Well BCB and I went out targeting flatheads on Saturday. We headed out of the marina about 5:00 pm. The plan was to fish all night and to look for only one or two fish. Those fish being the elusive Texas Flatheads. I had picked out a general area to fish and when we got there we found a spot with a couple downed trees that looked pretty fishy. We tied up and got to work tying new rigs with shorter leaders and new leads. No need for the slinky weights since we were anchored up and I sort of expected to pay some tackle tax as we were in a lot of trees and stumps.

Lots of boats fishing in the area we were set up in. Most of them crappie fishing I suspect. As the afternoon turned to evening and the sun set, the boats started to get fewer. After dark there were still boats out there. More than I expected. It wasn't until after 1:00 AM that we found ourselves alone out there.

First, we had some live shad and some cut shad. The warm water has the bait scattered all over the place. I saw a lot of threadfin spawning up in 6" of water all over the shoreline. I got some bigger threads in the net and put them in the live well and I caught 1 giant gizzard and kept him alive too. He ended up being cut bait, about 1 1/2" chunks. In my opinion, that was not ideal. I was hoping for some bream to use live.

Anyway, we got set up on the downed trees and started with a good fan cast of 6 rods. We were not looking for numbers of eater blues and we were not getting any. I was encouraged. After dark we boated a couple big channel cats. I thought that was also a good sign. About 11:30 it happened. We had a rod just take off. We had the boat with the back end facing south into the downed trees and this line just started going North. Not excitedly, just a steady "I don't care about your hook" pace. it was the number 4 rod and as it took off, it took the line from number 5 and 6 with it. It pulled drag as BCB was trying to get it sorted out so he could fight it. I was trying to get around him to help clear the other lines and just as we started to think about victory, it came unbuttoned. That was that.

We were mad, disappointed, heart broken, and all the other emotions that go with losing a big fish. Reflecting on it, I think the odds of it being a flathead were pretty good. We were not getting bit except for a couple channel cats, so there were no small blues in the area.

We stayed there, rebaited and kept at it. We would rebait with a live shad and fresh cut bait now and then but alas, as the sun started coming up, we were getting chilly and tired. So we admitted defeat and reeled 'em up to head for the marina.

Lessons learned:

1. Needed some better quality bait. Some bigger live shad, some live bream.
2. I think bigger rigs. Back to 10/0 for the flatheads. Short leaders, 18" or so.
3. We stayed in one spot all night. I think next time we might pick out 2 or 3 spots and move a little.
4. Love, love, love being on the water at night. The sounds of coyotes, owls, fish jumping... The life that happens when most people are asleep is fascinating to me.
5. BCB and I can talk about anything all night long! Haha. And we did!

I had a great time. We are already thinking about the next go round...

GB & TL...

Looks like fun boys. We had planned to Flathead fish last weekend but had issues with Nav lights not having power so had to fish in the daytime instead. Glad we did cuz Jaxon got him a 43 lb blue up shallow that was 1/2 lb shy of the Jr lake record. We put the smack down on some huge fish again yesterday on our live stream. Stay after em guys and you’ll get em.

a night fishing is a good night whether you get what you were after or not. Expectations were spot on, seems up here in N. Tx, on our lakes, your fishing for 1 or 2 good bites when out flatty fishing. Anything more is a great night.

Tim and I always have a good time when we fish together, and Saturday night was no exception. The first time for me to fish daylight to daylight, and we were soaking baits for (gasp) no less than 13 hours.

I told Tim I just had a very good feeling about us getting a decent fish, and like Tim I was pleased we were not getting plagued by small fish.

The big bite happened and I think I must have been half asleep. Realizing this was a big fish I got target fixated on the resulting mess the fish was creating with my other 2 rods and focused on that rather the the prize - the darn fish!! Urgh!!!

Pressure off and he got off. Yes, round shark hooks but a small size 5/0.

A chance to learn and get smarter.

Highlights.
The sunset. It was stunning.
Putting the world to rights, complimenting our POTUS (<<<<<< haha).
Seeing a gar swim on the surface under the boats lights.
Having Tim tell me very calmly to shout out if I spot a snake so he could bash it with the oar.
Freezing our [censored]*s off when the morning dew came down (we were both wearing shorts) and Tim using hand warmers on his legs.

And the best of all? Just ‘being’ in nature and watching the crescent moon appear on the horizon.

We will have success given more time and sharpening our swords.

Thanks to Tim for inviting me to join him.

The best of times.

Nice post stay after them .

Amen to that!

Guys, I'm so jealous. That's my favorite fishing of all. Takes me back to when I was a kid, catfishing with my uncle until the wee hours of the morning. Nothing as peaceful and enjoyable. I can clear my head and sit for hours patiently waiting on that moment of excitement when the rod starts to twitch a little, not knowing if it's just a dink channel cat playing with it or if it's a giant flathead about to slam it down hard and change that serene, peaceful moment into complete, chaotic excitement!

Hope to join you two for one of those all-nighters this summer. I say summer because I'm so done with freezing my hind end off that I'll wait until we HAVE to fish at night because of the heat.

Great posts guys!

I can never get shad to stay alive and I can almost never kill a perch lmao
Thanks for the read keep after them !

Neat post.