Live bait vs fresh cut bait for Flathead catfish

[wolfman]

Im a firm believer in using live bluegills for flatheads. Here lately I havent been getting any strikes on live gills so I cut them up and been using the heads. Cast in the very same place and would get a couple of strikes and occasionally catch a flathead or two. Has anyone else had this same experience?

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[cross_their_eyes]

That's strange. I read someone elses post and they were saying the same thing but using cut shad instead of live ones. I'm floating several miles of the missouri this weekend and I'm gonna give gillheads a shot and see what happens.

[duxsrus]

That's generally how I fish Wolfman. I usually target flatheads with live bluegills on 2 to 3 poles and then something cut on 1 or 2 poles. Then if I'm not doing any good on the live, I'll start trading them out for cut. I've only caught one flathead since June and I've fished 2-3 nights a week all summer long. I hope the flathead action starts to pick up again sometime soon.

[Individualist]

I had been doing good on live carp (4 or 5 inchers) that is before we had several inches of rain here on the missouri river. The river is coming back down and should be getting close to normal just in time for this weekend. We'll give it a shot and see what happens.

[MUDHOLE KID]

I catch a few Flatheads on Gills, But I predomiantly fish with whole and cut blue back herring.Cut bait produces 5 to 1 for me here,especially in the late fall and winter. My bigger fish have been caught on cut bait ,also the 47lber I caught at Santee Cooper came on cut herring.Ever region is different though.Here's an example.I had to go to Detroit to work one winter and you couldn't find a bowl of Grits anywhere,Well they're common down south.Compare that to bait fish and it will give you and idea.Cafes up there don't have grits they have home fries I think.Does that make sense?

[teaysvalleyguy]

Seems like that is the best way to draw them out during spawn. I think that extra scent helps.

[klemsontigers7]

I think that this time of year, you should switch over to cut herring. Earlier, we were catching them exclusively on live bream and only catching the blues on herring. Now all of our fish come from cut blueback herring.

[cat4life]

I have caught a few flatties on live bluegill but never any thing on fresh cut bluegill. But maybe i'm just not fishing the right spot.

[Froggiestyle]

I've noticed that flats always tend to go for the live bait, but usually won't pass up freashly cut and killed shad. The oil of the shad can do wonders.

[Dave53]

I started out using live gils but if I get no action I cut them..I was told to cut them from the end of the top fin to the fins on the bottom leaving the gut sack open. I have only caught one flat but she was about 5 pounds and hit it hard..thought I finally had one of those big ones you guys catch. :rolleyes: