Freshwater
Flathead Catfish
Where to find them, how to catch them and the tackle to use.
01Introduction
The flathead catfish is a big, mottled, broad-headed predator of rivers and reservoirs, and one of the largest catfish in North America. Unlike other catfish, adult flatheads eat almost nothing but live fish. They hide in logjams and deep holes by day and hunt at night, and in mature populations 50-pounders aren't unusual; fish over 100 pounds have been recorded.
02Where to Catch
Range: native from the lower Great Lakes through the Mississippi River basin to the Gulf states and into Mexico. Flatheads have been introduced into other rivers, where in some places they've hurt native fish populations and are treated as invasive.
Habitat: deep, slow pools in rivers, streams, canals, lakes and reservoirs, usually over hard bottom and near cover such as logs, drift piles, rock and undercut banks. Turbid water suits them, since they hunt more by feel and smell than sight. Tailwaters below dams are productive for rod-and-reel anglers.
Their year follows a steady pattern:
- Winter: deep holes with mild current and wood or rock; flatheads barely move.
- Spring: as water warms past 50 to 60°F, they move toward spawning areas, often the same river bend each year.
- Spawn (late spring to summer, around 75 to 80°F): cavities such as hollow logs, logjams, beaver dens and riprap, where several big fish may gather.
- Summer: individual "home" holes near cover, moving into shallower water at night to feed.
- Fall: grouping in deep holes and channels for the winter.
03How to Catch
Night fishing with live bait
The classic approach: anchor or set up on the bank next to deep water and cover, and fish a live baitfish on a slip-sinker rig near the bottom. Green sunfish (where legal), bluegills, bullheads, chubs and suckers are the top baits. Use more weight and a shorter leader in stronger current. Give the fish line when it takes the bait, then set the hook and pull it away from the snags with steady pressure.
Daytime jigging
Flatheads aren't feeding during the day, but you can provoke them. Anchor above a resting hole and work a live sunfish on a slip-sinker rig down into the hole, lifting and dropping it over and over. It may take many passes before a fish grabs it.
04Tackle
Use a heavy rod with a baitcasting reel that has a clicker, or a spinning reel with a baitfeeder, so a flathead can run with the bait. Heavy line (20-pound and up) and strong hooks let you pull big fish out of cover. Bring a headlamp and a large net. Check your state's regulations: in some states flatheads are a regulated game fish, while in others where they're invasive they must be killed.
05Questions anglers ask
How do I recognize a flathead?
A broad, flat head with a lower jaw that sticks out past the upper, a mottled yellow to brown body and a squarish tail that's only slightly notched, not forked like a channel or blue cat.
Why won't flatheads take stink bait?
Adult flatheads are predators that eat live fish, unlike scavenging channel catfish. Live baitfish are the standard; a lively sunfish is many experts' first choice where it's legal.
Can I release flatheads?
It depends where you are. In their native range they're a prized game fish. Where they've been introduced outside it, some states classify them as invasive and require anglers to kill any they catch. Check your state's rules.