Deep Water Flatheads

Finally,I'm glad to see ya'll posting.I've made post upon post on catching Deep Flatheads and they never seem to take off.I catch alot of my better fish deep.25-40 feet depending on the weather and water conditions.I love it because these fish are never harassed.I like it even better when it's cold out and no one wants to be on the lake.I made the same post months back and it got hammered pretty good,so it does me good to see ya'll posting up.It's seems it's something that alot of folks over look.I had rather catch fish like this than I had durning spawn.Most of the fish I posted in my gallery were caught deep.I suffer alot of times too,but when I find them deep it's a world of fun. Maybe this post will be a true deep water post and not turn into a Shallow Water post. I don't set throw lines or anything like that because it's not legal here ,I fish rod and reel from a boat ,but deep is deep no matter how you fish it.

I fish deep most of the time.If I catch fish,good,if I don't I use it as a learning tool.We haven't had any rain the whole month of sept.Katrinea was the last little sprinkle we had.This is causing the bite to slow a little.The generation has slowed so the current up in the rivers has slowed also.There's usally no problem with theromcline up in the river arms if they're pulling water hard.I just fish deep cover,always have always will.After the water starts it's cooling down stage I'll come out of the river arms and move back out in the open water of the lake.I fish all winter.Some folks are under the impression you can't catch flatheads in the winter.Depending on your location and how cold the water gets tells the story.As long as the water temp will hold in the mid to even low 50's I think I have a fighting chance.This year for example,the water temp,. was 56 degrees on News Years Day.Me and my son caught 3 fish that weighed 73 pounds total.2 of the best fish where flatheads and the other was a blue.Water temp is key.If it's in the 50's I think it's a go.This is only my experince and I haven't wrote any books or made any tv programs,but it happens.

Mudhole: How big is the cat you're holding? I've probably trotlined my whole life waiting for a fish that big. I believe you said you fish Santee Cooper. It must be nice to get to fish catfish paradise any time you want to! That's one of my dream fishing spots. Unfortunately, it's about 9 hours from where I live. Maybe someday. The last time I was in South Carolina was in 86 when I was in boot camp. I'm anxiously waiting for this weekend. I've got a trip planned and if I can get enough bait, I'm definately going deep. What I'm gonna look for are laydowns and that channel edge in 35' of water. I set a deep line once before but when I dropped the end of it, it was in about 75' of water. Too deep! All the bluegill were still on it, ice cold, and graveyard dead. That was my first discouraging lesson in setting a deep line below the thermocline.

Flatheads in 60 feet of water... and 2-5 feet of water. Right now, in South Dakota, temperatures at night are nearing the low 40s. During the day, the low 70s. If I fish above the Gavins Point Dam in Yankton, South Dakota, I'm assured flatheads anywhere from the bank to 60 ft. I set multiple lines, but bring along multiple people that can handle a flathead anywhere from the low 20s to the high 50s and everything in between. We are only allowed two poles per person, no jugs, no limbs, only two hooks per pole. The only competent people that won't piss me off at 2:00 AM to 5:00 AM are women, believe it or not. Soap, I bring me mum, a girlie womanly friend or two or five, sit on a comfy chair, go into a sugar coma from the Original Coca-Cola at ~ 2:30 AM and fall asleep at three....

Only to be woken by the screaming of Garcia 7000s and big Akuma reels....

My attitude: big bait for deep water. Smaller bait for shallower water. I can now honestly say that I have used 1 - 2.5 lb carp with great success, but it was only yesterday that I experienced this sucess, your experiences may differ. I love to use sheephead (freshwater drum) as well as LARGE suckers and gargantuan bullheads in deep water. Shallow water: moderate size suckers, bluegills, big creek chubs, and a partridge in a pear tree.....

or something like that...

My advice: Bring a woman fishing. It seems THEY understand Selective Harvest far better than most DNR agencies I talk to. And, the best part, they don't drink your beer. They have their own. I'm a Guiness type of guy with an occasional Sam Adams when the fishing, and the weather, turn mighty cold: like right now.

Take care,

J.A. McGlasson

PS: NEVER NEVER NEVER Drink, Fish, and then Drive. Known of some guys that drove their pickups into the Missouri... never to be seen again. Be smart. Have a designated driver.

Flatheads in 60 feet of water... and 2-5 feet of water. Right now, in South Dakota, temperatures at night are nearing the low 40s. During the day, the low 70s. If I fish above the Gavins Point Dam in Yankton, South Dakota, I'm assured flatheads anywhere from the bank to 60 ft. I set multiple lines, but bring along multiple people that can handle a flathead anywhere from the low 20s to the high 50s and everything in between. We are only allowed two poles per person, no jugs, no limbs, only two hooks per pole. The only competent people that won't piss me off at 2:00 AM to 5:00 AM are women, believe it or not. Soap, I bring me mum, a girlie womanly friend or two or five, sit on a comfy chair, go into a sugar coma from the Original Coca-Cola at ~ 2:30 AM and fall asleep at three....

Only to be woken by the screaming of Garcia 7000s and BIG Okuma reels....

My attitude: big bait for deep water. Smaller bait for shallower water. I can now honestly say that I have used 1 - 2.5 lb carp with great success, but it was only yesterday that I experienced this sucess, your experiences may differ. I love to use sheephead (freshwater drum) as well as LARGE suckers and gargantuan bullheads in deep water. Shallow water: moderate size suckers, bluegills, big creek chubs, and a partridge in a pear tree.....

or something like that...

My advice: Bring a woman fishing. It seems THEY understand Selective Harvest far better than most DNR agencies I talk to. And, the best part, they don't drink your beer. They have their own. I'm a Guiness type of guy with an occasional Sam Adams when the fishing, and the weather, turn mighty cold: like right now.

Take care,

J.A. McGlasson

PS: NEVER NEVER NEVER Drink, Fish, and then Drive. Known of some guys that drove their pickups into the Missouri... never to be seen again. Be smart. Have a designated driver.

Flatheads in 60 feet of water... and 2-5 feet of water. Right now, in South Dakota, temperatures at night are nearing the low 40s. During the day, the low 70s. If I fish above the Gavins Point Dam in Yankton, South Dakota, I'm assured flatheads anywhere from the bank to 60 ft. I set multiple lines, but bring along multiple people that can handle a flathead anywhere from the low 20s to the high 50s and everything in between. We are only allowed two poles per person, no jugs, no limbs, only two hooks per pole. The only competent people that won't piss me off at 2:00 AM to 5:00 AM are women, believe it or not. Soap, I bring me mum, a girlie womanly friend or two or five, sit on a comfy chair, go into a sugar coma from the Original Coca-Cola at ~ 2:30 AM and fall asleep at three....

Only to be woken by the screaming of Garcia 7000s and BIG Okuma reels....

My attitude: big bait for deep water. Smaller bait for shallower water. I can now honestly say that I have used 1 - 2.5 lb carp with great success, but it was only yesterday that I experienced this sucess, your experiences may differ. I love to use sheephead (freshwater drum) as well as LARGE suckers and gargantuan bullheads in deep water. Shallow water: moderate size suckers, bluegills, big creek chubs, and a partridge in a pear tree.....

or something like that...

My advice: Bring a woman fishing. It seems THEY understand Selective Harvest far better than most DNR agencies I talk to. And, the best part, they don't drink your beer. They have their own. I'm a Guiness type of guy with an occasional Sam Adams when the fishing, and the weather, turn mighty cold: like right now.

Take care,

J.A. McGlasson

PS: NEVER NEVER NEVER Drink, Fish, and then Drive. Known of some guys that drove their pickups into the Missouri... never to be seen again. Be smart. Have a designated driver.