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Cut carp for flathead, because nobody here does it?

5K views 17 replies 11 participants last post by  Zeke 
#1 ·
The state record flathead was caught on a 5lb carp head.

So, everyone I've talked to here in town that hunts big catfish typically uses live bluegill's. When I bring up the idea of cut carp, I've literally never had someone say ( I used that before)

I've been contemplating catching a few carp and just trying it.

Am I thinking about this the right way?
 
#10 ·
I feel in current; cut-bait works best. The current will carry the scent down stream and the fish will swim up-current to find it. In still water (no water movement) the fish has to practically swim directly over it to smell it. In still water; live bait works best; the live bait will struggle against the hook and sinker and put out vibrations that the catfish's lateral line can detect from long distances. So, live bait in calm ponds; and cut-bait in river currents. I'm not saying you can't catch fish on cut-bait in calm water or you can't catch fish on live bait in current; I am just saying what works best for me. Good luck.
 
#14 ·
I don't know why, but I have yet to catch a big flathead on common carp.

I have tried large fillets of common carp multiple times for several years, but I always had more success with cut white bass, smallmouth bass, rock bass, largemouth bass, walleye, sauger, bluegill, etc... just never have done well with cut common carp.
 
#15 ·
The state record flathead was caught on a 5lb carp head.

So, everyone I've talked to here in town that hunts big catfish typically uses live bluegill's. When I bring up the idea of cut carp, I've literally never had someone say ( I used that before)

I've been contemplating catching a few carp and just trying it.

Am I thinking about this the right way?
That weird. Nearly everyone in my catzilla circle, including me, would take a bait-size carp (about a pound or so) over a gill in a heartbeat when monster hunting. I got my PB on a carp head from a 5 pounder. Flats will obviously take a chunk of cut carp when they find it, but so will lots of other things, especially turtles.
 
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