Fishin' for Flatheads…
What The Experts Tell Us We Need To Know...

Environment:
  Flatheads relate to cover, structure, and deep water.   They typically like a place that has a hole to hide in, and food close by.  If you can find a spot that holds a lot of bait-sized fish, eventually the "Hungry Green One" is going to show up.
  Changes in the barometer appear to affect flathead movement and feeding.  Fronts produce barometric roller coasters that often produce feeding frenzies for short periods of time.
  Flatheads usually don't wake up in Florida 'til late spring and good fishing continues into the summer.   As fall temperatures start to cool down the water, it creates a fall feast.  You can still catch them, but flatheads bite slower during the winter months.

Bait:
  The thing to remember here is ALIVE and FRESH.  The other thing to remember is to KNOW THE LAW before you choose the live bait..
  In Florida you can use bream species as bait, but NO Bass, NO STRIPERS.  Bluegill, redear, crappie work well.  Shiners, river suckers, and chubsuckers also work well.  The bigger the bait used, most likely the bigger the cat

Equipment:
  Stiff action poles, 7 to 8 feet, work well.  Big fish will give you plenty of action, but some of the action is lost with smaller fish.  Spinning and level wind reels with 25 to 40 pound line are adequate.
  If the idea is to control the fish from the time its hooked, use a really stiff 5 to 7 foot pole that resembles a broomstick.  Again, the spinning or level wind reel is adequate, but use 50 to 80 pound line, cinch the drag tight, and have no intention of giving the fish an inch.
  Use 5/0 to 8/0 hooks.  The bigger the bait, the bigger the hook.
  And if you area little lazy,  try bush hooks or trotlines.  You can fish a 25 hook trot line with your regular fishing license, and make sure the lines will hold the big ones.    Remember though, flatheads will not dig the bait out of the mud.  Rubber shock absorbers work great on the bush hooks.

Water:
  Flatheads are river fish by nature, but adapt and live well in reservoir/lake conditions.  Water clarity, depth, level, and temperature are all contributing factors.  Northwest Florida's Lake Seminole fits the bill, especially since it is river-fed, has a number of old creek beds and channels, and areas of flooded timber.

CatFish Man's
Trivia:

* The electric catfish, native to Africa, can generate up to 350 volts.
* The Wel catfish is the largest European fish.  They can reach 10 feet in length and weigh hun- dreds of pounds.
* The walking catfish has developed air breathing organs and has been seen migrating across land.
* The world record flathead was caught on 14 pound test line.
* The oldest channel catfish on record was 40 years old from the St. Lawrence River.
* Bullhead, channel,  and white catfish eat aquatic vegetation.
* White catfish really are not white, but they do have white whiskers.
* In many mid-west states, catfish is recognized as the "King" of sport fish.