LITTLE ROCK — ARKANSAS FLATHEAD WATERS
In fall, Arkansas' big flathead catfish can not only be caught in big rivers, but in many of the Natural State's big lakes as well. Here are some of the waters around the state where you should consider casting a line this season.
Arkansas River
This big river is the undisputed queen of Arkansas flathead waters. Probably no other body of water in the state has produced as many trophy flatheads, including the 80-pound state record. Fishing is excellent on the entire length of the river from Fort Smith to the river's mouth near Yancopin.
Mississippi River
This big east-Arkansas river can be tough to fish at times but harbors a huge population of flatheads up to 50 pounds and more.
Millwood Lake
This southwest Arkansas impoundment is home to an astounding population of flathead catfish. Many in the 50- to 75-pound class are taken each year.
Lake Conway
The waters of this 6,700-acre lake near Conway are shallow, heavily timbered throughout,rich in shad and sunfish, and full of huge logjams and deep holes - in other words, prime habitat for producing flatheads, which commonly reach 30 to 60 pounds here.
Lake Hinkle
Thirty- to 40-pound flatheads are fairly common in this lake 12 miles west of Waldron, but the possibility of hooking a much larger fish is excellent.
DeGray Lake
All of Arkansas' Corps of Engineers impoundments harbor healthy populations of flathead catfish, but DeGray Lake near Arkadelphia ranks among the best in terms of the heavyweight fish it produces.
Grampus Lake
The name "Grampus" comes from French explorers and is derived from a French word meaning "fat fish." It might well refer to the jumbo flatheads native to this 350-acre lake near Hamburg. Five- to 15-pounders are common, and lucky anglers occasionally land specimens topping 40.
St. Francis River
This northeast Arkansas river produces big flatheads along its entire length, from the bootheel of Missouri to its confluence with the Mississippi River just north of Helena.
Autumn is golden season for catching giant f lathead catfish in Arkansas' big rivers
It was autumn 2007 on the Mississippi River at West Memphis, Tenn.
In a shallow backwater adjacent the river, logs and debris had been sucked into a huge slow-moving eddy, creating a gigantic wooden raft half a mile across. James Patterson, owner of Mississippi R iver Guide Service (www.bigcatfishing.com), told me the river's flatheads had moved into the cove and under the raft to feed on baitfish there.
"T his is an idea l sit uation for catching flatheads," he said. "But these logs are moving all the time in a big circle. We'll put our baits out and leave them a while, then move our sets whenever thelogs move in such a way that they might tangle our lines."
The baits he spoke of are shad, fresh-caught from the river in a cast-net. We each grabbed one from the bait well and impaled it on a 5/0 Kahle hook.
Two types of rigs are used - three-way and egg-sinker. The three-way rig features a three-way swivel with short leaders tied to two eyes, and the main line to the other. On one leader is the hook, on the other a 1-ounce bank sinker. The egg-sinker rig is fashioned by placing a 1-ounce egg sinker on the main line above a barrel swivel. To the swivel is tied a leader and hook. Both rigs work well inthis situation, as we soon discovered.
James cast to the edge of the raft.
"You want the current to catch your rig and pull it out and toward the raft so it sinks beneath the outer edge of the logs," he said. "Then let it sink to the bottom, and hold on tight. If a catfish is there, he'll bite pretty quick."
The words had hardly left his lips when James hooked a 5-pound flathead and brought it in. He released it with a pat, telling it to "Go get Papa, and bring him to us."
Over the next two hours we caught a dozen more catfish, including Papa, a 21-pound flathead with a potbelly and Fu Manchu mustache. Occasionally, as the log raft revolved, we get tangled in debris or had to move our sets. But such annoyances were minimal.
We watched the driftwood and avoided it by maneuvering the line with our long rods. The action was not fast, but rarely does one catch so many flatheads in such a short period.
We were pleased to get a hookup every few minutes, a sign that log rafts like these are indeed good hot spots for fall flatheads.
I've usually had my best luck hooking f latheads during spring when rivers and lakes get high and muddy after heavy rains. This is a phenomenal time to fish for these big brutes.
They're moving more than usual, often at shallower depths and feeding ravenously while food circulates in the agitated waters.
But autumn flathead fishing shines as well, running a dead heat with spring in terms of action. In fact, many diedin-the-wool flathead fans like James will tell you I'm full of hooey with my preference for spring flathead fishing.
"Fall," they say, "is the best time for f latheads, bar none."
There's no doubt that feeding activity increases in October and November. My catch rate improves as summer's heat dissipate and days grow shorter. And I've spoken to dozens of flathead men who experience the same thing. Why the bite improves is a matter of speculation, but like many cat men, I believe flatheads feed more in autumn because they sense that a season on low rations is about to begin.
"Flatheads are like bears," one Arkansas old-timer told me. "They have to fatten up in fall because they're gonna hibernate till spring. That's why the fall bite is so good."
Some dispute that claim, saying flatheads feed actively throughout winter. Maybe in some places, they do. Theydon't where I fish, however, and I don't know a single flathead man who actively pursues his quarry when the water temperature drops below the mid-40s. There's just not enough feeding activity to justify the effort.
Two SCUBA divers I know provided additional evidence that f latheads become inactive in cold water. Both men noted they often see flatheads congregated in deep water dur ing w inter. Invar iably, they say, the f latheads are lying on bottom, sometimes covered with silt, and the fishare so lethargic, the divers can actually touch them without spooking them, something that's impossible during other seasons. The f latheads, they report, appear to be in suspended animation.
All this evidence lends veracity to the old-timer's hibernating bear analogy. There's a distinct peak in flathead feeding in autumn because these fish follow instinctive urges to put on weight before the cold "starvation" period ahead.
Of course, the reasons why flatheads go on a feeding binge in fall are not as important as the fact they do.
Autumn is prime flathead time, and if you want to waylay a trophy f lathead, onethat might weigh 25 pounds or more, fish as often as possible until harsh winter cold sets in.
"The f lathead is the king of big rivers," James Patterson said of his beloved cat.
"I sometimes hear people call it 'mud cat,' but I assure you it doesn't deser ve that title.
The flathead is a true predator, a sprinter that can run down the fastest fish. It has a monstrous mouth and can swallow a fish 25 percent its size.
This fellow can give you one of the best fights of any catfish, and he is by far the finest table fare of all the cats.
"Patience is a virtue you must have to catch flatheads consistently," he concluded.
"It's never easy. But when fishing big rivers for this incredible fish, the next flathead you tie into could be a 50- or 60-pounder, maybe even bigger. That makes all the extra effort worthwhile."
Amen to that.
Tri-Lakes, Pages 128, 129 on 11/02/2008
