Cape fear flathead catfish

[bigcatwannabe]

i was just wondering what everyone looks for to find a good flathead hole. i've been real interested in trying to start fishing for flatties, but i just need some advice on what to look for in particular besides deep water and heavy timber. thanks guys

[Cattledogz]

Pat,
You don't have to go deep for nice flatheads. Many are caught in shallower water than a lot of folks would ever think.
Do some reading through the past posts and you will learn lots on that topic.
Good luck :)

[bigcatwannabe]

ok, thanks for the advice

[CATCPA]

I know last weekend they were coming out of shallow water right up against the banks. Heavy cover. I also like the live eel for bait.

[Southernraised84]

I grew up on the cape and from what i have seen those flatties hit shallow water at night. find a area where there trees in the water old stumps stuff like that and there is shallowwater close by use live bream or goldfish and you will get one.

[NCCatter]

Is it legal to use goldfish for bait in NC? Even if they are, seems like that could be expensive!

[01 Mudslinger]

i was wondering about that too, blue gill or goldfish, i thought it was illegal, but im used to fishing with shad.

[Timber Cat]

Don't know about using goldfish,but bream is legal as long as it is being used on rod and reel.Unless it has changed?????

[NCCatter]

Yea you can use bream on rod and reel only. Not jugs or limlines or trotlines. I just don't know if goldfish is legal to use as live bait (or cutbait for that matter). LoL