Mississippi River P 4 Flathead Catfishing Report

It’s no secret that with this years cool spring and high water, the pre spawn cat fishing was delayed. But what is not so good for targeting one fish is great for others.

The walleye guides and fishermen I talk to at Everts Fishing Resort, Dustin Stewart, Greg Vandamark and others have all been reporting great, if not outstanding walleye success.

Of course when a your out looking for flatheads, the walleyes can be annoying little bait stealers…and the walleye guys hooking into the flatheads with the jigs and crank baits feel the same way about hooking in to the king of the Mississippi, the mighty Flathead.

Now that the flow has slowed and the water temp is around 75, the walleyes should move out and the flats move in.

It’s time for some serious cat fishing on the ol’ river!

Bungalow Bill of the Bungalow Inn in Lakeland MN stuck this 23 pounder last night. Bill had a practice flathead on and after I called his hook set a "sally set", he did a much better job on this fish. <joke>

I do believe it’s very important to set the hook home. The 10/0 Gamakatsu hook needs to pull out of the bait…(live bullheads) and then into the catfish. When the bullhead comes back after the hook set, I know it wasn’t set hard enough.

No, there won’t be any flathead cat fish on the "happy hour buffet" at the Bungalow. Like always we PKR our fish. (Photo, Kiss and Release)

Brandon is the chef that many times cooks our grilled prime rib. I guess I was thinking that if I wanted to continue to enjoy the large cuts of grilled prime rib on Saturday nights I better make sure Brandon feels what flatheading is all about.

This bad boy fell to the hook with a half a sucker on it. I actually thought it might be too early for cut bait, but after last night at least one of the rods will have the crushed sucker on it’s hook. Always make sure that you step on the head of the sucker to crush it. Bushman turned me on to this a few years ago when I felt the head was the worse part of the sucker to use. Now after learning this secret little trick…I go for the head first!

For all you measurement guys, 43×23 were the measurements. (I remembered!)

Here’s another first flathead photo. This is Dan Ireland of River Falls WI. with his first flattie coming in at 10 plus pounds.

After losing a number of fish to the wood, Dan brought this guy in like a professional. With all the "new" wood in many of the areas we’ve been fishing, 80 pound PowerPro is a must have.

Flatheads like many fish, once they feel the hook want to head for cover. Cover for the flats would be under water root wads and sunken trees. With the drag tightened down on the Garcia 7000’s that I use, it’s man against fish…a tug of war with a fish on one end and you on the other. If the fish makes it into a snaggy enough snag…fish one, man zero…game over.

On a side note, we’ve boated one flattie that was clearly ready for spawning. Large belly, scrapes or battle marks and the truely distinctive smell of a spawning catfish. Most look (and smell) like early June cats. I hope the pre spawn-spawn last into August this year!

Cat fishermen, we own the night!