When to start flat heading

[dragon86]

I'm kind of new to flathead fishing just started targeting them within the past year. An i was wondering when is a good time of the year to start. I was told about April or May but it seems like i should be able to start sooner. Oh, an I mainly fish Rend Lake so any info on when to start fishing there would be best.

[TONTO]

You should be able to catch some in april, however around the end of february they can be caught in the Carlyle tail race of the Kaskaskia river. I always fish from a boat there is about a 100 yard stretch where they stack up. I use one ounce jigs tipped with a three inch curly tail and a minnow or nightcrawler. Just bounce it along the bottom, sometimes you wont feel them hit other times they smack it like a bass picking up a plastic worm. You catch Sauger as a bonus. Dont know much about flathead fishing in Rend but I am sure there is someone on line who can help you. Hope this helps

[bluehunter76]

Thanks for the info. Have you had any success with live bait for flats? (Other than crawler and minnow) If so what worked for you?
Thank you

[riverrat85]

Tonto

ill be headin down to carlyle at the end of this month or early next month for flats. Usually fish the tailwater but dont have any luck but i have only fished it in the hot months so i would like to try it early. U think i would have any success from the bank or do you always use a boat.

[alands94]

I've seen some nice flatheads come from the spillway in Feb-March from the bank. I've caught some sauger and smaller flatheads bank fishing with heavy jigs as well. I usually use minnows, but I've caught a few on leeches as well. Good luck!




Tonto

ill be headin down to carlyle at the end of this month or early next month for flats. Usually fish the tailwater but dont have any luck but i have only fished it in the hot months so i would like to try it early. U think i would have any success from the bank or do you always use a boat.

[catfishcrazy256]

I USUALLY START CATAHING FLATS IN LATE MARCH ,EARLY APRIL IN SO, IN.

[TONTO]

The only place I use jigs with minnows or nightcrawlers is at Carlyle. Rest of the time I use live bait, bluegills, shad, perch, bullheads all will catch flatheads. I have seen people catch some nice flatheads from bank, but the most success is definately out of a boat. Hope this helps.

[big-muddy]

late march early april, the males will feed heavily around root systems, riprap and old road beds. its best to have a boat to reach these spots as the water will likely be too high to reach the sweet spots from the bank. when the males settle into the nest,(later in april and early may) the females will begin to feed in about a 20 yard radius from these same spots. best baits would be live or cut shad and small bullheads. also when the water is high at the spillway go downstream to the breakwater and throw in a shad head with no sinker and let it drift. you may hook into a lot of gar, but patience will probably land you a good fish. i just got my boat late last season, but i have spent half my life on the banks of rend jawjacking with the local kodgers who do have enough knowledge to confidently share it. good luck and good fishing.

[lissaannjon]

steve im not shure what your water temps are there in the winter but 50 degrees (water temp) is typically the magic number for flatties to start feeding give or take a couple of degrees. I don't fish lakes but i would assume that lake temps would be similier for feeding. as it continues to warm the bite should intensify as they begin to move around more.

[deerhunter4]

Hey Travis,
give me a shout and I will come down and fish it with ya...I will bring my boat as I want to check out those waters anyway...never fished that side of the Kaskaskia...


Tonto

ill be headin down to carlyle at the end of this month or early next month for flats. Usually fish the tailwater but dont have any luck but i have only fished it in the hot months so i would like to try it early. U think i would have any success from the bank or do you always use a boat.

[riverrat85]

Paul

As long as it stays cold i might put it off till the first weekend in march. If it warms alittle i will prolly try at the end of the month. It is some awesome white bass fishing down there. Always did good on them and some nice channels but still no flatty. Would be fun to give it a try atleast. I aint got my lines wet since September of last year! :embarassed: IM HAVING WITHDRAWLS!:wink:

[deerhunter4]

I agree on some warmer weather...


Paul

As long as it stays cold i might put it off till the first weekend in march. If it warms alittle i will prolly try at the end of the month. It is some awesome white bass fishing down there. Always did good on them and some nice channels but still no flatty. Would be fun to give it a try atleast. I aint got my lines wet since September of last year! :embarassed: IM HAVING WITHDRAWLS!:wink:

[catinaldatime]

I agree on some warmer weather...if u have some type of warm water by u,start now.i just had a couple flats this past weekend at coffeen,lost 1,but caught a little 15 pounder.get as much practice in as u can,before they really start hitting.Hope to hear more from ya buddy.

[deerhunter4]

Brother we will go real soon I am looking forward to a trip to the river and or a trip to Baldwin or Coffeen with you and Dan...


if u have some type of warm water by u,start now.i just had a couple flats this past weekend at coffeen,lost 1,but caught a little 15 pounder.get as much practice in as u can,before they really start hitting.Hope to hear more from ya buddy.

[Dan the Fisherman]

Say Charlie showed me how it was done this last weekend. :worship::worship::worship: One 15# striper, one 15# flattie and finishes with another 8# striper. I just got to watch:sad2:. At this rate he will catch me on the bigger fish by the end of the year. lol

[deerhunter4]

That is great news Dan,
glad the boy was able to catch a few...
Sure makes him wanna come back...:wink:
I am looking forward to some warmer weather so I don't poop out on ya'll in the cold...Looks like the snow is flying in my neck of the woods...We did go down to Rend this weekend and the Lake is up coming over the Notch in the spillway about about 3 inches...The Kaskaskia is up to full bank at Patoka and Carlyle is looking much better...Not sure how long it will hold at full bank but right now it is and the current is strong...If the weather permits I am going to try and go down and put out a few jugs on and look the river over a little closer on Saturday...
Only putting out jugs as I know if I stay moving I might stand a chance at staying a little warmer and once we get the jugs out get in the truck and thaw out a bit...Going to go over to the Damn after and check out the other side and see what the water is like coming out the south end...look forward to fishing with you boys again real soon...:smile2::smile2::smile2:


Say Charlie showed me how it was done this last weekend. :worship::worship::worship: One 15# striper, one 15# flattie and finishes with another 8# striper. I just got to watch:sad2:. At this rate he will catch me on the bigger fish by the end of the year. lol

[big-muddy]

depending on how the waters looking at the spillway, i may throw in a line while were down there.

[Don Wessling]

When I lived at Carlyle years ago, I would catch flatheads this time of year in the old river channel off Hazlett Park. Put a weight about 2-3 ft. above your hook with live bait, let the weight lay down in the channel. if your not getting any hits,try to drag the weight about 10 ft. up or down the channel to find them. They are there and hungry. Below the spillway they can be caught year round if they are releasing water.

[big-muddy]

Paul

As long as it stays cold i might put it off till the first weekend in march. If it warms alittle i will prolly try at the end of the month. It is some awesome white bass fishing down there. Always did good on them and some nice channels but still no flatty. Would be fun to give it a try atleast. I aint got my lines wet since September of last year! :embarassed: IM HAVING WITHDRAWLS!:wink:
hey travis, how did you do on the waterfowl this season? i saw on the rend lake survey it said 1400 snow geese as opposed to 12000 last year.

[riverrat85]

We did pretty good this year. ended the season with 116 ducks 15 canadians and so far we've killed 149 snows/blues. :cool2: As long as it stays cold we will be able to hunt them buggars till the end of march! hopefully not though cuz i wanna catch some cats.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f155/IL_duckboy870/2-15-08skycarp.jpg

[riverrat85]

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f155/IL_duckboy870/27snows3-1.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f155/IL_duckboy870/openingday.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f155/IL_duckboy870/27snows3.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f155/IL_duckboy870/snowsoffdecoys.jpg


heres some more pics from the season shane!