull drag like the one I caught on Friday, which was an active fish.

Don’t sweat it msw1700. I got my put in a sling last year when I asked some questions about dormant flat heads too. BK is a passionate and knowledgeable flat head expert (did I just say that?) who won’t let go of this argument. Listen, watch the vids, learn something and just spit the hook out and move on with your life.