Fun Question---blues/flatheads
#6742414
01/24/20 01:41 PM
01/24/20 01:41 PM
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 3,298 Ontario, Canada
slydogx
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 3,298
Ontario, Canada
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Just for fun...
Say a fellow lives right near Detroit, MI and wants to take a day trip to spend a day (night?) fishing for blues and flatheads with a goal of catching 1 fish over 40lbs.
For argument's sake, a 5 hour car trip will get that person to the Hoover resevoir in Westerville OH and 8 hours will get him deep into KY, maybe even TN.
What would be a good, public access spot to look at?
This person has caught many, many channel cat using heavy duty baitcasting equipment, a 2/0 hook and a variety of baits (shad, nightcrawler, chicken livers, etc) and would probably just use that equipment instead of buying more gear.
Seems like it would be a relatively inexpensive means to knock a bucket list item off and spend some quality time with the kids to boot...
Thoughts?
Just happy to be here.
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Re: Fun Question---blues/flatheads
[Re: slydogx]
#6742443
01/24/20 02:06 PM
01/24/20 02:06 PM
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Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 4,771 Beatrice, NE
loosegoose
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 4,771
Beatrice, NE
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We've got plenty of flatheads in the blue river 5 blocks from my house, and there's public access to boot, though I don't know how big they get. I ran bank lines in the river last year using nightcrawlers for bait, and probably 10-15% of my catch was flatheads, though none were over about 5 pounds. It's a small river, typical depth where I'm at is 6-8 feet, so I don't know how big they get, but there's plenty of snags for them to hide and hunt, and I"ve seen pics of people with big ones. It's 12 hours from Detroit though
Last edited by loosegoose; 01/24/20 02:10 PM.
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Re: Fun Question---blues/flatheads
[Re: slydogx]
#6742446
01/24/20 02:07 PM
01/24/20 02:07 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 830 West coast of Iowa
iaduckhntr
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 830
West coast of Iowa
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Kansas for big blues Dennis
Old 8 toes~~ life ITA and NRA member Life in the fast lane is no place for a tricycle!
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Re: Fun Question---blues/flatheads
[Re: slydogx]
#6742562
01/24/20 03:35 PM
01/24/20 03:35 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 840 Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
trapper234
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 840
Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
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The Tennessee River holds monster cats. Your equipment seems fine except for your hook size. I recommend 8/0 or 10/0 offset circle hooks for big blues and flats. If you catch a monster please cpr. The little ones are much better eating.
Last edited by trapper234; 01/24/20 04:21 PM.
Life Member WTA Life Member NRA Member NTA
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Re: Fun Question---blues/flatheads
[Re: slydogx]
#6742638
01/24/20 05:02 PM
01/24/20 05:02 PM
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,121 AK
FL cracker in AK
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trapper
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,121
AK
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Yep, need bigger hooks. When me and my brother in Florida started using bigger hooks, we caught a lot more big catfish. The only small catfish we seemed to quit catching were polliwogs, the local name for bullheads. There mouth was just too small. Still catch a ton of little blue, channel, flathead, and white. The bigger gap between the shank and the top of the circle hook on bigger hooks is critical to consistently catching bigger catfish in my experience. You will catch an occasional big fish with little circle hooks, but you will lose a lot due to their lips being too big. Anyone who has held a big catfish 40 lbs and up knows how big their lips are.
Psalm 34:6
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Re: Fun Question---blues/flatheads
[Re: slydogx]
#6742655
01/24/20 05:20 PM
01/24/20 05:20 PM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,639 Warren co Mo
hrdtoflw
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,639
Warren co Mo
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I have not been fishing on the Ohio or Tennessee rivers, but I know there are many areas to fish on those rivers. Are planning on bank fishing, or using a guide service? I fish the Mississippi River often, and we catch a lots of big blues! I use circle hooks 8/0 or bigger, with heavy sinkers. We use a boat with trolling motor to control our drift speed to about 1 mph. On good days, we will boat a lot of fish , over 30 lbs. if you were closer, you could pile in with me!
If your mind draws a blank, turn off the sound, because ya can't learn a thing if you're doin all the talkin
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Re: Fun Question---blues/flatheads
[Re: slydogx]
#6742670
01/24/20 05:30 PM
01/24/20 05:30 PM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,639 Warren co Mo
hrdtoflw
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,639
Warren co Mo
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A friend and his brother caught these, while in their boat, and my son and I were in my boat. We only keep a few smaller fish to eat, but my friend keeps big fish, and I don’t. Not many in this picture are under 40 pounds! I turn big fish loose, but on the other hand, these were not mine. For a short trip with a bucket list, a guide may be the way to go, but they are not cheap!!!
If your mind draws a blank, turn off the sound, because ya can't learn a thing if you're doin all the talkin
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Re: Fun Question---blues/flatheads
[Re: slydogx]
#6742672
01/24/20 05:31 PM
01/24/20 05:31 PM
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 3,298 Ontario, Canada
slydogx
OP
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OP
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 3,298
Ontario, Canada
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I would probably just bank fish to keep costs down.
These responses are great by the way, keep 'em coming.
It may just be daydreaming right now, but who knows... there is a very real possibility that I'll be alligator hunting this summer in FL and I NEVER thought that would happen
I am also a #2 on a remote trapline in Kapuskasing Ontario all of a sudden LOL... definitely never saw that coming.
Part of the reason for this post is an encouragement to myself and everyone else to take some time to chase a few dreams no matter how silly
Just happy to be here.
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Re: Fun Question---blues/flatheads
[Re: slydogx]
#6742675
01/24/20 05:34 PM
01/24/20 05:34 PM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,639 Warren co Mo
hrdtoflw
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,639
Warren co Mo
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Nothing silly about making dreams come true buddy. Live life to its fullest!
If your mind draws a blank, turn off the sound, because ya can't learn a thing if you're doin all the talkin
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Re: Fun Question---blues/flatheads
[Re: slydogx]
#6742686
01/24/20 05:43 PM
01/24/20 05:43 PM
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Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 4,771 Beatrice, NE
loosegoose
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 4,771
Beatrice, NE
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I use 8/0 circle hooks for my bank lines, and my catches range anywhere between 8" long and 5+pounds. Definitely go with a bigger hook. And bank fishing on a river can be hard, at least if it's a smaller river. Here on the blue, I can think of 4 places with public access within a half hour drive, but for all of them, you've got about 10 feet of bank to stand on and the rest is jungle. And if the place you're at isn't having a good bite, you've got to walk though a jungle or drive to the next place. Also, some of the places are super shallow riffles, and the better water is just downstream. If you can get ahold of a kayak or some other boat, you can work each snag as you go downstream, and if it's not productive, paddle 50 yards downstream to the next snag and try again. I'm not saying bank fishing can't be done from a river, obviously it can, and maybe other rivers are different. I'm only speaking from my own experience.
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Re: Fun Question---blues/flatheads
[Re: slydogx]
#6742846
01/24/20 08:10 PM
01/24/20 08:10 PM
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J Staton
Unregistered
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J Staton
Unregistered
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Well if you could drive a bit further I would suggest Lock and Dam #2 on the Arkansas River. The Arkansas, White, and Mississippi rivers meet not far from there.Catfish,spoonbill,bass, and crappie galore. Late April and May would be the time to be there. May not even be so hot at that time so a Canadian wouldn't melt.
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