N. American Flathead Catfish

GTS

Candiru
MFK Member
May 15, 2005
397
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Tampa,Fl
Their mouths are larger than that of a RTC (although they dont get as heavy as RTCs).

I speak from personal experince I had the chance to catch a few in appalache river in northern florida. Guess what we used for bait? Three pound bullheads we just cut off a few of their barbels and cast them out. The flatheads we caught were just around 24" to 30" (small) and they sucked down the bullheads like candy. Channel catfish and white catfish are also used as bait. Pretty much anything that swims has been used as bait. I kid you not, one guy told me he used a 12" bowfin as bait and caught a 34" flathead.
 

rayman45

Team Rayman
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Mar 30, 2005
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staten island new york
thats like the native redtail
 

tyson

Stingray Master
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May 6, 2005
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Tropical Island
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THANKS FOR THE PIC....

LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE RTC INDEED.
 

PeacockBass

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 27, 2005
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cenecker said:
whats it matter which one is heaviest? I was refering to nastiness.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but as far as I'm concerned - Flatheads are the meanest things in the water in N. American, except for alligators mabye.

You do know flatheads are not aggressive, right?



The most aggressive NA fish has to be a breeding sunfish. I have snorkeled with every sp of panfish durring the breeding season. and hands down, the sunfish owns all.

I have caught a 18 inch male bass with my hands while he was gaurding his nest. He was calm and let me grab him. The sunfish on the other hand, came after me. They will attack me if i get close to their nest. Their color is extremely nice too. you can see the shimmering freckles from the surface.
 

AmazonPredator

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 30, 2005
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Oklahoma
The alligator gar is the king of the US waterways...hands down. I would like to have a baby flathead, though. That story about the breeding bluegill is intruiging. I have some bluegill that I'd like to breed someday...maybe I'll throw my cat in there and watch it die.
 

GTS

Candiru
MFK Member
May 15, 2005
397
10
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Tampa,Fl
Yep its true. All of the sunfish species(except for bass) get crazy when guarding their nest. They attack anything that gets to close.
 

mrsrobertson

Feeder Fish
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Jun 2, 2005
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Sounds like some true fish stories :hitting:
 
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