# Yellow River 5/23-24



## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

Fished YR last night, caught three channel cats, two of which had eggs. Slow night overall. Couple of weeks ago I lost a Flattie to some snags, well here I am again fishing in the same area, when I tossed out one of my poles, I realized I had made a bad cast and landed it right into those snags. So I started to reel in and snag! Damn, oh well, I had my other rods out I just left my pole laying on the boat hung up. 15 min later my hung up rod starts to pull out the back end of the boat, I quickly grab it and felt a fish on the other end, but I was still hung up, So I reel in my other rods untie the boat, and make my way over there, I reel down and start to pull and when I do I see a flathead not a monster but a decent flattie none the less, come up to the surface and then back down GONE. :whistling:. Another lesson learned, have the damn net ready! However I think one lives there for this is the second time I ve lost one there, going to try setting bush hooks next time. Over all a great night, I was wondering does the bite shut off around midnight? Also are channels territorial? I noticed Id catch a few here in there spread out.


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## CatCrusher (Jan 18, 2009)

There is no certain time the bite shuts off. If they are gonna bite (day or night) they will bite. I know people on here say they quit during the spawn but they dont. Most important thing is if you are hunting meat, fish with limb lines or trotlines and fish the rod and reels while you wait. If only fishing for fun use the rod n reels. Another thing most people dont think about is that trotlines and limblines are a good tool for finding a good hole to rod n reel fish in.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

Interesting tip there, sbarrow. If it was you fishing for meat, you'd run limb lines? Next question is do limb lines have to be out of the water or can they be tied to snags underneath? Best bait for lines would probably be shiners I'm assuming. 

I noticed those two bigger channels were full of roe.


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## CatCrusher (Jan 18, 2009)

I would tie the limb lines out of the water to a good green limb. Since your in Florida use shiners. If you get into Alabama you can use bream.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

When I'm fishing new body's of water some times Ill set a few limb lines out in a key location I want to fish later in the night to see if the flats are there or not, if I come back in 4 hours and the bait is still on the hook I wont waste my time on that spot. Other then that when I'm on the river I'm generally hunting records so I pretty much stick to the rod n reels, I have many nights of 20-30 flatheads on rod n reels with no time to set lines. 

The trick is knowing when to be set up and when to be moving, Having located all your spots before sunset and wasting no time looking for fishing holes in the dark.

Just like with people,deer, and other animals Flatheads do have key times when they feed more then other times of the night, sure you can catch a flathead at any given point of the day or night as well as threw the year, but at certain times your odds are greatly increased, knowing these times takes many nights of hunting to figure out, I could give them to you but that would just take all the fun out of the hunt.

Also when we are hunting flatheads with rod n reels I don't wast time on spots that might hold just one fish, we are looking for locations that will traffic dozens of fish threw out the night.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

Cathunter your last paragraph got me to thinking, what do you mean traffic dozens of fish? How do you find a spot like that?


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

tips n tails said:


> Cathunter your last paragraph got me to thinking, what do you mean traffic dozens of fish? How do you find a spot like that?


Pm sent:thumbsup:


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## CatCrusher (Jan 18, 2009)

CatHunter said:


> When I'm fishing new body's of water some times Ill set a few limb lines out in a key location I want to fish later in the night to see if the flats are there or not, if I come back in 4 hours and the bait is still on the hook I wont waste my time on that spot. Other then that when I'm on the river I'm generally hunting records so I pretty much stick to the rod n reels, I have many nights of 20-30 flatheads on rod n reels with no time to set lines.
> 
> The trick is knowing when to be set up and when to be moving, Having located all your spots before sunset and wasting no time looking for fishing holes in the dark.
> 
> ...


I dont know about other people but I eat when I get hungry. LOL


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## skiff89_jr (Apr 1, 2011)

Did you pitch a tent on your boat? :blink:


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

skiff89_jr said:


> Did you pitch a tent on your boat? :blink:


Haha Yes Sir, I clear off the front deck, put tackle cooler rods lights everything on the back deck. When my daughter is fishing with me we even have a tv lol. Most of the time I keep one in boat just in case the boat breaks down and I have to spend the night on the river I'm sheltered.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

sbarrow said:


> I dont know about other people but* I eat when I get hungry*. LOL



You got that right:thumbup: Flatheads are my favorite fish to eat, and tips n tails take any advice sbarrow and river roach got to give they are some damn good Flathead fisherman their selves and most catfisherman are very top secret about their tactics, lots of people have different tactics and that's the great thing about flathead fishing is all the methods you can use to catch them not to mention their table quality.

Also keep the tvs and lights off Flatheads spook easily especially the big ones, they are smart and very wary unlike the channel and bluecats that are also on the Flatheads menu 

Keep them tree shakas ah coming:thumbsup:
River roach


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

Will do Cathunter, ive been catching some 6 to 8 inch channels, would you toss one of them around to see if a flathead will bite?


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

tips n tails said:


> Will do Cathunter, ive been catching some 6 to 8 inch channels, would you toss one of them around to see if a flathead will bite?


I sure do when I catch some small ones, I have caught some nice flatheads using small catfish especially bullheads, here is a video for yah curtsey of riverroach tree shaka


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## river_roach (Sep 8, 2009)

Cathunter thanks for the praise. I know that everyone thinks of catching catfish at night because catfishing has always been in associated with the night time but since I have put a bimini top on my boat I have caught 75% of my flatheads during the day time. It is all about hook application. It is kind of like running something in front of a loose woman's face, their lips will start to tremble and they have to have it.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

River Roach as we've been talking Ive been searching the forum on bush hooks and limb lines you and sbarrow have talked about in the past. Have any of you made a hook set up with a anchor on one end with a line that goes from the anchor to a under water limb a couple hundred feet long. This would be dropped on a straight strectch of the river and will have various hooks. Shoulds commercialized to me yet I bet one could get quite a few cats on it


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## CatCrusher (Jan 18, 2009)

tips n tails said:


> River Roach as we've been talking Ive been searching the forum on bush hooks and limb lines you and sbarrow have talked about in the past. Have any of you made a hook set up with a anchor on one end with a line that goes from the anchor to a under water limb a couple hundred feet long. This would be dropped on a straight strectch of the river and will have various hooks. Shoulds commercialized to me yet I bet one could get quite a few cats on it


That's pretty much a trotline


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## Slot Pursuit (Oct 22, 2007)

Tips are you going to be on yr sat night?


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

tips n tails said:


> Cathunter your last paragraph got me to thinking, what do you mean traffic dozens of fish? How do you find a spot like that?


Bush hooks can help you find these spots...but even then they just have to be biting. I usually stake out a couple good bends and stack lines in several deep hole throughout the bend after a few trips you will know if its worth fishing with rod and reel.


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

CatHunter said:


> Also keep the tvs and lights off Flatheads spook easily especially the big ones, they are smart and very wary unlike the channel and bluecats that are also on the Flatheads menu
> 
> Keep them tree shakas ah coming:thumbsup:
> River roach


They are like big bucks very very sneakey...:shifty:


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

Slot Pursuit said:


> Tips are you going to be on yr sat night?


Yes most likely. I try to get on the river few times a week.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

jcoss15 said:


> Bush hooks can help you find these spots...but even then they just have to be biting. I usually stake out a couple good bends and stack lines in several deep hole throughout the bend after a few trips you will know if its worth fishing with rod and reel.


Jcoss, have you had pretty good success using bush hooks?


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

yea most of my success through the years have been on bushooks...its only been in the last 4-5 yrs that I've been really after them with rod and reel more. Bushhooks, limb lines whatever you want to call them will catch you fish for sure. Reason being you can place bushhooks in or right on top of heavy cover where the big ones live w/o hanging up as much as rod and reel; however its just more fun reeling in big flathead with rod and reel IMO.


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## Slot Pursuit (Oct 22, 2007)

tips n tails said:


> Yes most likely. I try to get on the river few times a week.


My cell # 850 572 5954 if I'm on the river and you have boat problems call me and I will help you out.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

Slot I ll give you a call tomorrow and exchange numbers. Never hurts to have a friend willing to come help. Lord knows I've had to make a few calls before. I appreciate the willingness to help.


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## Slot Pursuit (Oct 22, 2007)

Yep I broke last night and had to. Troll from the 180 curve to ward basin.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

What? Dang, you and me both, I had to go from millers bluff to the 87 launch, long ride. Wish you could've called me.


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## Slot Pursuit (Oct 22, 2007)

I just glad I was going down stream. I think I going to lanch at 87 Saturday.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

Ok I sent ya a txt msg, I ll definitely touch bases with you tomorrow


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