[flathunter]

I am a die hard river and creek Catfisherman, However there is certain times of the year especially spring when high water keeps me from my spots..This is when I try the lake thing for Cats, and my results have been horrible to say the least...Any tips on locating Channel and Flathead Cats in lakes, and while fishing from the Bank????

 

[dip]

i'll hep you jackal

the catfishes are generally in the water so you should look there. hope thet heps ya! dipdipdip

 

[mrfish/OH]

Good advice dip

Sometimes I thought of trying the picnic shelters, but I'll stick with the water now.
Jack, I fish the river, but I target the same areas that walleyes would like. When in the lakes, I've sure got my share of cats on crankbaits while trolling for walleyes.....at 3 MPH !! That tells me, they like similar food shelfs, they both hang near the bottom. Lake Erie is the only place the eyes suspend, otherwise, look on the bottom. I know a guy who fished the wooded areas for eaters there (Brookville) and fishes at night. The run up into the creeks for the bait too. I've heard of some nice flats caught at CC in the feeder creeks.
I really believe they haunt the same areas as walleyes. They can be deep, or shallow, night feeders, etc. Edges...dropoffs, transition areas, wooded areas, etc.

 

[Flatheadmaniac]

hey Jack

I know im not a lake flatheader by any means..but they do hold to the same features as river fish( just no current factors).
Deep water very close to shallow flats is key..if there is structure like wood or rock the better.
Lake flatheads hold close to cover same as river flatheads do..find down trees, or even man made brush piles(like the ones crappie fisherman plant) these usually hold baitfish and bluegills...which in turn is the flatheads diet.
Ive heard like Jim said feeder creeks, back water channels , ect will surely hold fish..specially during pre-spawn and spawn.
Also if that lake has a dam, then baitfish will be there and flatheads will be close by too.
I'd ask our friend Robby, since hes got over 17 yrs of experience doing the lake thing...and since he has that down VERY well indeed!
Good luck to ya Jack.

 

[flathunter]

Dipster any more smart remarks from you, and I will cease all Flatheads lesons for you next year

 

[katfish]

Jack

I can give you a common scenario that will work. This tactic is a boom or bust type thing though.

When the ice melts off rivers in spring you can go where rivers run into lakes and fish cut shad. Winterkilled shad float up and becomes frozen in the the ice. When the water thaws and current picks up due to run off all the shad is washed into the lake and settles to the bottom as the current pans out.

Since the water is so cold the bites will be very tender delicate bites. Some days the fish won't bite at all but when they do it is an opportunity to get several of a lakes largest channel cats in one day This tactic seems to work in most lakes I have fished when my timing is right.

You have to experiment to find just where the current drops the shad into the lake. I make adjustments such as fishing with spinning gear with a piece of paper on the line to detect the light bites. I also use ice cubes or sugar cubes that dissolve as weights so the cats don't detect the weight.

I suggest this tactic because at this time I figure the rivers would be high and difficult to fish. Also I figure you will have shad in the freezer