# Missed flathead hits...



## TFRIZZ30 (Jun 26, 2014)

Guys since I started fishing on rod and real for the illusive flathead I have done pretty well but missed more fish than I catch. They will bend my medium heavy rod over then just let go or when I set the hook after the rod is bent over they are gone. When I reel the bait in they are about scaled from the bite. Does this happen to everyone? Any advice? Hook? Drag setting? Where do you hook your live bait? 
Thanks,
Tyler 


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## JoeyWelch (Sep 25, 2009)

My first guess would be the hook is too small.

Me personally, I would be using a circle or Khale hook. Need to match hook size to bait size. I like big hooks.

If I'm fishing in current, I will hook in the nose. If I can get out of the current (which is where you want to be for flats) I'll hook in the back.


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## JoeyWelch (Sep 25, 2009)

Second thought would be gars. It's hard to get a hook set in one of them.


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## TFRIZZ30 (Jun 26, 2014)

I have been using a 7/0 offset kahle hook on my larger baits. What size do you use? I never thought of gars. 


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

That's gar for the most part, usually when a flathead slams it he keeps it and don't let go. When your rod gets slammed and you fight it for a few seconds and it just seems to let go, it's a gar


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## TFRIZZ30 (Jun 26, 2014)

Well that is good to hear. I thought I was missing 2 fish for every 1 I caught. 


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## skiff89_jr (Apr 1, 2011)

Yep. As said above, I'd put money on gar.

On hooks, I use circles sometimes and sometimes I use a huge J hook. Seems sometimes they will want to chew on the bait for a little while before they take it so then I use circles so I can be patient. If they're slamming baits like they are most of the time then I use J hooks. They're cheap and I don't miss many. 7/0 is the smallest i'll every use. Prefer 8/0 unless i'm using really big warmouth or bullheads and I'll use 10/0 then.


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## TFRIZZ30 (Jun 26, 2014)

Guess I'm ordering some bigger hooks. 


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## TFRIZZ30 (Jun 26, 2014)

Really appreciate the info guys. 


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

For flatheads if you are using anything other than King Kahles or Charlie Browns HDs you are simply missing fish.


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

I'm just a river rapin' noodlin', trot liner but If the bream looks scaled - it wasn't a gar. Gar bites are usually strong bites but if you get your bait back it's usually live and frisky - If your bream looks like he just got drug down a gravel road by the tail..... you probably need a bigger hook.


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## FlounderMan (Oct 24, 2007)

King Kahle hooks :thumbup: are the way to go. 10/0 for medium to large bait.


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## TFRIZZ30 (Jun 26, 2014)

Do you fish the kahle hooks with the reel locked down in the rod holder?


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

Locked and loaded ready to set the fire out of it.


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## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

Is it safe to assume that a decent flathead will chomp the whole bait and not grab it and "chew" it in while swimming away? I've had a few baits come up half scaled where they bit the wrong end of the bream.


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## gastonfish (Mar 24, 2012)

Some time yes -but some will pick it up a couple of times , bite on it a bit and then take it. You can feel or watch when they take it. They will start to move off with it. That's when to set the hook. If you try too soon you may pull it without a hook set


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## FlounderMan (Oct 24, 2007)

TFRIZZ30 said:


> Do you fish the kahle hooks with the reel locked down in the rod holder?
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yeah, mine are in a rod holders on the boat. To me flatheads hit kinda like a flounder. Most of the time they will bump it movin the rod tip a little bit. Then after 10 seconds or so the rod usually slams over so hard it sets the hook. If it don't slam over you need to check it cause the fish may be swimming towards you and you can reel the slack up and jack him up.


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## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

Haha, Tyler can't wait to set the hook! I'm in the let em eat a little bit camp, but both ways have lost fish.


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## TFRIZZ30 (Jun 26, 2014)

Setting the hook is where all the fun is.


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

TFRIZZ30 said:


> Setting the hook is where all the fun is.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




I agree. Nibble my bait and I'm gonna make you pay!


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## TFRIZZ30 (Jun 26, 2014)

I'm shocked we didn't reel in just a set of lips a few times when we were using Josh's broom stick. 


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

I caught 12 flatheads last night. They seem to be biting okay.


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## TFRIZZ30 (Jun 26, 2014)

I would say that is a pretty good bite. 


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

This is not from last night but an almost identical catch. No big fish but lost of fun.


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## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

Thanks for the....info


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