Top End Flatheads?

What is the top end size for flatheads in your neck of the woods? By top end I mean verified accounts of fish within the last 5-10 years or so. I see 50+, but how big does that mean?

On the Fox I have seen a few flats in the 40 lb range. Unfortunately I have not caught any of them, but I was in the boat with one of them. I have heard of a number of fish bigger, but none that didn’t seem to be BS. My guess is that there is a 50 lb flathead out there somewhere, just not sure it has been caught yet.

62 on the digital scale with the 3 pound net<<

I got to touch the rod with the bail open…does that count?

52 or 54…Mark, a little help here!

Guess I can’t verify this guy was a 50.

30 to 40 common, 40 to 50 rare but not uncommon, 50 + never in my boat but close enough to see.60+ people catch a few within 50 miles of me every year.

Stuart and I had a state record on.

…well, then we found out it was snagged with a 10/0 and in the fast dam current.

I was a little excited, then darn near cried on Stuarts shoulder. He was comforting in my time of need.

This one made 51 and I actually caught it myself. Literally.

Stood up by my daughter on Fathers Day for a boy friend.

Netted it, took 5 pictures with the self timer on the camera and dropped her back in. Then the other rod went off.

Luckily that one was only a 14 pounder, I was beat.

To the dock by 10 pm looking for my friends extra Red Solo Cup.

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To the dock by 10 pm looking for my friends extra Red Solo Cup.

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……..WHAT YOU SAY.?? yOU HAVE FRIENDS……. ………..rrr

and speak of the

Anytime someone mentions Red Solo Cup, Randy shows up Ben.

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Anytime someone mentions Red Solo Cup, Randy shows up Ben.

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When it comes to draining a Red Solo Cup Randy shows every one up!

I landed a 50# flathead, 50# on the button. I didn’t reel it in though.

It was a prespawn female and you would not believe the girth on that thing. My nephew, StCroixer and I have been meaning to get back to that spot ever since.

I had 2 40+ in the boat this last year. I know a guy who caught a 72 (according to the conversion chart) a couple years ago, it topped out his 50 scale. one of his buddies caught a 65 last year but I haven’t seen the pictures. this year i’m going to catch a 60+

For the most part are we talking the Mississippi, St. Croix and Minn. Rivers? Which seems to produce the biggest?

The Rock River in IL produces some much larger specimens as do some of the other larger rivers and lakes, but in my little river they just don’t get as big. I’m jealous!

Now there’s a fight starter! LOL!

In my opinion, the Mississippi River is a big river and hold a lot of big fish. Again it’s a big river which makes big fish harder to find.

The Minnesota River is a flathead factory. The places I would look for on the ‘sippi IS the MN River.

I’m sure the guys that fish the MN will say the MN has the edge and the guys that fish the ‘sippi will claim the best water.

I’m just happy we have both of them close enough that a person could fish either one and still be home the same night.

Now the St Croix is another beast. From Stillwater on down to the confluence it’s more of a lake with current. Fishing from Stillwater North, it becomes more of the river we would expect to find and fish flats in.

Old Col. Steve DeMars has pulled some beauties out of there.

Personally, I’ve never caught a flat over 15 pounds from the Croix…and it’s 10 minutes to Catfish Bar from my drive way.

We are very fortunate to have the waters we have here. Hopefully we can retain them and even improve them through all of this Asian Carp hysteria.

My 2 cents your mileage will very.

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In my opinion, the Mississippi River is a big river and hold a lot of big fish. Again it’s a big river which makes big fish harder to find.

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As much as I hate to give you any credit , great observation. I couldn’t agree more.

If you’re talking about a real monster fish (60#+), I think the largest rivers like the Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio hold the most. However, “top end” is specific to the body of water being fished. A mutual friend of ours (Vince) did a very nice piece about “trophy catfish” being a relative term to the body of water in one of those early Procats issues.

I’ve thought that smaller body of water an angler is most familiar with provides the best chance for a big (25-30#) flathead. It’s just with a smaller top end size, the odds of popping that monster fish aren’t favorable.

Maybe that’s the attraction of small to medium size rivers like the Rock, Minnesota, Kaskaskia, St. Croix, St Joseph…while they might not have as many 60# plus fish, they still have a targetable population of #40+ fish.

Of course, we lost a lot of big fish in the fish kill we saw on the Rock river in 2009. Not sure how much that has affected the fishing in the various stretches there.

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I couldn’t agree more.

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This is the point were most people start asking for doctor appointments.

Not only is “trophy” relative to the water fished, it relative to the angler.

One guest trip stands out. It was early in the evening and the fella hooked into a 15 pounder. As it came to the boat, I said “oh it’s just a little guy”, meaning we’ll be catching a bigger one yet.

The guest got right in my face and said “I don’t care how little it is, it’s the biggest f@#@@$g fish I’ve ever caught in my life”.

I’ve never said that again.

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I couldn’t agree more.

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This is the point were most people start asking for doctor appointments.

Not only is “trophy” relative to the water fished, it relative to the angler.

One guest trip stands out. It was early in the evening and the fella hooked into a 15 pounder. As it came to the boat, I said “oh it’s just a little guy”, meaning we’ll be catching a bigger one yet.

The guest got right in my face and said “I don’t care how little it is, it’s the biggest f@#@@$g fish I’ve ever caught in my life”.

I’ve never said that again.

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Sorry Brian, I had a rough start to the day that trip.

Did he just say littler waters like the Minnesota don’t have as big of flatheads?

Not only is it the size of the river, but the overall health. If you have the forage, you’ll have the size.

I believe larger rivers have larger flatheads for the most part, but I think it is a forage thing. If they can eat every time they want, they will grow bigger than if they have to search for food.

But, I also think that some of the smaller rivers warm quicker in the spring, allowing these fish to start feeding earlier in the year and start growing sooner. In a colder climate like MN, a longer growing season is beneficial.

With all that being said, fish where you can

I have found 2 reliable weights on flathead over 70 pounds in the lakes I fish.

I have caught flathead over 60 including this 66.

This one was 62

This one was 61.

This one was 63

I use a weigh sling and scales to get accurate weights.
The weigh slings help me release the flathead healthy.

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Did he just say littler waters like the Minnesota don’t have as big of flatheads?

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You know I meant no disrespect by saying that. My thought was if you start talking 70, 80, 90 pound flatheads… you’re pretty much talking about one of the largest rivers, or a large reservoir. At least in the Midwest anyhow. I’ve long thought the Minnesota one of the world class flathead fisheries as far as numbers and average size.

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Did he just say littler waters like the Minnesota don’t have as big of flatheads?

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You know I meant no disrespect by saying that. My thought was if you start talking 70, 80, 90 pound flatheads… you’re pretty much talking about one of the largest rivers, or a large reservoir. At least in the Midwest anyhow. I’ve long thought the Minnesota one of the world class flathead fisheries as far as numbers and average size.

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LOL, I know Shawn, That is actually an inside joke between BK and I.

I would absolutely love to have Reservoir/Lake opportunities for catching flatheads up here. I actually know a couple test lakes that they researched several years ago. I think I am going to convince my nephew to go out there with me and try and catch one. Kind of a fun experiment to see if any survived.

Hey Puggsly. Wasn’t that program quite some time ago? As I remember the flats were all sterilized and were released in an attempt to clear out carp? There might be a hoary old monster or two left around from that.

I don’t recall the fish being sterilized in the what I found. Maybe I glossed over it all too much. If they were, then that puts the kebosh on that idea. Its hard enough convincing myself to fish a lake that hasn’t reported one being caught since, much less one where there is 0% chance of reproduction.

Here you go:

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/publications/fisheries/investigational_reports/384.pdf

Started in 1978, and the flats were injected with a prophylactic. Lakes were Richardson (Meeker), and Dog (Wright).

According to the DNR Lakefinder surveys, no flatheads were captured in recent assessments.

Hmm, Brian, are those the lakes I PMed you about that one time? The counties siund right, just not sure about the names. Since it is 2, I bet it is what I found.

I wouldn’t expect them to turn up in netting, but maybe electric shock surveys, much like bass.

Could you imaging fishing one of these lakes for walleyes, having no knowledge of this experiment, and hooking into a 50# flathead? Probably have to spray out the boat..

And their underpants.

I used to have this fishing book full of stories. I wish I still had it. I believe it was written by Dan Gapen Sr. He told a story of fishing at night on the river and hooking into a huge eel.

My memory is fuzzy about the details, so I would love to see that story again now that I fish the same rivers. I believe it might have been pool #2 or the Minnesota.

So what does that have to do with this thread? Well, I do know that they got the poo scared out of them when they finally got it to the surface. They may have even grabbed it and/or hoisted it aboard before realizing what it was. That was probably a scary moment.

Thanks for all the pics of the big flats, helps me get through the winter!

I’ve seen pics of a couple of 60ish pound ones. I have heard of 70 & 80 but haven’t seen proof. They seem kind of related to reservoirs and wintering holes and stream size. An hour or so North of me is kind of the end of their range in these rivers.