# Any Flatheads in Blackwater?



## JWest (Apr 10, 2012)

I was wondering if any one has caught or even fished for Flatheads in Blackwater?


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

They are in there, you just have to be targeting them, I seen a guy while tubing on north black water with a 20lber that he had noodled while tubing, on the south end i got a buddy that has caught a few.


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## skiff89_jr (Apr 1, 2011)

http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f39/flatheads-blackwater-river-96553/

Here's an old link discussing your question.


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## JWest (Apr 10, 2012)

Im gonna go Sun. night and am kicking around the idea of trying Blackwater south of Holt or going to Yellow river.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

skiff89_jr said:


> http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f39/flatheads-blackwater-river-96553/
> 
> Here's an old link discussing your question.


 I remember that post, I never did go and check it out.

If you go lets us know how it went.

If you go put in at the court house ramp and head north take the fork to the left and you should find a few


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## JWest (Apr 10, 2012)

If I go to Blackwater I will for sure post the results. The last 2 years I have been going to Blackwater to catch bait and then hitting Yellow river to catch Flatheads so this will be a change for sure.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

JWest said:


> If I go to Blackwater I will for sure post the results. The last 2 years I have been going to Blackwater to catch bait and then hitting Yellow river to catch Flatheads so this will be a change for sure.


did u ever catch any?


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## JWest (Apr 10, 2012)

Weellllll, I got to the river and hit 2 holes for some bait and had about 15 bream in the boat and was moving down river to another spot and my motor died and would not crank back up. I finally got out the trusty old paddle and my girlfriend got to watch me paddle my 16.5 bass tracker down the river, we got back to the landing about an hour after dark.


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

JWest said:


> Weellllll, I got to the river and hit 2 holes for some bait and had about 15 bream in the boat and was moving down river to another spot and my motor died and would not crank back up. I finally got out the trusty old paddle and my girlfriend got to watch me paddle my 16.5 bass tracker down the river, we got back to the landing about an hour after dark.


Dang man that sucks were you down in milton on blackwater or up river around holt?


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

Do you use your 16' BT on upper yellow by Holt and Milligan as well?


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## JWest (Apr 10, 2012)

I was on Yellow river. About the only good thing that came out of that trip is I found some really deep holes and I saw some BIG stripers in them!!!!


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## JWest (Apr 10, 2012)

Yes I use it all the way up to Hwy 2 bridge


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

JWest said:


> I was on Yellow river. About the only good thing that came out of that trip is I found some really deep holes and I saw some BIG stripers in them!!!!


 
SSSSHH.... 

Did you catch any?


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## JWest (Apr 10, 2012)

No I had had plans to come back after I finished catching bait but never made it back. I caught one last year that was a little over 16 lbs and I saw one that was twice his size. It was almost scary how big it was!!!!!


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

JWest said:


> No I had had plans to come back after I finished catching bait but never made it back. I caught one last year that was a little over 16 lbs and I saw one that was twice his size. It was almost scary how big it was!!!!!


Ive been seeing some while catfishing using live bream. Fight like hell. Have you seen them past Log Lake? Im beginning to wonder how far they travel up stream


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## JWest (Apr 10, 2012)

I know of some that have been caught above Hwy 2. I have been fishing Blackwater in Holt and seen the FWC truck from the fish hachery pull up to the boat ramp and turn loose alot of stripes. They say thats where they go to release fish when they have to many. Oh yeah and game on again, my boat is fixed!!!!!


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

tips n tails said:


> Ive been seeing some while catfishing using live bream. Fight like hell. Have you seen them past Log Lake? Im beginning to wonder how far they travel up stream


They travel all the way up Yellow river past givens bridge on Wing-lockheart HWY into Alabama...they like to use the big limestone rock banks to lay their eggs.


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## drifterfisher (Oct 9, 2009)

jcoss15 said:


> They travel all the way up Yellow river past givens bridge on Wing-lockheart HWY into Alabama...they like to use the big limestone rock banks to lay their eggs.




SSSHHHHH! dont tell everybody! :whistling:
Have you figured out how to catch them? I have seen two blow up on small bream on the bank,above HWY 2 I have also spent several nights there with O hits.


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

drifterfisher said:


> SSSHHHHH! dont tell everybody! :whistling:
> Have you figured out how to catch them? I have seen two blow up on small bream on the bank,above HWY 2 I have also spent several nights there with O hits.


Not really...bream, shiners fishing under a big cork can catch them but their hard to find at times. I know several people who have caught them bass fishing on topwater and jerkbaits. They just don't school up together like they do on the lower parts of the river.


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## JWest (Apr 10, 2012)

Find deep holes like you would for flatheads during the day. Use a medium size live bait hook and free line the bait and let it drift down the river to the hole. Hook the bait in the back or tail so they cant run the bottom or back up river, make them look hurt. As bad as it sounds I keep a pair of scissors on my boat so I can cut a fin or 2 off so it doesnt affect them being alive but it does make them swim real funny. Try not to make any noise and its best to wait 10 or 15 minuetes and be real quiet till they forget you are there. Thats the only way I have ever caught them. Hope it helps.


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## drifterfisher (Oct 9, 2009)

Thanks fer the tip,I always use lead to hold the down,maybe thats where I'm messin up at.Will try it tonight.


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## JWest (Apr 10, 2012)

I have never fished for them at night. I have caught them at night a couple time but I was fishing for cats.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

Where's Hwy 2 bridge? I'm unfamiliar with that area is that up past Cview going North? I normally fish the lower end of yellow 87 and below, I travel a good bit of the river today and noticed its not very deep. I'd say 10 ft was about avg. 

Jwest, what do you call a deep hole? I found stripers in 25 ft but that's slim . I ask bc the further you go up yellow the shallower it seems. To where the avg depth is 4 ft a deep hole maybe 10 then just curious


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## JWest (Apr 10, 2012)

The holes im talking about I have found when the river is low and they drop off real hard . I lost the transducer for my depth finder a few years ago and never replaced it. I have just been fishing holes I have known about and found some more by just knowing what to look for. Another thing the further up the river you get and the shallower it gets the stripes should start stacking up at the mouths of the creeks. As you have noticed its not very deep on average and a stripe has to have cool water temp for the oxygen they need so there is very few places they can be so when you do find a real deep hole or a big creek coming into the river that is a good place to fish. I know of some creeks starting around Holt that you will see 30 plus stripes at the mouth and you can see them if you ease past the creek and look.


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## JWest (Apr 10, 2012)

Im sorry im not real technical sometimes when it comes to fishing. I have grown up on Yellow river and Blackwater from Holt to the Alabama line so the places I fish I have kinda found by trial and error over the years.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

Yes, I agree on the stripes stacking up in the deep holes. While catfishing I found a hole that goes from 3 ft to 20ft and seemed to hold a few. The holes though seem to be here in there. Also as the water level drops fish are more isolated to the deeper holes. The creeks your referencing are those ones coming off Eglin property going into YR? Have you launched your 16ft BT at the log lake ramp before?


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## JWest (Apr 10, 2012)

Yes I have launched my boat at log lake but I usually go past log lake and go to the public launch at the end of that road, its free. There are some that come off Eglin but they are at any good sized creek. If I am remembering right the stripes cant get enough oxygen from water that is either over 75 degrees so the further up the river you go it gets easier to locate them because there is not very many holes that will be deep enough for the water to be that cool so you just hit the holes and the big creeks to find them.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

I think your right on the water temp being over 75, I noticed yesterday it was 76.1 down on the lower end. I was comparing a recent stripe I caught it was 3 1/2 lbs to that 16 lber you caught that mustve been a big ass fish. I bet that bad boy fought good.


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## JWest (Apr 10, 2012)

Im trying to find the pics of that fish. Im 6'5" and the fish went from the top of my chest to my knees. It was like catching a big redfish in the river!!!


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

I believe it. Was that on live bait? Have you had any experiences with the Miller bluff launch? I was looking on google maps and Hwy 2 is WAAAY far North Yellow River damn!!!


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## JWest (Apr 10, 2012)

It was on a bream. Millers bluff is a bit tricky but worth the money to launch there.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

Ive rode past there, seems to have a steep incline. Hows the launch as far as there a drop off that your trailer can get stuck in or any holes?


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## JWest (Apr 10, 2012)

I havent noticed a drop off but it is really swift and if the river is up you have to be really really carefull


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

tips n tails said:


> Ive rode past there, seems to have a steep incline. Hows the launch as far as there a drop off that your trailer can get stuck in or any holes?


There is steep dropoff thats bad when the river is low...watch your axel.


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