So what kind of rig do you use for flatheads when using a big ole bluegill for bait? Do you use the same ole three way rig with a floater below the swivel to keep the bait off the bottom? Do you hook the bluegill under the dorsal fin? That just doesn't seem like it would act right in the water...

When using live bait you dont need a float, you want the bait to swim as free as possible. I use a three way rig with a braided nylon leader.

Where does the hook go?

I run a slip cork and try to keep bait about a foot off bottom and hook bait just in front of dorsal also try triming the tail fin this causes the bait to have to try harder to swim but be careful not to make the bait bleed cause he wont live very long

I have found that if you run the hook thrugh one eye socet and out the other the bait will live all day or longer. Try to miss the eye balls.

I use a standard carolina rig and hook them through the back behind or in front of the dorsal fin, sometimes I clip a little corner off the tail. Also, scale about a dime or quarter sized patch off each side. Be careful not to gouge the skin.

How big of a Perch do you use for flatheads? I am fishing the San Gabriel River just below Granger. Had a friend pull a 68 pounder out of there last year.

I like about hand sized or so, maybe a touch smaller. I presonally dont think you can get too big. If you can find mudcats or baby carp or baby drum they work as good or better.

There are some flattie fishermen I know that fish the Mississippi in Arkansas and they use 2-3 pound carp and drum for bait. Live. Both rod n reel and lines.

perch, bullheads, carp, drum, anything lively are all good baits, always hooks bait in the back, and use a craolina rig to rig the bait.

bigger the bait the bigger the fish

I like what Capt. said, sometimes ol flattie likes to lay there and look at the bait for a while, but I think eyveryone has to fish the way they are most confident. Personally I like the 3-way and I do use a slip cork from time to time in the rocks at ---------- you know.

Do you run the slipcork below the 3way swivel ?

Yeah, run the slip on the weight leader. You don't need a 3 way swivel. Tie your hook leader to the top of the barrel swivel, leaving only the weight leader on the bottom swivel.

the 3 way swivel is for tightlining- if I use a slip cork all you need is a barrel swivel but I'll use smaller bait cause I don't want the bait dragging the cork too far from where I put it.When I use a slip cork rig it's because the area I'm fishing has a bunch of cover and I don't want the bait to be able to hide and I want to get the fish up quickly to keep'em from wrappin me up. I have 12 and 13ft rods to pull this off and it still doesn't work sometimes, flatties are just BEAST !!