# Where are the Flatheads?



## rockinmichigan (Feb 22, 2004)

DoubleJay said:


> I've heard that a couple of rivers flowing into Lake St Clair (LSC) have good catfishing, but don't know if they have flatheads. The Thames over in Ontario near Tilbury and Prairie Crossing has excellent fishing for cats, and a reputation for big ones. If you're not familiar, it's about 30 mins from the Ambassador Bridge; I think there's a bait shop in Tilbury that can get you on the right track.
> Good luck
> Jay
> PS. all Winter long, the "hot ponds" at the Monroe Detroit Edison plant are chock full of big cats, mostly blues and channels. That usually peaks around the first part of March, when the giant shad show up and feast begins for the cats, eyes, pike, etc.


I could be wrong, but I'm 99.5% sure there aren't blue cats in the Great Lakes. But you are right-the Monroe Edison plant does have a lot of good sized channel cats around there.
If you ever want to come down this way give me a hollar. I usually look for channel cats in Blissfield in the Raisin River. I've seen some good sized ones and somebody told me once he caught a 10 lb., 10 ounce channel there. I'm sure if there's one that size there's a couple bigger then that.


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## catfishhunter39 (Mar 2, 2012)

Northwood lures said:


> Glad I started this thread. Lots of good information here
> 
> My wife was a big walleye fisherman and rode me hard about spending so much of the year chasing flatheads. Then she hooked into a 58" flatty
> 
> ...


There are a few of us old fishin nuts left on here. When I was a boy growing up on geiger Rd Bay Port, we caught several flat-heads in the 30lb range. Didn't do so well last year, took around 30 or so from the Qcee area, most in the 10lb to 28lb range. can't wait to get the old catfishin boat out this, about 50 days and i'll be on the big water target {Big Cats} anyone want to go, welcome aboard. :Welcome:


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## Chrome steel (Apr 6, 2003)

Hot pond off Erie you will need a boat, fish right up against the discharge. A lot of channels with some flats mixed in. We went there 3 years ago at ice out for walleye and discovered them. There was ice chunks still floating in lake when we hammered them. The water was 70 degrees there while the lake was only in the upper 30's. This is what attracts them here. I wouldn't advise keeping any to eat due to pollutants but loads of fun and fight. GOODLUCK......


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## fordpickupjaybird (Jan 12, 2010)

Last year mid march my buddy caught a 35 pounder out of the Saginaw river. It was a nice channel cat. 


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## jinxedone (Jan 23, 2013)

The Saginaw River has flatheads, caught the one in my profile last May jigging for last min walleyes. 28 pounder my biggest fish to date. it felt like a snagged a stump for the first 5 mins. lol took me a half hour to land him with 8 pound test line.


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## catfishhunter39 (Mar 2, 2012)

jinxedone said:


> The Saginaw River has flatheads, caught the one in my profile last May jigging for last min walleyes. 28 pounder my biggest fish to date. it felt like a snagged a stump for the first 5 mins. lol took me a half hour to land him with 8 pound test line.


Thats a good catch in anyone's book esp mine! :yikes:


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

We get the occasional double digit fish in the Raisin, but like a buddy mentioned, the new state record channel cat will come out of the Hot Hole. BTW we use sunfish for bait. 

As far as flatheads, the Maple and Grand seem to be the place. Been spooled a few times. Funny thing they measure them with long necks....lol


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## scooter_trasher (Sep 19, 2005)

I would suggest the lower trenton chanel of the D ,you may even hook a sturgen, there's hardley a day i'm out there that some isn't fightin what they think is a sturgen, may just be your big cat and you can throw all those peskey walleye into my boat!


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## Northwood lures (Jan 23, 2013)

Thanks for the input everyone  
This particular species is all it would take to keep me in the south west portion of the state if it wasn't for the EHD


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## Waz_51 (Jan 10, 2010)

I'm gunna put in another vote for the Saginaw river...I have seen and heard of quite a few flatties being taken that were over the 30lb mark including a pic of one that was larger than a 10 year old boy...if you can believe it, the guy that caught that fish pulled it through the ice while specifically targeting flatties in Saginaw...definitely a one of a kind ice fisherman in my book!

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## catfishhunter39 (Mar 2, 2012)

Waz_51 said:


> I'm gunna put in another vote for the Saginaw river...I have seen and heard of quite a few flatties being taken that were over the 30lb mark including a pic of one that was larger than a 10 year old boy...if you can believe it, the guy that caught that fish pulled it through the ice while specifically targeting flatties in Saginaw...definitely a one of a kind ice fisherman in my book!
> 
> posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


Someone, just caught a cat on the sag river last week, can't rem how big it was. So they are in the river and the bay, I get most of mine in the bay.


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## bigpapa8108 (Nov 1, 2012)

I love cat fushin, I catch some nice ones in the muskegon, I prefer the 10-15#er's for eating but there is nothing like the 25 minute fight I had last year 8# line 35# fish, this was my 3rd 30+ on the muskegon most average 10

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