# Saturday night Flatheads



## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

Another Saturday night seem to be starting out pretty lame so me and my brother decided to round up a few baits and hit the river. The night started out fairly successful with a few channel cats then it got real slow, we didn't get our first Flathead until about 11pm, he was a respectable 12lber on the digital scales.

Right behind him we hung a pig that just dug us in the deepest structure he could find, I have dealt with some good fish before and I knew he was a good one, so we pulled the anchor and motored right up against the structure where he was still hung, I could feel him down there just a kicking. 

I gave my brother the rod and dove in, 11 feet to the bottom under a log jam I battled this fish that easily felt 25-30lbs with my hands around his face. I ran out of breath and had to surface then went down for another dive, grabbed the fish that's when it happened, I felt the line snap then with one quick death roll with my hands in his gills he spun out of my hands and was goneGood thing I brought some extra shorts.

Took another 2 hours to get another Flathead head, he was not as big as the one that got a way but still a good fish, he went 16.3lbs. We fished on until day light with a few more bites but no more fish, after a few pictures we let these guys go to fight another day.























Sorry for the bad camera quality I didn't realize my shorts was dripping water on the camera until it was to late.


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## drifterfisher (Oct 9, 2009)

Nice report. You should get with the FWC and start tagging the ones you release,might be interesting to see where they go...


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## Slot Pursuit (Oct 22, 2007)

drifterfisher said:


> Nice report. You should get with the FWC and start tagging the ones you release,might be interesting to see where they go...


I don't think the FWC wants any part of releasing FH.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

Slot Pursuit said:


> I don't think the FWC wants any part of releasing FH.



No they don't, unfortunately for them Flatheads are here to stay. They actually _recommend_ killing every Flathead you catch and never let one go. 
I hate to say it but they are right Flatheads can wreck havoc on local sunfish populations.

My freezers are about full so I have no need to kill any more_ for the moment _


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

Your a better man than me to dive down that deep at night to get one...good job, I have had decent luck after they run under a log by free spooling the line and releasing all pressure on the fish and sometimes they will swim right back out from under the bank or log...not always the case though.


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## Auburn (Jun 24, 2012)

Good report!


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## Slot Pursuit (Oct 22, 2007)

CatHunter said:


> No they don't, unfortunately for them Flatheads are here to stay. They actually _recommend_ killing every Flathead you catch and never let one go.
> I hate to say it but they are right Flatheads can wreck havoc on local sunfish populations.
> 
> My freezers are about full so I have no need to kill any more_ for the moment _


Well I'm glad you let some of them go so us beginners can catch a few.


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

Cool report, what river were you fishing?


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## skiff89_jr (Apr 1, 2011)

I believe I would take a quick dive for a 30lber also. Gotta love those bottom dwelling structure wrecking shovel heads :thumbup:


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

skiff89_jr said:


> I believe I would take a quick dive for a 30lber also. Gotta love those bottom dwelling structure wrecking shovel heads :thumbup:


I don't know how guys noodle these things, the way that fish tore from my hands and left my fingers bleeding Im not sure I would even want to. Even still I would dive for another I'm now 1-1 on Flathead diving and retrieving, only difference is the other fish was in 6 feet of water in the daylight and only weighed 10lbs


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## Land is the Limit (Mar 24, 2012)

Dedication!!!!


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