Flathead catfish just love bluegills. Best Bait for Flathead Catfish. “A big flathead catfish is hard enough to hook up with. But most hook brands will work but DO NOT USE GAMAKATSU hooks these are made of cheap metal and are known for bending and breaking. Then when the movement stops, close the reel and set the hook – hard. If you’re going for Big-Game Catfish with trotlines, or Flathead fishing, you’ll need a hook with some backbone to it, that won’t twist in current. Blue And Flathead Catfish Hooks Triple Threats are designed to allow catfish anglers to use this catfish hybrid circle hook three different ways.. It is a basic Carolina rig, but the specialized part is what goes on the hook. Catfish Hybrid Circle Hooks | Triple Threat's. Therefore, size is the primary factor while selecting a hook for catfish. This catfish rig is what I use to catch most of my catfish. A common and large-growing species, the flathead (Pylodictus olivaris) is one of the ugliest members of the freshwater catfish clan, but also one that is regularly caught in larger sizes and which provides a good struggle on hook and line.It is important both for commercial and recreational use and produces good table fare when taken from clean environments. ... Just slide a good size slip sinker onto your fishing line... and a large swivel. From there, you can experiment with different hook sizes and see what works. Fish like using a traditional circle hook and let the rod "load" (let the catfish hook itself). That means that … Flathead catfish are known to have been discovered in the 1970s when anglers in Mississippi and Ohio started catching the fish. These fish types are advantageous because most of them can get pretty big. 99 The number 4 or 6 size is the best all-around hook size when fishing numbers of channel catfish with prepared bait. This gives you a very good ability to “feel” the bite and set the hook effectively. No need to target the smaller catfish with a monster hook and vice versa. Decide whether you'll be going after channel catfish, white catfish, bullhead catfish, blue catfish or flathead catfish because the type of hook you choose will depend on the type of fish … test. ; Use the "reel" method (reeling down as fast as possible). The flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris), also called by several common names including mudcat or shovelhead cat, is a large species of North American freshwater catfish in the family Ictaluridae.It is the only species of the genus Pylodictis.Ranging from the lower Great Lakes region to northern Mexico, it has been widely introduced and is an invasive species in some areas. It is best to buy in bulk in packs of 50 or 100. The flatheads are also called blue catfish. You cant really use to big of a hook the only reason they would be to large is if they weighted down the bait and kept it from swimming. Octopus Catfish Hooks. The hook must be … It is very simple, strong and sensitive. It is a firm, excellent and multi-purpose hook. I prefer the shorter rod with plenty of backbone.Paired up with a light salt water reel spooled with at least a 50# test line and circle hook size 9/0 to use with live bait. The size of the leader leads into the last point fighting a flathead once you have it on the hook. (yes, stainless steel!) Another great live bait option, the octopus hook was at first intended for other sea creatures, but works perfectly for channel and flathead catfish. Push the hook point out the top of the minnow's head, just behind its eyes. Slide onto the end of your main fishing line a slip sinker, which is a type of sinker that slides up and down the line. And most flathead fans prefer one with a "clicker" mechanism that produces an audible signal when line is pulled from the reel, thus indicating a catfish bite. The same hooks used for blue catfish perform well for flathead catfish also. Cut a 24- to 36-inch long piece of 4- to 6-pound fishing line. Rods used to catfish have come a long way over just the past five or six years. Thus, the size of a hook has a greater role in catching catfish. 2" to 18" above this make an 8 inch dropper loop and slap on a 4/0 Kahle hook. Terminal Tackle How To Catch Flathead Catfish With Old School "Stealth Rigs" ... end of the line pinch on 6 to 8 split shots. A size 6/0 circle hook will work great for catching the smaller catfish if that’s your goal. Really any flathead, channel or blue catfish over 10-15lb, you can see success with live bait. Why do Catfish Like Bluegill? The stretch of monofilament allows it to absorb the shock of hard & big bites from giant catfish. You might use the number 8 if you’re looking for smaller cats. I cannot think of a better bait for big flathead catfish than a live bluegill in the 4 to 6-inch range. Even the biggest flathead isn’t going to make sizzling billfish runs … The particular type of catfish you are pursuing will also impact your choice of hook. If the hook is too big, catfish may not be able to take the bait. i got a 60 pound flathead on a hand size bream about 3 years back every since then i loved big cats. A 6/0 straight hook won’t give you half the holding power that a 6/0 circle hook will provide. Initiate the "set" method (setting the hook using a long sweeping hook set). This is for any species or a combination of species. Of course, as the fish get bigger, so should your line. If you had checked the end of a catfisherman's line just 20 years ago, you might have found almost any type of hook tied on. These Charlie Brown hooks come in four different hooks sizes and are best used when trolling, drifting and tightlining in … The catfish rigs already discussed have focused on larger blue and or flathead catfish. Using circle hooks for catfish can result in more hook-ups and reduce mortality of caught-and-released fish. A number 6 hook is a reliable, standard size. If you’re fishing in a pond with big cats in it, you’ll want to work your way up. Of course, there were some one-size-fits-all catfish rods on the market that … I use a 10 ot for the big ones. I recommend Kahle 145 or 245 Nickels in sizes 5/0 and 6/0, Kahle 254 Stainless in sizes 5/0-8/0, or Tru-Turn Catfish 722BL Cadium-Plated in sizes 6/0-9/0. The best for flatheads hold at least 200 yards of the line size you intend to use. The octopus hook design is a good, smaller choice for live bait. Just like everything in fishing, it all depends. They are one of the most sought after species because of their size and commercial value. I’d recommend a size 1/0 through 5/0 circle hook. A few waters in the state have more generous daily limits but for channel and blue catfish… Step 2. Just Match the hook size to the bait size … There are countless stories of the giant flathead that got away and it always seems it happened right at the boat. Catfish Hooks Big River Bait Hook 8/0（40pcs）, 10/0( 25pcs ) High Carbon Steel Fishing Hook Saltwater Size Black Nickel 4.5 out of 5 stars 45 $17.99 $ 17 . You need to match the size of your hook to the size of the bait you’re using or the catfish you’re trying to catch. The only hooks I use for flathead catfish are team catfish 8/0 double action circle hooks, daiichi 7/0 circle chunk light hooks, and eagle claw 4/0 kahle hooks. I fished the vermillion both sat and sunday night and produced 10 flatheads with 4 over 30 pounds. Then tie the end of … I don’t want to fish all day and lose the big one because I didn’t pay attention to the little details.” Mitchell also uses heavy equipment and said some of his key tackle features include medium-heavy or heavy Big Cat Fever rods and Slime mono, usually 30- to 50-lb. Monofilament fishing line is inexpensive, has stretch or give but is vulnerable to sharp edges & rocks. ; Initiate the "set" method (setting the hook using a long sweeping hook set). Catfish, especially when they reach a larger size, are natural predators of the water. You could use a bait hook or octopus hook, but I feel for catfish using bluegills as bait, you really should go with a circle hook. How do I know what size hook I should be using when fishing for Catfish? Generally choose a hook that when the bait has been hooked on, has plenty of hook point exposed and the whole thing can fit right into the mouth of the size fish you are targeting This one has been used for a long duration of time. A number two hook is a good size treble for very large catfish and the largest you want to go with. Monofilament Fishing Line For Catfish. I rarely use circles hooks smaller than 4/0 and have caught them on circles up to 10/0 when flathead/ blue cat fishing. If you want to use a very big hook with a very big meal, using Bluegill and Shad heavily limits your available options. Treble hooks in the right size choice for channel catfish are number 2, 4, 6 and 8. The smaller the number, the bigger the hook, therefore the number 2 hook is much larger than the number 8 hooks. I use Sonny's stink bait, with two Wal-Mart plastic cages, and a number two treble hook. Size 6 is also good. If you fish places like the Red River, or places wherever there can be numerous fish that run 15 to 30 pounds, I recommend using 30-pound line. Fish like using a traditional circle hook and let the rod "load" (let the catfish hook itself). Live-Bait Rig Step 1. By Keith "Catfish" Sutton. If you’re using extra-large live baits then consider increasing the hook size to the 10/0 Triple Threat Catfish Hook. If you are fishing from a boat you will not need to worry about distance casting. This last rig is designed for channel catfish. O'Shaughnessy Hook. I personally use a 7 ot for medium blues or flathead and a 5 ot for the smaller channels. Daily limit for catfish set by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is 10. The size of these species is another option to consider. The bait also has greater role in determining the size of a hook. What size hook you should use depends basically on what size fish you want to catch. In general, when you are going after small cats, use a small hook. When you want to catch the big boys, go for a bigger hook. For example, if you are fishing for giant blue or flathead catfish, you will want a 50- … Swivels, Swivels, Swivels – Those cheap trotline clips are great for smaller fish and setting quick lines; however if you’re going after large catfish … It can be used to catch all types of catfish like the flatheads, the channel catfish and the blue catfish which comes in a wide variety of sizes which range up to 10/0. catfish John on January 08, 2014: I spend my winter months from October thru March camped on the Colorado river and all American canal. Honestly, it depends on your bait. They’re that good… and definitely worth the extra cost. It is, however, more common to use live bait and bluegill for large blue catfish and large flathead catfish. The 8/0 Whisker Seeker Tackle Triple Threat Catfish Hook is a great all-around flathead catfish hook. They have much bigger gapes (ability to fit larger food in their jaws) than channel and blue catfish and as such, they can eat much larger prey. 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Will work great for catching the fish vice versa or blue catfish perform well for flathead catfish just slide good.
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