What lures work for Flathead Catfish?

Large soft plastic swimbait, a soft plastic: A distant second to live bait; flatheads rarely strike anything that doesn't move or smell like a live, injured fish. Diving crankbait, a crankbait: Occasionally worked slowly along logjams and cut banks, but live bait is documented as far more effective. Bucktail jig, a jig: Rarely used for this species; unlike channel catfish, flatheads mostly ignore artificial and prepared baits.

What bait works for Flathead Catfish?

Live bluegill or other sunfish: Hooked through the back below the dorsal fin or through both lips, then fished on bottom near logjams and cut banks. Live bullhead: Hooked through the back or lips the same way as live sunfish, fished on bottom tight to woody cover. Large live minnows or goldfish: Fished on a heavy hook near bottom cover; a natural, oversized meal flatheads take as readily as live sunfish. Live or cut crayfish: Fished on bottom near rocky cover or logjams, a natural forage item for flathead catfish of all sizes.

How big do Flathead Catfish get?

The Colorado record is 33.85 lbs from John Martin Reservoir Spillway in 2023. The Idaho record is 58.5 lbs from Brownlee Reservoir in 1994. The Washington record is 22.80 lbs from Snake River in 1981. 5 more state records are on this page.

Flathead Catfish fishing

Flathead Catfish fishing uses a Large soft plastic swimbait or a Live bluegill or other sunfish on 30 to 50 lb line and a 7 to 10 ft medium-heavy to heavy rod paired with a heavy-duty baitcasting or spinning reel for bottom fishing, at night. Flathead catfish are not stocked like channel or blue catfish: they spawn naturally, with males building nests and guarding eggs and fry, and Georgia's wildlife agency describes wild populations as self-sustaining rather than stocked for anglers.

Pylodictis olivaris. Broad, flattened head with small eyes set on top, and a lower jaw that projects noticeably beyond the upper jaw.

By Nicolas Sartor · Last verified September 21, 2026

Common questions

What lures work for Flathead Catfish?: Large soft plastic swimbait, a soft plastic: A distant second to live bait; flatheads rarely strike anything that doesn't move or smell like a live, injured fish. Diving crankbait, a crankbait: Occasionally worked slowly along logjams and cut banks, but live bait is documented as far more effective. Bucktail jig, a jig: Rarely used for this species; unlike channel catfish, flatheads mostly ignore artificial and prepared baits.
What bait works for Flathead Catfish?: Live bluegill or other sunfish: Hooked through the back below the dorsal fin or through both lips, then fished on bottom near logjams and cut banks. Live bullhead: Hooked through the back or lips the same way as live sunfish, fished on bottom tight to woody cover. Large live minnows or goldfish: Fished on a heavy hook near bottom cover; a natural, oversized meal flatheads take as readily as live sunfish. Live or cut crayfish: Fished on bottom near rocky cover or logjams, a natural forage item for flathead catfish of all sizes.
What water temperature do Flathead Catfish prefer?: 66 to 90°F.
How big do Flathead Catfish get?: The Colorado record is 33.85 lbs from John Martin Reservoir Spillway in 2023. The Idaho record is 58.5 lbs from Brownlee Reservoir in 1994. The Washington record is 22.80 lbs from Snake River in 1981. 5 more state records are on this page.

Photos

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Identification

Broad, flattened head with small eyes set on top, and a lower jaw that projects noticeably beyond the upper jaw.
Squared, only slightly notched tail, unlike the deeply forked tail of channel and blue catfish.
Pale yellow to olive or light brown, mottled with dark brown and black blotches, fading to a pale yellow-white belly.
Free adipose fin set well apart from the tail fin, another trait that separates it from channel and blue catfish.
Grows larger than channel catfish, second only to blue catfish among North American catfish; fish over 100 pounds are documented.

Sources: mdc.mo.gov, accessed September 21, 2026 , ncwildlife.gov, accessed September 21, 2026 , en.wikipedia.org, accessed September 21, 2026

Preferred temperature

66–90°F

Active times

night

Sources: mdc.mo.gov, accessed September 21, 2026 , mdc.mo.gov, accessed September 21, 2026

Top lures

Large soft plastic swimbait (soft plastic ): A distant second to live bait; flatheads rarely strike anything that doesn't move or smell like a live, injured fish.
Diving crankbait (crankbait ): Occasionally worked slowly along logjams and cut banks, but live bait is documented as far more effective.
Bucktail jig (jig ): Rarely used for this species; unlike channel catfish, flatheads mostly ignore artificial and prepared baits.

Sources: mdc.mo.gov, accessed September 21, 2026 , ncwildlife.gov, accessed September 21, 2026

Top baits

Live bluegill or other sunfish: Hooked through the back below the dorsal fin or through both lips, then fished on bottom near logjams and cut banks.
Live bullhead: Hooked through the back or lips the same way as live sunfish, fished on bottom tight to woody cover.
Large live minnows or goldfish: Fished on a heavy hook near bottom cover; a natural, oversized meal flatheads take as readily as live sunfish.
Live or cut crayfish: Fished on bottom near rocky cover or logjams, a natural forage item for flathead catfish of all sizes.

Sources: mdc.mo.gov, accessed September 21, 2026 , ncwildlife.gov, accessed September 21, 2026

Line & tackle

Line: 30–50 lb
Rod power: 7 to 10 ft medium-heavy to heavy rod paired with a heavy-duty baitcasting or spinning reel for bottom fishing
Hook sizes: 6/0 to 8/0 circle hooks, the same range most catfish anglers use to handle large live baits

Sources: mdc.mo.gov, accessed September 21, 2026

Stocked behavior

Flathead catfish are not stocked like channel or blue catfish: they spawn naturally, with males building nests and guarding eggs and fry, and Georgia's wildlife agency describes wild populations as self-sustaining rather than stocked for anglers. Michigan's own stocking records track the species but list zero actual stocking events, consistent with a wild, naturally reproducing population.

Sources: georgiawildlife.com, accessed September 21, 2026 , mdc.mo.gov, accessed September 21, 2026

Common mistakes

Fishing cut or dead bait like a blue or channel catfish angler would; flatheads rarely eat anything but live or very fresh bait.
Fishing open, current-swept water; flatheads hold tight to logjams, cut banks, and dikes rather than the current blues prefer.
Fishing during the day; flatheads feed on the bottom at night and are far harder to catch in daylight hours.