Hot weather puts Lake Norman flatheads on the prowl for cooler water, shade.
Justin Goodson of Fishers of Men Guide Service comes from a catfish-crazed family that had him fishing just as soon as he could hold a rod. A native of Catawba, N.C., he’s the son of Garrett Goodson, host of an old TV fishing show who gained acclaim for catching flathead catfish with jigging spoons.
Justin Goodson now targets Lake Norman’s flatheads, which grow to 50 pounds. He uses live bait during the summer’s heat when many anglers seek refuge in their air-conditioned homes.
“The summer months are some of the best times to catch big flatheads,” said Goodson (828-461-2007). “Catfish can tolerate heat, unlike many other species.”
Some flatheads move deep in search of cooler water. But others find comfortable holes within a long cast from the shore if there’s cover that blocks the sunlight. Many a pier fisherman targeting crappie has unexpectedly encountered one of these whiskered brutes.
Shoreline haunts include rock holes, submerged trees and logs, deep-cut banks, bridge pilings and boat docks. Offshore, flatheads love deep channel bends, potholes, drops and rocky places with current.
Find the white perch, and you’ll find flatheads
Norman’s 32,510 acres can be intimidating while conducting an offshore search for flatheads, even with today’s side-scan sonar units. For that reason, Justin and other guides look for schools of white perch busting forage at the surface. The rampaging perch leave scraps of baitfish behind that attract flatheads to dine on the leftovers. If a fisherman lowers a live perch into the area where flatheads are feeding, he should prepare himself for a tug of war. The same scenario may ensue if he drops a silver or gold jigging spoon among the scraps of baitfish.
When he can’t find feeding perch, Goodson slow-trolls or drifts using a Carolina rig consisting of a 1-ounce sinker, an 18-inch, 20-pound fluorocarbon leader and a No. 3/0 J hook. Flatheads favor live bait. So live shad, herring, white perch, bream and goldfish are deadly choices.
Goodson also fishes at night, focusing on shallow points and flats. He positions his 24-foot john boat with anchors on the bow and the stern, to keep the craft steady, then sets out eight to 10 rods around his boat. He tight-lines using Ambassadeur C3 reels filled with 20-pound mono or braid in conjunction with medium-heavy, 7-foot, Ugly Stik rods. The reels are placed in free spool with their clickers on.
“While summer fishing can be difficult, it can also be fun and rewarding,” he said.
Click here for info on catching night-time flatheads on Lake Wylie.
