First SEPA Flatheads of 2014

[mute]

Not fly fishing obviously, but starting my Flathead season early. Still trying to learn the ropes and the tackle, feeling of the fish etc.

Fished with a friend from 9:30pm to 11pm

Missed 2 or 3 fish, broke off 2 fish guessing mainly from old\poor tackle and line and my inexperience of how to fight these fish.

Landed two big fish as pictures 36 and 38lb and 3 other smaller fish.

If anyone wants to fish for a few hours some late night id love to have the company.

 

[timmyt]

Skuke?

 

[mute]

Perky

 

[GenCon]

Wow, nice big cats. Great job. Bet they were fun.

GenCon

 

[timmyt]

Oh no kidding? Didnt realize they were in the perky too but not surprising considering where it runs into the Skuke.

Ever smallie fish the Skuke in that area? Years ago we used to do pretty well out there but last five years it dropped off like a rock. To the point where we dont even go out there anymore

 

[AndyP]

timmyt - looking at those flatheads I wonder why the smallie fishing has dropped off in that location......

Mute - were you using live bait ? bluegills ?

 

[mute]

I do well with Live bait only. Caught some big channel cats when i tried cut bait a few times, an eel once too. But all the bigger fish, and numbers wise always were flatheads with live sunfish.


Bass fishing used to be really good there id say 5-10 years ago. Decent football sized bass in the rocky shallows spawning and such. However i know from other people and my own observations theres a few that are still caught there during the right time of year, but definitely not in the numbers they were before.

 

[Chaz]

Lower Perky I hope.

 

[timmyt]

AndyP,

I hear you man, i have no idea what the attraction is to catching flatheads but to each his own. Its not my cup of tea. There are even guys who fish out there who catch smallies and use them for bait, its ridiculous and shameful

I dont think the flats are 100% to blame, theres a few factors, but they certainly don't help.

 

[caveman]

I don't understand the attraction to catching a fish that can be nearly 4 feet long and weigh 40-45 lbs , fight like a mule and tastes great too.

I guess I'll go bluegill fishing this weekend, then to the river with my bait!

 

[timmyt]

Caveman if you wanna eat those flatties from that river go ahead but i'm not coming over for dinner that night!

I'm just not into dredging the bottom with weight and bait. I'd go fishing for sunfish with my fly rod before i did that, but like i said to each his own!

 

[mute]

I was all about fly fishing as well. But i see it as two different sports. Fly fishing is delicate and the fish im catching and environments im in are beautiful and calming. I treat the trout like a majestic creature knowing it cant hurt me. The streams are cold clear and clean.


However when i go river fishing, its a totally different ball game. Im not worried about precision, and stalking and studying fish on the stream like above. Its throw on a big bait, toss it out in that deep river, sit back relax and wait for that rod tip to touch the water. All in all its fishing, and it feels good weather youre trying to get a 4 inch brookie sip a size 22 ant off the surface film, or if youre fighting a 40lb flattie thats stripping like like a mad man every other reel rotation you gain.

 

[SBecker]

You should try using native brook trout for bait. It's what I use trolling for stripers in Beltzville.

 

[wildtrout2]

timmyt wrote:
AndyP,

I hear you man, i have no idea what the attraction is to catching flatheads but to each his own.

Exactly. All the man is doing is sharing some of HIS fishing adventures, which I appreciate. You don't need understand what the attraction is. If he's happy fishing for cats, so be it. And by the way, they fight like no trout will ever fight!

 

[BrookieChaser]

You ought to find a new line to take digs at brookies, Becker. The old "brookies as bait" is getting wore out, it's sounding like a broke record.

But I guess that's tough with all the competing to catch pellet heads, loch style, 14' 6wt rods and 20' leaders.

Op, nice fish. I'll agree, sometimes I see the joy in the simplicity of just sitting by the river fishing for catfish.

 

[timmyt]

Mute and wildtrout2, i didnt mean to be insulting or negative, i hope i did not come off that way.

Sbecker, they really do use rainbows when trolling for stripers i believe, stockers i would assume

 

[SBecker]

BrookieChaser wrote:
You ought to find a new line to take digs at brookies, Becker. The old "brookies as bait" is getting wore out, it's sounding like a broke record.

But I guess that's tough with all the competing to catch pellet heads, loch style, 14' 6wt rods and 20' leaders.

Op, nice fish. I'll agree, sometimes I see the joy in the simplicity of just sitting by the river fishing for catfish.

It will never get hold because I wasn't joking. I slay trolling with brookies.

Anyways I hate pellet head comps and actually try to stay away from them. Prefer wild trout competitions. Shows who truly is the better fishermen.

 

[JasonS]

SBecker wrote:
Shows who truly is the better fishermen.

And just when you thought comp fishing and its participants couldn't be any more pathetic, along comes this line.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Nice fish mute!

Lol @ the rest

 

[SBecker]

JasonS wrote:

SBecker wrote:
Shows who truly is the better fishermen.

And just when you thought comp fishing and its participants couldn't be any more pathetic, along comes this line.

Too easy.....