Altamaha Flatheads
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Altamaha Flatheads
Any of you guys fish for them? I read an article last night in Georgia Sportsman, said there were 70 pounders there for the takin'.
Ken
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seatrout99
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Cran, a "Flathead" is a term for a particular breed of catfish. The shocking is done by dropping electrical conducting rods into the water, attached to a generator. The electric shock stuns the fish and they float to the surface. This technique is used ONLY by the wildlife research people, for the purpose of producing accurate fish counts. This method would NEVER be used by them good ol Gawga boys.
What was I supposed to do today?
In a departure from what you usually hear: the fish and game people WANT all the Flatheads removed from the Altamaha that folks can catch.
Tin Can, I have an old crank telephone generator I have wanted to rig up and try (purely for scientific research in my own pond) the old timers here refer to it as "Telegraphing" fish.
Tin Can, I have an old crank telephone generator I have wanted to rig up and try (purely for scientific research in my own pond) the old timers here refer to it as "Telegraphing" fish.
Ken
That shocking method usually only works on rock bottom.
Silt will not complete the circuit.
This method only works on catfish unless you are REALLY pumping the voltage.
Other names for this are...
Dialing them up
Getting out the old fish call.
Catching them on the chain link worm.
Oh well I DON"T know enough about this subject to even comment.
Silt will not complete the circuit.
This method only works on catfish unless you are REALLY pumping the voltage.
Other names for this are...
Dialing them up
Getting out the old fish call.
Catching them on the chain link worm.
Oh well I DON"T know enough about this subject to even comment.
It's a small world, unless you had to paint it.
Crane,
The real name for the Flathead Catfish is "Appaloosa Catfish." The Reason they want to get rid of them is, they are not native to these rivers. They are not scavangers like the other cats in these waters. They eat mostly Redbreast and other finfish like Crappie. They will even eat small Channel cats. They can wipe out a whole population of redbreast in a river in just a few years.
The other side of the story is, they're the best tasting freshwater catfish in this country, and I've tasted it in a lot of different places. They also provide the best fight anyone could ask for. You go after these boys with offshore bottom fishing rigs ,heavy boat rods, and 30-50 pound test. When stuck, they head right to the bottom. I caught a 27lb last spring that took 45 minutes to land.
I like to fish for redbreast also, so I feel like I'm doing my patriotic duty catching as many as I can.
The real name for the Flathead Catfish is "Appaloosa Catfish." The Reason they want to get rid of them is, they are not native to these rivers. They are not scavangers like the other cats in these waters. They eat mostly Redbreast and other finfish like Crappie. They will even eat small Channel cats. They can wipe out a whole population of redbreast in a river in just a few years.
The other side of the story is, they're the best tasting freshwater catfish in this country, and I've tasted it in a lot of different places. They also provide the best fight anyone could ask for. You go after these boys with offshore bottom fishing rigs ,heavy boat rods, and 30-50 pound test. When stuck, they head right to the bottom. I caught a 27lb last spring that took 45 minutes to land.
I like to fish for redbreast also, so I feel like I'm doing my patriotic duty catching as many as I can.
CSMarine, thanks for the information.
Where do these catfish come from then ?
Thats a good size for a US catfish.
Normally, Nature has a way of controlling predators, by limiting their breeding cycles and success, according to the amount of food available.
They sound like good sporting fish, if they taste that good, I,d vote to keep them.
On some of our "game" (trout and salmon) rivers, they have a bylaw that all (northern)pike caught, have to be killed.
Its amazing how many of them, throw two sets of barbed trebles, just as you are about to net them.
Where do these catfish come from then ?
Thats a good size for a US catfish.
Normally, Nature has a way of controlling predators, by limiting their breeding cycles and success, according to the amount of food available.
They sound like good sporting fish, if they taste that good, I,d vote to keep them.
On some of our "game" (trout and salmon) rivers, they have a bylaw that all (northern)pike caught, have to be killed.
Its amazing how many of them, throw two sets of barbed trebles, just as you are about to net them.
The flathead is native mostly to the southern great lakes and the Mississippi basin. Their popularity differs with which type of angler you talk to. In some waters fisheries agencies have responded with eradication programs. In other waters, they are intentionally stocked by fisheries biologists to thin stunted populations of Sunfish and Bullheads.
Flathead is the official name.
Appaloosa is anickname because thy are mottled like an Appaloosa horse.
They were introduced by some idiot that oviously got them from Texas.
CSMarine is right about them being voracious feeders.
According to what I've read they will eat anything that won't eat them first, including thier own species.
Appaloosa is anickname because thy are mottled like an Appaloosa horse.
They were introduced by some idiot that oviously got them from Texas.
CSMarine is right about them being voracious feeders.
According to what I've read they will eat anything that won't eat them first, including thier own species.
It's a small world, unless you had to paint it.