The Flathead catfish is one of the monsters of the catfish family. Due its great sporting prowess and good eating qualities it has been transported and are now established throughout the USA. Flathead catfishing is the pursuit of the monster fish as it is the easier of the giants, the other being the Blue, to catch mainly due to its great appetite. Named after their distinct long flat head, their oval-shaped eyes are flat, the lower jaw protrudes beyond their upper jaw and they come in various shades of mottled brown and yellow. They are true monster with catches in excess of hundred pounds being recorded in the larger rivers and lakes and it is thought that they can grow to exceed one hundred and fifty pounds.
The Flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris is known by many names including the shovelhead catfish, yellow catfish, mud catfish and Opelousas catfish.) It is a true native of the USA originating in the Mississippi and is now found across the nation. They prefer deep waters that have good hiding places such as fallen trees, logs, rocks and holes so they thrive in rivers and streams that are large and slow-moving and in lakes and ponds.
In some areas Flathead catfish are being called an intrusive species (i.e. a species that when introduced endangers the indigenous species of the area) and they have been known to destroy the populations of some fish in smaller bodies of water where they have been introduced.
OK enough about the fish's characteristics - how can we catch them? Flatheads prefer to seek their prey by sight and therefore feed throughout the day as much as they do at night. However they can be lured by flash lights at night coming to feed on the smaller fish that are attracted by the light.
During the day they will lie up in the bank holes or other hiding places such as log-jams, tree stumps and rocks. In large lakes and reservoirs, look for the big Flatheads in areas with lots of cover -- like submerged brush piles, fallen trees etc.. You will probably have to try several baits, but Flatheads definitely favor live baits, but will eat anything if it is easy for them. Although you should try a number of depths normally the bottom of the river or lake is the best place.
In rivers let your bait drift under overhanging edges of the bank and then holding for a while has proved to be an effective strategy. In lakes and ponds cast gently as close to the likely hiding places as possible and then hold as still for up to thirty minutes before reeling in the bait and then try another spot.
At night Flathead catfish will use the old channels of the reservoirs and lakes to journey to the shallows where they will feed on the small fish that gather there. Though you may need depth equipment to establish these channels they can be a very productive.
If you are after trophy fish there is be no better quarry than the Flathead catfish for sport, but as they grow larger their eating qualities definitely deteriorate.
Ben Field is a catfishing enthusiast and expert. For more information on Flathead catfishing, visit http://www.catfishingskills.com.
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