DO flatties use structure in shallower spots of the river?

[jworth]

Lets say a deep hole is 15-20 ft where I am. Thats where I usually throw my baits out in summer and fall. This river is only 40 yards across. Just down river there is a flat that run 4,5 or 6 ft deep. Maybe a little more shallow. In this same shallow area, there are several downed trees. Would they hunker down in these areas? How shallow would it have to be for the cover to be unsuitable for them to make a home in? This question is suitable for all the smaller rivers around me that I like to hit.

[fubar4life2010]

Flaties love cover!They will nest in a hole against the bank,in the shallows,or where ever there is cover.They love to set and ambush thier prey!
Good luck Bro!

[poisonpits]

if theres cover there and the waters warm they be there.in summer we use to float a small river here and site fish for flats and ive cought them out of brush and rocks in a foot of water at high noon.

[jworth]

Perfect. Thanks for helping. There are some shallow spots in these rivers but with lots of downed trees and I figured it wasn't worth the effort since it was only 4-5 ft deep. I thought they were mostly focused near deep holes.

[IFitSWIMS]

Josh i fish a medium/small river for flatheads that a major university did a telemetry study on ,this study concluded that flatheads wil set up during inactive periods in water as shallow as 9ft,during the warm water period.This habit depended on the amount of wood cover at that depth.The better the wood cover the more likely the flathead will remain in shallow cover and of course flatheads will hunt in these areas if prey is attracted to that area as well.This doesn't mean that every piece of good looking shallow cover will contain flats. If there is a deeper hole nearby with better cover and nearby food source most likely the flats will defer to the deeper water.I suspect that population density of the flats in a given area probably plays a part as well.A good example of an area where i have found flatheads in shallow cover would be a heavy snag at the head of a hole that has an undercut bank but little or no wood or rock cover in the hole itself and a heavy snag at the tailout of the hole as well. When i see these conditions i fish both snag areas and put a bait in the undercut close to the bank.

[Iowa_Josh]

Totally if the conditions are right. I've seen it more when the river is chocolate milk and they are escaping current but it is easier to sneak up on them too. I've thrown my bait into a pocket and saw a large fish swim out fin at the surface. I've caught a few where you set the hook and there is an instant tail splash. If there isn't anything deeper for miles, nothing to see. Move along.

[crazlegs]

From my experience logjams are the best/only place i catch them (don't have a boat) unless you are pulling them out from your usual spot might as well give it a try. live bait on the bottom with strong line, rod, and reel to pull them out of cover. NOTE: In the cooler months i think they stay in deeper water where it is warmer but they don't feed much at these times of year.

[Hector1]

When I fish areas like the one that you are describing I usually throw out a pole on the flat right by the cover and one close to the drop off where the flat becomes the deep hole.
In both cases you want to be near some cover, remember that flattys are hunters so you have to fish where the bait fish would be.

[keepitsimple]

If theres structure and the water covers their back.................fish it.

[Kycatfishing]

TRy out both depths set up to where u can throw 2 poles in the shallows and 2 in the depths and which ever produces fish then fish there

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