Top flathead areas in Minnesota

I live north of the Twin Cities, so I’m not too familiar with the good flathead fishing areas south of the cities. I know the Mississippi, St. Croix, and Minnesota rivers are home to some big cats but I have no idea where to go on those rivers. In your opinion where are the top 2 or 3 spots for having the best chance at catching a flathead? Try to get as specific as possible (around what dam, nearest to what city or landmark, etc.) Thanks for any info you can give me.

I will have to post my credentials as having never actually fished for flatheads, but I have caught them numerous times while fishing other species….. particularly sauger….

anyway….. on the croix, get yourself one of the hot spots maps… or anything that shows the holes… they are sitting in those holes… most are tough to reach from the shore, but it will tell you if its possible…. if you want just send me a private message and I will try to detail them…. anyway this will work from stillwater UP…… from stillwater down, I have caught them, at the kings power plant intake and outlet (theres a deep hole on the intake)…… then in the hole by the swing bridge in hudson, then theres a heck of a hole just down from beanies on the Mn side below the 94 bridge, then I hear theres some around the catfish bar (go figure!)…. after that your on your own….. Ive caught them out of the miss in pool 2 and pool 4, In pool 2 I would check in and around the deep holes just up from the 494 bridge…… particularly the scour holes behind the wing dams on the west side……

on pool 4, check that deep hole where the vermillion flows in, then there is another spot I have caught them in the winter/early spring on the wisconsin side about halfway to the dam… tough to explain exactly….. but some really big boulders in the area and on the shore…..

thats pretty much all my feeble knowlege holds…

hands down it has to be Redwood falls Minnesota, on the Minnesota river…… I have never seen as many 30 plus flats come from a stretch of river in my life……

thanks for those tips guys, I’m definitely going to try out those spots. Hopefully I will have a few big cat stories to tell by the end of the summer.

If you want to catch flaheads consistently I would fish the minnesota. There are a ton of flats and you can usualyy get one every trip. The fish don’t always run big but we usually get a 30+ about every aother trip. if you want a shot a huge fish the pool 4 area is tough to beat two years ago the dnr netted a 98lb fish so they are there. The big river there can be tough to fish. Usually I key in on the back water areas and the lower reaches of the tributaries. I love the Croix but it can be very hit and miss. I am particular to it though becaus i caught my biggest fish out there last year (52″) if you want some more specific ares give me a holler.