We chased flathead catfish at a brand-new, undisclosed river spot, and we went all in. New water, new target, and a long drive matched to our runs to Lake Hannah. We packed eel, planned to catch bluegill, and hoped to answer the big question: how would targeting something new turn out?
The Spark: Post-Tournament Motivation and Goals
We started the day reading tournament results, and the numbers set the tone. First place had 11 pounds, the biggest fish was 5.7 pounds. Oh boy. We knew it could be tough from the bank, yet still solid for us. Coop’s biggest is 10 pounds on July 12, so we set a simple goal, beat that.
Quick facts:
- Bank results: 5 pounds, biggest fish 5.7 pounds
- Drive time: about 1 hour 40 minutes, same as Lake Hannah, opposite direction
Why Flatheads, Why Now
We wanted something new, not blues from the Potomac. We picked a spot known for flatheads, with local talk of 30 to 35 pounders and tournaments every couple of weeks.
Motivation:
- Fish a flathead-only river section
- Make a different kind of video
- Test skills beyond Potomac blue cats
The Run In: Gear, Bait, and First Look
We rolled up saying, Look at that tree. Laydowns everywhere, timber-lined banks, and glassy water. The river read about 20 feet across much of it, with some deeper holes. Between dams, the current slid one way all evening.
Gear plan:
- Eel on ice
- Bait rod ready for live catches
- Carolina rigs tied and ready
Follow us for trip updates on TikTok @fishingknotcatching and Instagram.
Catching Bait and Rigging Up
We found 10 to 12 bluegill, the perfect flathead bait. We chopped some into head and tail pieces, then saved others to fish live after sunset. LiveScope showed marks about 35 feet back, so we set up to fish tight to the wood with 8 oz lead on some rods.
Bait we tried:
- Whole bluegill
- Cut bluegill, head and tail
- Eel chunks, including head pieces
We ran LiveScope on a Lowrance Eagle Eye 9″ fishfinder with live sonar.
First Anchor Set: Heat, Hope, and Waiting
Lines hit the water at 7:45 pm. Six baits, eel and cut gill, 20 yards off shore. It was blazing hot, frogs sang, and boats slid by. We gave spots 20 to 30 minutes. If quiet, we moved. We’re not real strong with flathead technique, so we watched, learned, and adjusted.
Shade Bank Move: Trees, Snags, and Laughs
By 8:00 pm we shifted to a shaded bank loaded with fresh laydowns, just 10 feet off the edge. Casting tight to timber brought taps and stick bites. At one point, Coop basically lassoed a whole tree. Coup’s favorite thing to do is scare the fish.
Bugs and Lights
Mosquitoes lit us up. We hit bug spray and ran red lights, then tried black lights, which called in even more bugs. If you night fish, those Onforu black lights are bright, but the SKs still win. Our Nilight red-green bow strip helped without drawing every bug in the county.
Sunset Switch: Live Bait and Real Bites
By 8:15 to 8:30 pm we switched to live bluegills, tail-hooked with 8 ounce sinkers. Line 3 got chased hard. We waited for a run, but one bluegill tangled itself to pieces and another rod got light nibbles on eel. Flathead bites feel different, and we felt it.
How we hooked live bait:
- Tail fin hook point
- Wait for the rundown before loading up
Dragging Try: Middle River Mayhem
We dragged cut bait, eel, and live with the current. No trolling motor needed. Then came tangles, a lost planer board, and a snag that felt like a fish. Lost everything. Peachy.
Last Push and Final Word
At 11:00 pm we anchored one last time and ran what we had left, eight live bluegills and a piece of eel. The trolling motor acted up, bugs kept chewing, and lines bounced with false alarms. We can’t leave skunked, we said. But we did. We caught piles of bluegill, zero flathead catfish.
Lessons learned:
- Hook live bait inside the boat
- Bug spray is not optional
- Red lighting beats white when skeeters are thick
We wrapped at 11:45 pm with a 1 hour 40 minute drive home. We still had a blast and we’re coming back for redemption. Catch more behind-the-scenes on Facebook and support the partners who support us, like Triple City Anglers with code FKC10 and No Fly Zone Fishing with code FKC20.
We’ll be back on those flathead catfish soon. Got a can’t-miss tip for live bluegill or eel on flatheads? Drop it our way and we’ll put it to work next trip.