Biologists for the WRC and Inland Fisheries have practically begged that they not be released when caught.
If my recollections serve me well today, the WRC has not asked anything. Inland Fisheries has. Do not release for the Cape Fear and Neuse rivers.
Ya those are some nice flats. That would be a blast on rod and reel. I love catching flatheads like that, it a real challange trying to hunt them down.
Looks like I am gonna have to head back down there....My 2favorite places to catfish are the Dan and the neuse near where they are at....I quit going down there after the fish kill 3 or 4 years ago.....looks like it is time to head back. used to go 10-15 times a season down there and in 2000 I actually spent at least 30 days down there(was laid off for 4 mos july-nov) and wore them out then. after the hurricane bait got hard to catch...
If you ever catch one in the Cape Fear with a gut...squeeze that gut. You'll think that blue has been eating rocks. Their bellies get full of clam shells.
Several studies have been done by universities, primarily the NC State zoology dept including radio tracking studies on flathead.
The guy's name is Tom Kwak. A simple Google search will pull up a list of studies he has done all over the country and he is known and relied upon by numerous states including NC for his knowledge of the flathead.
He'll readily converse through email.
In the summer time blues are just as aggressive as flatheads are. In the summer I get almost all my blues on livebait. All the BS about flatheads started down east on the Cape Fear. I bet it was humans and not flatheads that lead the demise of the SCARED RED BREAST BREAM.
I was going to go after I one yesterday...but the weather said no. Gonna try putting in off of exit 408...it looks perfect.
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