Completing the feat of catching all three of the major catfish species — channels, blues and flatheads — at one lake is quite a feat, but one that guide Rodger Taylor does frequently.
“During May all three species are caught,” Taylor said. “The channels and blues are often found together, but the flatheads are usually specifically targeted.”
Taylor said catching the big flatheads requires a little more effort and precise presentation.
“The big flathead bite is often best at night,” he said. “The key is where the flatheads can hold in water relatively shallow, but near a slightly deeper hole. Flatheads are also notorious for being slow to bite, but when they do, odds are good you’re hooked into a large fish.
“Flatheads are caught throughout the lake during May, although during hot weather they are usually more frequently caught up the two major river arms. I look for bends in the river or large creek channels with shallow flats near deeper holes of water. Since the best flathead fishing is after dark, I set up right at dark and get my baits out and let everything quiet down. Usually about an hour of waiting is required for the flatheads to begin to bite.”
Taylor said he uses live bait of various varieties for the flatheads with live white perch in the 6- to 9-inch class being one of his favorites.
Taylor uses the Shakespeare Tiger Rods for the big flatheads because of their light tips but heavy backbone to work these extremely hard-fighting fish. He also paints his rods white for better visibility. He rigs with a 6/0 to 8/0 circle hooks and uses a heavy sinker, up to two ounces, to keep the live bait in place, but he does use a float on the leader as he would on his drift-fishing rigs.
“I will put some rods out with cut bait, and we will catch big blues and channel catfish as well as flatheads on those rods too,” he said. “But when fishing like this, I am specifically targeting the big flatheads.”
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