Flathead Catfish Fishing Tips For Mississippi

Flathead Catfish Fishing Tips For Mississippi
Mississippi flathead catfish fishing is fun, entertaining and relaxing all atthe same time. The flathead is one of the most interesting species in the catfish family, which is one of the reasons so many anglers choose to seek them
out. This species is one of the most challenging because they spend most of their adult life alone. This makes them harder to find unlike species that swim together in groups.
It also has a few unique features such as an extremely flat head with a protruding lower jaw and small eyes. They’re rather interesting to see. The tail has a square shape, which is also a unique feature not found on most species.
The best place to find the flathead would be in some of the larger rivers with major tributaries because these normally have slow to moderately flowing water.
When you’re searching for a trophy fish, this is a great species to seek out because they can grow to some amazing sizes. In fact, they’re the second largest of the catfish family and some of the largest ones recorded weighed more than one hundred pounds. The blue cat is the only one of this species that can grow larger.
Here are five Mississippi flathead catfish fishing tips that can help you catch more fish:
1. During the night the flathead will move closer to the shallows and swim closer to the surface. They will feed more aggressively during the night as well making this the best time to fish for them. The time between dusk and midnight is the most productive.
2. This is a predatory species with a diet made up mostly of live fish once they become adults. Therefore, using live bait will yield the best results. Shad is one of the best baits to use but you can try other live bait such as bluegill, small bullhead and minnows.
3. The flathead stays on the bottom of the water most of the time especially during the day so use a method that will allow you to get the bait on the bottom where they’re the most plentiful. Try different weights until you find the smallest size that gets the job done.
4. With a fish this tough that puts up such a strong fight, you’ll need good quality gear in order to reel it in.
Therefore, it’s recommended that you use a heavy-action rod combined with a spinning reel when fishing for flatheads.
Make sure the fishing line is strong and matches the rest of your gear. It would be upsetting to lose a catch due to weak fishing line. It’s also a good idea to take along an extra rod and reel just in case the original one gets damaged.
5. Get prepared and always take the time to look over your gear before heading out to make sure everything is in good shape and that you have everything you need when you hit the water. It can be very frustrating when you get out on the water and discover that you left your extra fishing line at home.
Fishing for flathead catfish in Mississippi can be more productive when you use the tips above. They are some of the things that experienced anglers have passed down to help others new to the sport be more productive. They will help you prepare and know which bait and gear to start out with so you don’t have to spend as much time learning how to fish. Overtime, you’ll learn the area and discover what techniques work the best based on when and where you’re fishing but these tips will help get you off to a great start.
Not only is the flathead a challenge to catch but they also taste great. This is another one of the reasons why they are such a popular species. The meat is firm and flaky and when served as the main course it will enhance any side dish.
There are also many recipes available for cooking the flathead in a variety of ways making it easy to find one the whole family can enjoy.
Before heading out to the water, make sure your fishing license is updated and that you have reviewed the Mississippi laws and regulations that govern the area. The laws can change depending on which season it is and on the conditions of the lakes and rivers. Therefore, don’t assume you know what the laws are just
because you checked them out once. Instead, actually look them up every so often just to be on the safe side.
If you plan to go out in a boat, it’s recommended that you check to make sure your vessel is up to code and that all of your safety equipment is in order.
Safety should always be put first so you can enjoy many more Mississippi flathead fishing trips in the future. All that’s left to do is to get out on the water every chance you get and enjoy all the benefits fishing has to offer.