Diet of Flatheads in the Susquehanna

[Dave_W]

We have had discussion on the impact of flatheads in the Susky off and on over the years.

A new study out of PSU sheds light on what they're eating. It was common knowledge that young FHs eat a lot of rusty crayfish (I think Mike pointed this out years ago) and this study verified this with strong evidence. Behind rusty crayfish - and a bit more concerning to me - is the large amount of marginated madtoms (my beloved "stonecats" that I like to imitate) being consumed. There's a growing sense that marginated madtoms numbers are in decline and FH predation will only make this worse. I suppose it isn't a surprise since madtoms are nocturnal and about the same size as crayfish.

Adult FHs ate fishes of just about every variety, although, curiously, redbreast sunfish were not on the list. . .

Flathead Study

 

[caddisflyer]

Is it illegal to throw them on the bank?

 

[Kgregor12]

Is it illegal to throw them on the bank?

You would think they would be under the same rules as invasive snake head, invasive Rusty crawdads, invasive silver carp where you can have em dead on your person, just not alive.

Now throwing them on the bank could constitute wonton waste. However, for snakehead I feel like no WCO is going to fault you for beheading one and leaving it. A knowledgeable chef might though!!

Flatties sell ALOT of licenses for the fish commission so from an invasive species standpoint unclear if they are treating it like a snakehead or more like a brown trout considering the economics.

 

[jifigz]

I find the lack of redbreast in their diet to be very surprising! After all, people who fish for them a lot use redbreasts and bluegill for bait. I am not sure I fully believe the lack of redbreast in their diet, but I sure hope so because I love the redbreast sunfish.

My cousin's husband likes to fish for them, and he has caught some real hogs on the good ol' stonecat (margined madtom.) He caught a fish over 30 lbs on a stonecat near Newton Hamilton.

I think taking crawdads and using them for bait for young flatheads sounds like a good game plan. I would creel those young flatties and fry em up!