Newbie questions

Just starting out in fishing for flats and have a few questions for the pros.

1. Hooks – I used a 3/0 offset wide gap bass hook last time we went out. Will this work okay or should I go to the larger, maybe 7/0 circle hook? Or what is the hook of choice for you guys?

2. How long should you wait to set the hook? I had a flat tugging on my bluegill probably 4-5 times before I tried to set the hook and ended up missing the fish. My buddy felt the fish hit and set the hook right away and landed it.

3. Is it safe to assume that flats will be in deep holes during the light hours and on shallow sand flats during dark?

Thanks for any help guys, I wish I would have started going for these fish a long time ago, they’re a blast!

Hooks: Most guys prefer to use the 10/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hook, Many like to use circle hooks. Thing to keep in mind is the hook size in relation to the bait. Make sure that you have as much gap as possible when your bait up, to maximize your hooking potential. Hook size is really not an issue to the fish.

How long to wait before setting the hook? Thats a good question and I think you might be surprised at the variety of answers you will see. Personally I like to let the fish run, I engage my reel and then wait for the fish to start pulling my rod tip down, before I set back on it. If you change to circle hooks make sure you don’t set it. Just start reeling in.

Fish location: They can be varied though the day and through the season. Your assessment is correct for the most part, but as you gain more experience you will find that there are many different patterns.
Good luck

I agree with Larry – I love the 10/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hook – but also use circle hooks from time to time.

As far as setting the hook, I like to let the fish take a good amount of line and once I am ready to set the hook – flip the bail and wait for my line to catch up with the rod – usually pointing the rod toward the fish and letting it get tight – once I know it is still there, like Larry said – set the hook.

As far as fish locations go – that is something I am still learning – but one thing to keep in mind is that these big fish will sit in 4 FOW – which is something that I had never thought would happen.

Good Luck!

hook set depends on your spot. If you are fishing near cover letting them run is not going to work. Beware of the flat that runs at the boat. That is the one you let run.

i vote for big circle hooks. just remember not to set them, i learned that the hard way on a monster flatty a few years back. let my mistake teach you too! when ur ready, just start reelin em up.

and i’d get a more substantial hook. i think i have 8/0s and they are on the small side. i havent met a cat thats been afraid of hook size yet.

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How long to wait before setting the hook? Thats a good question and I think you might be surprised at the variety of answers you will see. Personally I like to let the fish run, I engage my reel and then wait for the fish to start pulling my rod tip down, before I set back on it. If you change to circle hooks make sure you don’t set it. Just start reeling in.

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I agree with Larry…I think. My theory has always been that flatheads have a HUGE mouth, more then enough room for a crappy 7″ bullhead. If I can feel weight, I set the hook like my is on fire. Now this depends on if the fish is moving up or downstream. I always wait to feel something, but that may be I reel up, of just engage the reel and wait until it swims downstream and tightens my line.

If I am missing a fish, I at least feel like a man doing it

Great reminders on action to take when the fish is going in any direction besides AWAY from you.

So that means always feed line until they are headed away, correct? Do you guys use leaders? My cat pole is rigged with 20lb mono for channels, and I’ve got time and bullies this Sunday for flats. I know 80lb seems to be the norm, but I do not want to drop the dollars for new if I can work with what I have. Thanks, CZ.

If they are headed away, engage reel, wait until the fish tightens the line. Usually this happen quick because the fish was swimming when they set off the clicker.

If the fish is swimming to you, or anywhere other then away, I reel up until I feel weight, then give er the bananas.

Don’t know if this is right or wrong, but it seems to work for me.

If I start missing fish, a change up would be in order, and then I will just start to 2nd guess myself on hooksets until I screw up the whole night

Circle hooks take the fun out of fishing for flatheads – the hook set is half the battle! I go with a standard 7/0 J-hook and buy them in boxes of 100 though many guys prefer the circle hooks (the women in thier lives must make them do it ). Be sure to put yourself in a modified “batters stance” with sure footing before setting the hook.

The standard J has yet to produce problems for me – I miss fish, although I contribute it to small fish (<5#) that do not inhale the bait completely. This will happen regardless of hook style if you tend to hook bait near the dorsal or tail. From my experience, the majority of fish tend take bullheads head first (walleyes, flats) though there are ALWAYS exceptions to the rule. Perhaps the head-first observation is because I hook bait near the tail…

Try not to let fish run too long – allow just enough line flow to know there is something on the other end while keeping your rod tip pointed slighly up before the set. Big fish have a tendency to INHALE the hole bait in one gulp, if you allow time to “eat” it sends your hookset into the gills or gut. Get on ’em fast – and only set on a tight line (no slack whatsoever)

Thanks for all of the great advice guys! We’re going to head out again tomorrow night and see if we can get a couple more flats.

Don’t forget the walleyes!!

As MCK said…Head First…waiting too long and this is what happens!

I knew BK would chime in soon, those darn rough fish always grab his bullies. Now about the line and leader…

Minimum line on a crank and leader suggestions please? Am I nuts going with 20 mono and no leader? I’ll answer the second question myself as yes?

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Minimum line on a crank and leader suggestions please?

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I read it three times…what’s a crank?

I use 60 lb powerpro and make a leader out of it – seems to work great!

Sorry BK, crank meaning horizontal side reel, big phuger (sp). Darn thing takes a lot of line, that’s why I don’t want to spool it again. I could reel in a barge with it, I like it for cats. Problem is that I have a 10′ flaming WHITE pole it’s attached to, any idea on that? The rig has been used on tuna out west (spooled with 110), now that right there is fun.

czech… im with you on line, its not cheap. but heres my trick: my new cattin’ setup takes 330yds of line. so to fill it, i bought some cheap trilene mono in 20lb test. i think a spool of 300 yds ran me $5-10. i ran that for almost 200 yds (fyi that line counter really helps with this!), then i put on a 110 spool of that new fire line braid (80lb). at the store i was at, it was cheaper than PP (around $22 i think). so far, i really like the stuff. and havent had a problem with any slipping, biting in of the line, etc.

only reason i used the 20lb mono over something lighter was so i could get away with using less line to fill the spool. im not sure if thats the smartest thing, but it fit into my budget for the setup and its working out awesome for me.

Channel cat rigs and flathead rigs are two differenet things. When fishing for flatties if you don’t go with proper gear, you’re going to get taken to the woodshed and a good fish is going to either break or take all that line. You have to approach it from the point of view that you may tangle with a 70-80lb monster. You can setup for flathead fishing for 100 dollars and have a workable rod, reel, and line. Using inexpensive backing is a great practice. I prefer to load up my real with PP and then use the backend the next year or even a year later. You’ll get a lot of use out of PP before it wears out. The kid is right about circle hooks but most catmen don’t have girl friends…

Oh and Brian, I know a website where you can view a crank. Just google it.

Great info, everyone. I don’t use a large of hooks as some, 4/0-7/0 wide gap, kahle, or trad. octopus hooks. But, we use more sunfish than anything, on bullheads I would need to go larger.

Shawn

7/0 Kahle here – but mainly because I use big bluegills. If I were using bullheads exclusively, I’d pare back to 4/0 Kahles (I hook them by the mouth).