Ohio Cat Fishing Team

     There are countless stories about this monstrous catfish. "The one that got away!" "This fish was five foot long and snapped my line at the edge of the boat!" "He was so big, I couldn't turn him!" Everybody loses fish, sometimes the fish of a lifetime. Flatheads are known for it. Snapping lines, smoking reels, and putting up one heck of a fight. So, if its thrills like that your after this is your fish. These wild cats can be tamed though, and they can be caught. It just takes the right equipment and know how to land one. Spring is prime time to hook-up with one. Knowing the structure in the lake is the key factor to catch these fish. Doing some research, and being prepared are the weapons that will subdue andy flathead wanting to battle.
The water is starting to warm up and these cats are on the prowl gorging themselves with fish and looking for spawning grounds. Flatheads move into their spawn when the water temperature hits about 70 through 75 degrees. This usually occurs around mid June through early July. Before they start the spawn they are beefing up for the next few strenuous weeks ahead of them. During the mating period the males will lose close to 15 to 20 percent of their total body weight from protecting nests and competing for a mate. So, they must put on excessive weight beforehand for energy during this time. This is what makes spring so great for catching them.
     Flatheads are extremely structure oriented this time of year. If the structure is found, the flatheads are found. Typically, an ideal nesting site resides in three to eight feet of water. Holes along an undercut bank, old stone foundations, culverts, crevices, downed timber, hollowed logs, large stumps with exposed roots, rock piles, breaks in road beds, underwater bridge structure; these are all prime spawning locations. This type of structure located in the ideal depth of water, will be visited by at least one flathead during the night. The cat searching for structure to nest in will more or less try it out, get inside of it, roll around in it. In lake or reservoir systems dominance plays a major role on which flathead will nest in which site. The better looking snag-infested holes tend to hold bigger flathead. I'm not saying that a small one will not be caught there. A spot like that is going to be visited by multiple flatheads throughout the night. Baits should be placed in and around these types of structure. Finding these holes, rock piles, and road beds is very simple believe it or not. Normally, in the late fall and winter the water in the reservoirs is lowered for drawdown. Depending on the year the lakes and reservoirs have been as low as six to eight feet or so. This lowering of the water takes the blindfold off over your eyes, and reveals everything. Take pictures, notes, use landmarks, use a GPS, do whatever it takes to find this structure at a later date. By having this information the location of the flatheads spring movements are in your hands.
 
     Having the right equipment is the next critical step in landing a flathead. These fish aren't bull heads or channel cats, their flatheads! The average weight of one is about 30 pounds. So, put the snoopy rods away! Catching one and not having to worry about the equipment breaking is the result of beefing up your tackle. A MH to H action rod of 7 to 8 feet with a fast tip and a lot of backbone is normal. Fishing rods made of E-glass hold up extremely well. Bait casting reels with a large line capacity and a bait clicker is what's needed. The 6500 series of Abu Garcia C3 reels are perfect. Everybody has their preference between braided line versus monofilament. Monofilament is what is preferred due to its tolerance of abrasion. Run 30 lb test monofilament, this will offer more than enough strength to fight the fish and the diameter will allow there to have plenty of line before the reels capacity limit. If there is a did-hard braided line fan out there, 65 lb test is sufficient, but be cautious of break-offs around rocks. The hook and weight size depend mainly on the size of live fish being used for bait. Normally a 7/0 Kahle hook with a sliding 2 ounce egg sinker is good for baitfish up to 1/4 of a pound. When increasing the bait size, increase the hook and sinker size to keep the baitfish from swimming away from the structure or into a snag. Always have a large net of 30" round or bigger, a bright flashlight, and a pair of fish-handling gloves ready at a moments notice. Being prepared and having the right equipment for flathead is essential, they will put everything to the test.
      Spring is an amazing time of year to catch flatheads. Under favorable conditions, having a two or even three fish night is very common in the pre-spawn period. Once the structure is found, its like finding the missing piece of the puzzle it completes it. Don't let one of these big ones catch you off guard, he will get the best of you and your equipment every time. Be prepared, have the right equipment and all the tales about losing fish will be turned into memories of catching and releasing monsters.