Anybody here targeting flatheads?

I fish Waxahachie and am looking for the flatheads with no luck. I know there are some monsters in here, but they're elusive. Everybody who's caught them has been fishing for something else, so I'm wondering if anybody specifically targets flatheads. So far I've been using live bream fishing areas with lots of timber. I might be able to catch a flatty if I could keep the blues off my hook. Any advice would be appreciated.

I've been fishing boulder and heavy rock ledges in about 8' water adjacent to dropoffs. I'm not on your lake but it's working on mine. Big live bait and patience!

As to timing the YellowCat bite, tune into my Lynn's Catfish Calendar thread.
2018 <http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/12556618/1>

Also, if you want to get a grasp on how to find their path or regions, the June calendar will pull up some old data & some recent tips as well. You can also comb back thru mid 2010 on the yearly calendar threads (links are posted up at the first or second post on each yearly thread).

Night time is the right time for flatties.

Also, In-Fisherman magazine had a great article about targeting flatties in the most recent issue.

Not sure if you are familiar with that publication but its very good, multi-species stuff.

They are yankees so you will get walleye and pike stuff but they cover catfish in about every months edition.

They are not easy to target in a lake. But if you know what to look for, your chances will definitely increase. And you will need lots of patience. In-Fisherman is wealth of knowledge when it comes to catfishing in general, as mentioned above. Rivers are much easier to specifically target flatheads though. Night Bite 90% of the time, and good hearty live bait. When I've caught them in lakes it was while catching blues, I'll toss a couple live baits out. Catch one while he's cruising on a flat. I wouldn't turn my nose up at banks lines with docks, either. They're lookin for bait, plenty of bait hang around docks. Just kind of pocket hop the docks like you would timber for big Blues.

I have better luck with Goldfish or Black Salties. Bream die too soon, not lively enough.

It takes patience to catch Flatheads. pick some likely spots and bait the hooks once or twice a day (early morning and late evening).

Flatheads don't feed in the same areas every night. It took me 8 days to catch my 1st one, it weighed 66lbs. Everything I read on the internet told me it may take that long or longer. Once you catch a few you will begin to understand them better.

I like main lake channels with a sharp bend. Setup on the Outside edge of the curve, not down in the creek. Flathead will come up here to feed on the flats at night.

Rocky areas or areas with lots of timber adjacent to deep water or a creek channel. As far as bait goes, wild caught will always outfish store bought, I like sunnies of any variety, bluegill, greenies etc. , bullheads, or live carp/suckers. Anything under about 2lbs will get a hook put through it here as a it only takes about a 10lb flathead to eat a bait that size

I always like to target flatheads if I can, they are just more fun. Gotta say I know everyone always says live bait is key for them but the vast majority of the ones I have caught and seen caught on RR were using dead bait of some kind.

If fishing a lake I always concentrate on fishing drop offs and cover near or on/in creek channels. I have had as much luck during the day as I have at night fishing for them on lakes.

Lots of great info guys. Thanks a bunch.

Never had any luck on Rod and Reel. Now trot lining is another story altogether. Grew up trot lining for big flatheads. Still love it to this day. Never been on Waxahachie though.

I just posted June 2018 Calendar on the thread-
Lynn's Catfish Calendar
<http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/12556618/>

Other than planting your lines- set or RnR
by areas of cover or holes, two methods are shared of how to find their paths, plus two links to more info.

Hopefully that will help!

Yeah that “they only eat live bait” thing is a myth.

I like to knock the scales off a few perch and fish them live and use fresh dead shad whole or cut on other poles. I have caught them on cut shad and on live perch on the same night.

I have caught a few on chicken thighs-
And the chickens were absolutely dead-
I’m gonna post up a thread later about something else I caught a flathead on this past Saturday night-

lol spasms-
I’m an old so I went to sleep early last night-
I have grandkids this morning and I don’t want to write too short of a report on this one-
But I’ll give ya a tease-
It was on——

interesting.