Anyone in here fish for Flatheads? Would like to hear some stories and general info! 
I am in MN and fish the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers for Flats and Channels. Check out the MN Mississipi forum. Mississippi river forum
Marc not to many anglers just go out to fish for the famous fighting flathead. They are in the rock but not alot. It’s a bonus fish when you catch one. Peace 
I lived in Rockton Illinois from ’87-’92. I targeted large flatheads on the Rock and did very well. I would use small bluegills for bait. My best tactic was to anchor on the downriver side of a bridge piling, and cast the ‘gill out into the current. The bait would be swept into an area with less current. I never worried about watching the poles, because when I had a bite, the big flats would inhale the gill. I was never skunked, but had many nights where I caught only one flat. I would also fish for channels with pieces of fresh shrimp. Channels love fresh shrimp. One medium shrimp would give me 4 pieces of bait. Back then, I was always reminded of the novel, “The Old Mand and the Sea.” I had a 12’ alumacraft and usually fished alone. Pulling in a 25 pound flat in the dark was quite exciting.
Downriver below Rockford and farther south to the Dixon area, big flats are targeted heavily.
Actually there are allot of flathead’s in the Rock from Sterling/Rock Falls south. We just started the last couple years trying to catch them on rod and real in the Erie Area.
They catch 20-30 pounders out from below the Rockfalls dam all the time.
Not many people fish for much more than Flathead and Channels in this section of river. My brother caught 1 walleye once by accident fishing a worm on the bottom.
Actually I hear walleye is the flatheads choice of food! 
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