The shear brute strength and fight these fish give you are challenging to say the least. Keeping the fish from taking you to a snag once hooked is the challenging part. A forty pound flathead does what it wants, so using good equipment to turn and control the fish is a must.

Understanding there patterns and feeding habits much like deer hunting, figuring out where and when to intercept them.

Flatheads are loners and very territorial and their habits of ambush feeding is somewhat different that other catfish species however they are also an opportunist when it comes to feeding as is all catfish, but their appetite tends to be a bit more finicky than the other catfish species.

Most folks think flatheads can only be caught at night but for the guys who chase the flatheads will tell you different. Flatheads can be taken in the day; you just have to put the bait in front of them where they hold up during the day which is generally heavy cover. Flathead prefer live bait over the dead bait, however they will take a piece of fresh and I mean fresh cut, still bleeding piece of cut bait.

A flathead catfish will take up residence in or around a good baitfish attracter such as rock piles or log jams and they will protect and ward off any competing flatheads. Generally the bigger fish calls the shots.

Other good ambush points are tributaries that feed the main river, scour holes, drops and ledges along the river channel and docked barges, flathead will lay tight under the barges and wait on an unsuspecting prey to pass by for the ambush.

Flatheads will tolerate current but prefer some slack water. I will generally target eddies, current breaks and current seams in the spring and summer when there is current flow. These types of places allow the flatheads to rest and take advantage of the food that washes by them in the current.

The equipment required for targeting the flathead catfish  is a medium heavy seven foot rod, either a bait cast or spin casting combo which ever you prefer, spooled with at least 65 lb braided fishing line. The heavy pound test will help you pull the flathead away from cover or possible snags.

I use the 65lb test braided mainline and  I use a 50 lb. mono leader with a #9 Mustad demon circle hook. If I do get snagged the leader will break before the mainline keeping me from having to retie the whole rig again, I just replace the leader and hook and I’m fishing again quickly.

The best rig for search for monster flatheads is the slip rig /Carolina rig, it allows the flathead to take the bait and feel little resistance. I like to use a short leader and at least a 4 oz egg or no roll sinker, the heavier weight and shorter leader helps keep the lively baitfish from swimming of into nearby cover getting you tangled up.

The bite of the flathead is not at all like other species of catfish, and I think this is why a lot of anglers miss them.

The first indication of a flathead bite might be a short subtle pull of the rod and a pause if the fish is interested after that you will get another slow pull with a shorter pause, this is when you should carefully pick up the rod and get ready. As the fish takes the bait and you feel a strong steady pull as if he’s just swimming off which it is, this is when you just start reeling, slowly putting pressure against the fish and let the circle hook do its job and hook up. Setting the hook while using a circle hook is not recommended, you will lose the fish every time if you pull back hard and to set the hook.

The bite may even be more subtle if you happen to put your bait close to one that is tucked in cover. A lot of times when that happens the flathead will move out take the bait, you will see that initial pull down and that’s all, giving you the indication that he didn’t take the bait. But you have sit on that spot and had no action and you decide to move to another spot, you start reeling in your rods and the one that got that subtle bite but no commitment you thought, has a fish on the other end.

What happens is, you have put your bait close to where it’s laying and it eased out took your bait and just backed back into the cover only moving a bit, the flathead is the dominate fish and is at the top of the food chain and doesn’t have to swim away from home with the bait like other species do. Usually the fish that you catch like that have swallowed the hook.

The best baits for flatheads are live shad or pan fish. I prefer the shad when available, however they will die quicker when hooked. The pan fish are easy to catch and will stay alive on a hook a lot longer than shad. In current in rivers, I like to hook the baits through the nose so they are always facing the current but in non current situations like lakes I will hook  the bait in the tail portion at the top near the dorsal fin. Sometimes I will cut the bait to make it bleed and create a scent trail.

In the summer months I will target the flatheads at night simply because of the heat factor, fishing shallower water around cover.  But as the fall season rolls around and the water begins to cool, I will target them in their deep water lairs throughout the day.

The bite of a flathead catfish can be subtle at times but the fight will absolutely be powerful and full steam ahead.

Current seams are created naturally by the obstruction of the water flow. Major structural elements in a river that create current breaks include points, wing dams, eddies, backwaters and deep holes. The diagram shows a cross section view of how current is diverted by a point extending into the main channel.

Obstructions such as points and humps have developed on the river bank or river bed that will cause the water flow to slower, creating a seam between the fast flowing current and the slower diverted water. Most times holes are created on the back side of these obstructions creating eddies [dead mostly slower water] the water is funneled from the tail of the Eddie towards its head creating a whirlpool effect. Current seams and particularly eddies can concentrate drifting food. Small forage fish will use the current seam to pick through the drift, in turn these current seams will also attract the trophy catfish as they feed on the forage fish.

The one key element that must be present to make this type of spot productive, water flow or current! But another important aspect of catfishing the current seams is to figure out how each structure break effect’s the water movement and then how the fish relate to each current break in the relationship to the different water levels or flow.

During low water flow this large hole is normally not used by the fish because the water moves so slowly above it that there is no current for the fish to need it. But, during high water when the current is really moving, this spot is used by the fish as the current seams will provide food that washes downstream and collects in the eddies and for shelter (a current break) for the fish to conserve their energy.

So the trick is to know when each spot (or spot within the spot) is productive and when the fish will use them and only fish these areas during the correct water flow
If the flow is slow, the seams will just disappear and seem nonexistent and therefore not productive!

In a nutshell, understanding where the catfish hold at during the different water levels and current speeds on this particular seam will help you catch them. When the flow changes the catfish will change so you should too.

Early in the season, the best spots are often close to the shoreline and shallow. We can usually see the actual current break which looks like a ripple on the surface or current seam which looks like a line on the water with fast moving water on one side and still water on the other side, unless wind is blowing hard up river then they are hard to spot.

Generally, aggressive fish are on top of the point or in front of the current break where inactive fish may be behind or in the hole.
Start out by anchoring directly upstream of the current break and pitching a Carolina rig baited with shad or skip jack out and let the current sweep it until it settles on the bottom along the seam. If the fish are not cooperative move downstream a bit into the seam itself.

However setting up or anchoring on these current seams can sometimes be tricky, boat placement is crucial.

If you anchor too far out in the fast side of the seam, this will cause your bait presentation to drift further out into the main current away from the seam, and if you anchor too far in on the slower side of seam, (the Eddie) will cause your boat to spin in the whirlpool effect the eddy produces. There is a fine line between these two transitions, once you find your positioning you will drastically increase your chances of hooking into a trophy catfish.

Current seams and eddy’s are not limit to guys who only fish from a boat, bank anglers can also fish these types of spots as there are many different size current seams created naturally from river bank erosion. Small points and cut away banks all create a current seam even in small rivers and streams. Setting up on a point with moderate current flow and casting your rig out, allowing the current to sweep it into the seam is the same as anchoring a boat on it.

BONUS VIDEO: How to cut bait for catfishing in current.

Simply put, structure is the contour composition of the lake stream or river bottoms, such as ledges, drops, points, depressions, creek channels, flats and deep holes. Any natural change of the bottom contour is categorized as structure.

Catfish will use these contour changes to navigate throughout the river, lake systems using them as highways to move from one area to the next.

Cover is considered as add on’s to structure or bottom contour! Such as stumps, log jams, bridge pilings or even old sunken boat. Cover can be natural or manmade elements and is either manually placed or has been deposited by Mother Nature.

In addition to knowing the difference between the two elements, understanding that catfish are attracted to certain covers and structures for some particular reasons. Determining which cover or structures are the most attractive to the fish for any given time of year will improve your catch rate.

In the late spring, when the spawn is occurring, a good piece of structure that is located in the deep channel is not going as good due to the fact that catfish have moved to shallower water. The same type of structure near the shore will be a better choice for catfish at this time.

In the warmer summer months, structures which are in deep water can be very good for catfish anglers.
In lakes that produce a thermocline in the summer or fall, look for structures that are above the thermocline of the water, the best structures will provide shade and cooler water that the catfish will seek.

In addition, the baitfish will also be attracted to these types of structure also.

During the fall and winter months, the fish will move to the deepest parts of the area, where the water fairly stable and there is plenty of oxygen. It’s known that deep water structures may be great spots during these times, but there is never a guarantee when it comes to these whiskered adversaries.

Underwater structure plays a big part in fishing for catfish, but it is not the only factor that needs to be considered.

Catfish can be unpredictable however you can make adjustments to increase your odds. Another important part in finding the underwater structures is the food factor. If the structure has no baitfish, the catfish will move somewhere else where the food source is present.
Many anglers will just assume that if an underwater structure is present, there should be catfish down there waiting for their baits, and this is not always true.

Another element to finding a great piece of structure is cover.

Cover is like a bonus when locating structure, if you can locate a piece of cover on some structure, you have again just increased your odds of having a successful day.
Cover on structure will attract baitfish as well as give the catfish an ambush point to feed.

Understanding the migration of the catfish throughout the seasons, as well as the food sources and their locations, will help you find structures that produce good catfish.

Understanding the movements or migrations of the catfish and the baitfish, will help you understand where they will be at any given time, giving you an advantage when it comes to choosing structures to fish.

It’s like a puzzle, all of the factors must be considered together, to help pinpoint structures that have all the elements a catfish is seeking for the time of year and the specific weather and temperatures.

Transition areas are spots where the structure composition changes abruptly. Typically, the transitional areas are defined when the hard and soft bottoms meet. Some good examples would be when chunk rock bank transitions into gravel or mud, another example is rocky bank turning into a sand bank.

These transition areas are simply a breaking point which creates an edge effect.

Below is a small transition but will give you a good visual on what a transition looks like.

Catfish like many other living things are drawn to the edge. By that i mean there have been studies that have determined there is a pattern of animal behavior that has been termed as the (Edge effect). It’s the tendency of so many living things that responds to the edges in their environment.

Transitional areas are just another type of structure that is desirable for catfish and other fish including baitfish to congregate while traveling the migration or feeding routes.

Structure for catfishing can be best described as any change that breaks the general contour of the bottom such as ledges or drops, points or deep holes and should be considered as part of a possible travel route or stop over area, on their way to some other feeding or resting area. This includes transitional areas.

Transitional areas are the most the visible, but probably most over looked type of structures available to anglers. Although transitional areas are not considered a go to spot for numbers of catfish they are considered a hot spot for large cats during the migration cycles.

Catfish will move in seasonal patterns throughout the year. From winter to spring they have reproduction on their minds as they begin to migrate to the spawning areas and will use transitional areas as staging points on their journey up river and again after the spawn on their way to where they will spend the summer. During the hot summer months, catfish will seek cooler waters in the deeper holes and does not have to feed as actively.

Fall brings cooler water temperatures and starts the migration to the shallower feeding areas as they prepare to go deep again for the winter months.
Catfish will often lurk in transition zones as they prepare for the next part of their seasonal journey. Most other anglers will avoid these types of areas because the action can be slow but taking advantage of these types of spots during the transitional periods can often pay off big.

Methods to fish the transitional areas include anchoring, and controlled suspend drifting.

Suspending a Carolina rig over the transitional area will keep the bait in the strike zone. Use three to six ounce sinkers to help control the bait and it allows you to adapt to any sudden changes in depth and adjustments can be made quickly.

Anchoring above a transitional area and casting onto the area with a traditional 3-way or Carolina rigs is another presentation that works well. In this presentation the sinker size should be determined by the amount of current that is present.

Fishing transition areas could seem like a waste of time to some anglers. Simply because they are not a good area for numbers of catfish, however If you are looking for quality and not quantity, the transitional areas are a great place to cut a trophy catfish off at the pass during the seasonal migration periods.

Patterns are an important key in consistently catching catfish, the bass guys have honed their skills at finding patterns but it’s rarely talked about in catfishing.
A pattern can be most anything, you just need to pay attention to surroundings and the type of structure or banks you are fishing and try to duplicate the same types of conditions you have already been successful with. Whether it be mud banks, deep holes, shallow sand bars, rock banks, wood structure, smaller or larger baits, etc.

Paying close attention to your surroundings is the best way to put together a solid pattern for catfish. Understanding how you were able to catch the first fish will play a key role in finding patterns for catfish. If your fishing a drop and catch a catfish, was that fish on the top side or bottom side of the drop. But there are many other variables you should consider when you’re locating a pattern. Weather, time of year, time of day, water temperature, stained water, clear water, current speed and many others.

At times catfishing patterns can be hard to nail down, as patterns can change throughout the day due to weather conditions or barometric pressure changes. So if you’re catfishing and you’re not having any luck, you may want to make some adjustments. Try a different type of area or try different bait. Maybe it’s the size of the bait or a front has moved through and the fish you were catching has now moved tight to wood structure. Bottom line here is, duplicate your bait presentation by finding similar places that have the same characteristics as the first spot you were successful.

For an example:

This is one of those times where I had a good pattern on Friday but weather and river conditions changed and I had to find a back up pattern to make up for lost time I spend on a failing pattern I had the day before.

During the 2011 Cabelas King Kat tournament on the Ohio River I developed a good pattern the day before the tournament, drifting baits in 50 ft of water over a hard bottom. On tournament day the river conditions had changed and the river was on a rise and current had picked up pushing my fish to the banks. After realizing this about mid day, I changed patterns. I located a point that had a current break with a current seam and tried it and found success.

After I caught a couple 20 lbers from that spot I ran a little farther down river and found a similar point that had all the same components as the first spot that I had caught fish in, this allowed me to finished out my limit for the day. That pattern took me from three small fish that I had caught using my failing pattern to culling them for 5 respectable fish that put in 8th place in the top 10.

Don’t be afraid of trying new things to establish a new pattern if the pattern you thought was paying off goes sour. Establish a pattern and you’ll put more catfish in the boat.

drift fishing is the best technique for fishing for catfish in the summer time. Fish around ledges and drops along the river channel. Deep channel banks or channel bends are good for big catfish but the deep flats will produce numbers of 5-15 pounder’s. Use cut skip jack herring or shad for bait and chunk it in large pieces for the trophy catfish and smaller pieces for the fast action. More on Drift Fishing for Catfish

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The ditch is a hot spot that only occurs in lakes and reservoirs, it attracts many kinds of fish which in turn attracts the big monster catfish looking for a meal. You can locate most of these by looking at a decent lake map or visually look to the banks for your clues, reading the banks will tell you a lot about what’s going on, generally what you see on the bank will also be happening under the water too. So for this hot spot, I’m going to look for cuts in the bank and by cuts I mean those v shaped fingers that you see extended off the main body of water, which are really just rain water run off creeks and ditches that used to feed the main channel before the lake or reservoir was built.

These run off ditches and creeks can be at any depth and because the ditches can be as short as 100 foot or as long as 500 yards, each one with will have a variety of depths above it, it really just depends on the terrain that the lake is built on.
Ditches will also vary in actual ditch depth, some will show up on your depth finder as small 1 or 2 foot depressions and others will show definite depth change of 5 to 10 foot, along with a variety of widths, most of these old ditches and creeks will be most likely silted somewhat, so don’t expect to see a quick depth change on your depth finder, but of a more gradual change.

Catfish use these types of spots for navigating the lake system, cruising along to locate food that has washed into the lake and to blend into the structure for a ambush point. Keep in mind though, that the smaller lakes my produce a thermocline in the heat of the summer so the deepest parts of the ditch that extends below the thermocline will not produce well. You can still catch catfish but you just have to fish the ditch above the thermocline. spring, early summer, late fall and winter when the thermocline is non existent will be the best time to approach the deep water cat fishing hot spot in the smaller lakes.


The larger navigable reservoir water ways which produce current and do not develop a thermocline, and will hold fish year round although the ditch itself as a whole is good place to fish, the deeper portions of the ditch that extends out and meets the main channel seems to hold the bigger fish.

Use your favorite technique once you have found your hot spot! Catfish frequent these areas regularly and will hit on most all presentations offered. My two favorite methods for fishing the ditches are, target anchoring and a controlled suspend drifting, targeting key areas along the ditch, finding the spot with in the spot. The target area I will always key in on first is where the ditch or creek meets at the main channel and then I work my way back from there!

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