How To Bank Fish For Flathead Catfish

Are you planning an upcoming catfishing expedition? If you're out to catch some cat, you may already know that it's just not as easy as throwing a line out there. When you want to bring home some flathead catfish for your efforts, you need to know the right tactics and techniques to achieving a successful fishing adventure.

When it comes to fishing for flathead, you may already know that there are two main approaches. Some prefer the class bank angler technique of sitting in a comfortable chair with a good drink and even a book or magazine to read if the fishing is going slow. Then there is another approach which is gaining in popularity today.

This new approach is the secret to true successful bank fishing. It requires in-depth knowledge of where the flathead catfish will be and how to get there at the right time to catch them. You need to know where to find these catfish in all their haunts and this is what makes banking for catfish tough.

With the right tips and hints, however, you can be on your way to banking those cats like the pros. If you're a serious catfish angler, your gear is going to be of the utmost importance. These are your most sacred tools and can really make the difference when it comes to a fruitful day or going home empty-handed.

So what types of gear are we talking about? Here's a good basic start:

A good 7-to-8 foot rod with spinning or bait-casting reel
Some prefer larger gear and longer poles that stretch more like 10-15 feet
Thin, 50-pound superline (thin diameter line gives the longest casts)
Some good, appropriate bait or lures

However, a great bank cat fisherman knows that it isn't just about the gear. Instinct and experience plays a role in helping you know how to be sensitive to even the most subtle changes in depth and bottom texture.

Finding the Flathead

You need to know how to find those flathead if you aim to catch anything. Flathead, also known as yellow cat, mud cat or the shovelhead cat are the most common freshwater catfish. These large cats range from the Great Lakes region to Southern Texas/Mexico region. They can grow up to 61 inches and have been known to weigh up to 120 pounds.

They spawn when the temperatures reach 70 or 75 degrees, usually in late June or July. They are often in dark, secluded spots making them difficult to spot and to catch. When the spawn is over, it makes banking for catfish much easier. Usually during the rest of the summer after spawn and the winter is a great season for finding the flathead.

These catfish are carnivorous bottom feeders. They will scrape the bottom of a lake, pond, creek or other body of water in search of food. The catfish is a great smeller and will use their sensitive pores of the whiskers to smell out food in murky waters where they may not even be able to see.