Some recent posts have me curious about flatheads, all I've ever caught were blues and channels. Seems like the prefered bait are blugill? Will they hit on shad? What kind of rig is recomended? Do they fight as hard as the blues do? Will be up next week figured I might give em a shot....Thanks to all...

Their preferred bait can vary from each body of water. I have found that they prefer live shad over bluegill on the Upper James while other bodies of water have found that the bluegill is better. Since they are the most aggressive of the catfish they will strike at a bait even if they aren't hungry. The bigger they are the more territorial they will become and will usually strike at anything that invades their space. I have seen video footage of a flathead picking up a baitfish in its mouth and moving it out of its lair without even harming it.

as far a fighting capability I would say that if you talk to different people then you will get different answers. I might give the edge to a flathead but the blue is not far off. Pound for pound I would put the channel cat above them both.

try a small crappie also...good luck

Thanks for the replys , gonna give it a shot while I'm up. Blue cat's are the one's that got me hooked a few years back (14 pounder on a fairly light pole) by accident, I was bass fishin with a big crawdad, figure it would be fun to meet one of his cousins.