Best Flathead Bait?

Was watching some guys by this park near my house and witnessed them catch a few nice faltheads, i approached them and asked what they were using, however they were tight lipped. Any suggestions would be appreciated! thought of using some kind of cutbait?

I agree with muscles about bullheads and bluegills. I've also had good luck using small channel cats. Keep in mind that in Wi, you must use a quick strike rig or non-offset circle hook with baitfish over 8". I recommend circle hooks even with smaller baits as the hook-up ratio is fantastic, and they're almost always right in the corner of the mouth. Tight lines!

Spawning time use bullheads if you can catch them where you're fishing or 5-6 inch bluegills. Caught my first good size ones this past year biggest was 47lbs and lots in the 15-25 lb class. Use a good stiff pole and 40-50lb line to be safe. Leave the drag light so when they do take it they can run with it. Let them take line for at least 10seconds to insure they've eaten the bait. Good luck tight lines

There are no blues in Wi. Channel cats sometimes have a blue coloring and are mistaken for blues. The best way to tell the difference is the anal fin. Channel cats have a rounded anal fin, while a blue's is squared.

watertown rock river has lots of bullhead in it and i have cought flatheads there as well as blues last season i caught a 30 pound flathead with a chub fishing on a calm shoreline from the boat

There are some here and there in the WI River but not a real high density. There's lots more channels than flatties. I think the Miss. River has a much higher density of them.

OK fellas. I am going to try harder than ever to get some flatties outta the Rock this year, but I am thinking about booking a guide to fish for them either on the Wisconsin River or perhaps the Wolf. I would like to know if anyone can recommend a guide (that is not named Larry Smith) that does target flatheads and could offer some good advice that I could use on any river. I have nothing against Mr. Smith, it is just that I would like to support someone's business that is not already heavily endorsed. My understanding is that the boat traffic on the Wolf in the Summer is similar to car traffic in downtown Rome,Italy, so I am hesitant to go by myself and spend the evening plotting to destroy all pleasure boats within my line of sight. Any ideas?

Yeah the Rock isn't known for Flathead Catfish. And yeah...good luck catching a bluegill out of there! As for catching smaller sheepshead I'm not sure what to say. I fish a different area and always catch them fishing lures and there all 8-14". So maybe try some little lures.

Last year I tried using the small green sunfish that were around the tree roots along the river bank with no success. I did get one very nice channel though. I am going to try the sheepshead as all of the flatties I have kept (3 total) have all been eating these. Maybe the density of flathead cats is just so low that I have to expect this to be a difficult task to accomplish.

i've had pretty good luck catching small sheepshead on a 3-way rig with a small circle hook and a chunk of nightcrawler. put the rod in a good rod-holder and wait for the fish to hook themselves. if you are still catching too many big ones, try cutting them up. flatheads will occasionally take cut-bait, and you'll most likely catch bigger channels. good luck!

I fish the Rock River around Ft. Atkinson for channels and do fairly well on large fish. Flatheads are a different story entirely. Trying to find gills or sunfish for bait on the river is challenging to say the least. I have used store bought suckers and done squat. Every one I have ever caught was by pure dumb luck during spring jigging for walleyes and they all had sheepshead in their stomachs. Trying to find these smaller sheepshead is very difficult also (under a pound). I know the fish are there, but having the right bait is proving to be the biggest challenge for me. I have never caught a bullhead from the Rock either so that is out. Anyone who has a LEGAL suggestion on where to get sunfish or bullies for bait or any other idea at all please chime in. I know where to get the right bait, just not from THIS river as required by Wisconsin law. Thanks. Jimmy

chicken skin

Live bluegill and bullheads are preferred by most but sometimes you have to use whats available sheephead, rockbass whatever you can catch or suckers and chubs from the bait shop. From what I've learned live bait is the key to catching large flatheads. J.J.

Fish with only live bluegill, sunfish, and bullhead. Find log jam and big underwater rock/boulders. They hide tight in these structures. Good luck!

live gills

I think live bullheads 8in - 12in or even 14in work best on the winnebago system, I know I used them that big. Hard to get them any smaller then 10 in on this system, but hands down I think they work great! They make so much vibrations and that when their down there thumping around. My biggest flat is 28 lbs but I'm still young lol , and of course on a bullhead.