Best Flathead Bait?

i've had pretty good luck catching small sheepshead on a 3-way rig with a small circle hook and a chunk of nightcrawler. put the rod in a good rod-holder and wait for the fish to hook themselves.

if you are still catching too many big ones, try cutting them up. flatheads will occasionally take cut-bait, and you'll most likely catch bigger channels.

good luck!

I fish the Rock River around Ft. Atkinson for channels and do fairly well on large fish. Flatheads are a different story entirely. Trying to find gills or sunfish for bait on the river is challenging to say the least. I have used store bought suckers and done squat. Every one I have ever caught was by pure dumb luck during spring jigging for walleyes and they all had sheepshead in their stomachs. Trying to find these smaller sheepshead is very difficult also (under a pound). I know the fish are there, but having the right bait is proving to be the biggest challenge for me. I have never caught a bullhead from the Rock either so that is out. Anyone who has a LEGAL suggestion on where to get sunfish or bullies for bait or any other idea at all please chime in. I know where to get the right bait, just not from THIS river as required by Wisconsin law. Thanks.

Jimmy

chicken skin

Live bluegill and bullheads are preferred by most but sometimes you have to use whats available sheephead, rockbass whatever you can catch or suckers and chubs from the bait shop. From what I've learned live bait is the key to catching large flatheads. J.J.

Fish with only live bluegill, sunfish, and bullhead. Find log jam and big underwater rock/boulders. They hide tight in these structures. Good luck!

live gills

I think live bullheads 8in - 12in or even 14in work best on the winnebago system, I know I used them that big. Hard to get them any smaller then 10 in on this system, but hands down I think they work great! They make so much vibrations and that when their down there thumping around. My biggest flat is 28 lbs but I'm still young lol , and of course on a bullhead.

cut blue gills live gold fish live shiners

catch most of them on crawlers and chicken liver!

Live bait works best. I prefer bluegills but bullheads and suckers are also good baits.