[jigghead1]

The new In-Fisherman Annual Carfish Guide is out and an article most of us will find interesting is about the East Coast Tidal Rivers that have been stocked, mostly since 1980 with Blues and Flatheads .... The bad part about it is they have completely eradicated a bunch of other spieces of fish. States like North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia are trying to figure out how to get rid of the Flats and Blues. In one river in Georgia (I think it was) the state has electro shocked and removed over 24,000 pounds of Flatheads ....

 

[Mechanic Bob]

Don't mess with Mother Nature! I ain't a Tree Hugger, but sometimes do these folks think of what will happen? Killer Bees, Fire Ants, Kudzo (sp) and the list can grow.

 

[sundrop]

Flatheads have hurt panfish like Crappie and perch badly! I havent heard much about Blues being a problem...

 

[Coach D]

Mechanic Bob, you would have to mention my arch nemisis Kudzu. That's the reason I didn't get more fishing in during my break. Fighting it before it grows back.

 

[sundrop]

Mechanic Bob, you would have to mention my arch nemisis Kudzu. That's the reason I didn't get more fishing in during my break. Fighting it before it grows back.

That my friend is a losing battle...LOL!! Commercial strength Round-up from Agri-supply applied twice a year might keep it at bay...

 

[dunno]

That is why they allow electroshocking in parts of Cape Fear. They actually encourage people to take flatheads. I think it is wrong, but I think it is great we atleast have flatheads to catch.

 

[puppydrum48]

To tell u the truth, aint no one going to start cleaning anything up. there are to many thing in the way. just like theres no one going to stop anything from going extinct.

 

[fishyfishy]

Having grown up on the Cape Fear in Bladen County I see a tremendous difference in the number of flat heads caught,its not like it once was (before electroshocking)when a set of bush hooks baited with live bream would produce a good catch of flat heads. The blue cats are more numberous but both species have been greatly reduced from electroshocking. Flat heads are not native to the Cape Fear so reducing their numbers is not a bad thing,the pan fish numbers and size have increased and should continue to get better.

 

[Topsail Angler]

Here's a good article on the subject

 

[jigghead1]

Hay thats all new to me, Ohio have alot of flatheads around. Thats like a big thing up there. Even pay lake stock them like crazy. They would be mad if they found out bluegills and there bass are missing from the lake, they might not stock them no more.

 

[capefearfly]

It was actually the nc wildlife that introduced flatheads into the Cape Fear River in the 60's in the fayettville area. They only released 11 mature fish and just look and em now. Not downing the wildlife people they couldn't have possibly known that things would go the way they did but it is what usually happens when you go messing around with mother nature it usually bites you in the butt in the end.

On a similar note had a simular problem with rainbow trout when they were first introduced to the state almost wiped out the brookies before they finally figured out what was going on. But they have gotten that under control so hopefully they can do the same here.

 

[Coach D]

That my friend is a losing battle...LOL!! Commercial strength Round-up from Agri-supply applied twice a year might keep it at bay...

Actually drop. You'd be surprised how well Brush-B-Gone does on it. just takes about a bottle per 100 square yards. Plus, an old timer told me to put just a dab of dish washing liquid in it and it holds to the plant much better and it does.

 

[sundrop]

I didnt know they still sold that stuff... Back before I knew better enviromentally... I used to mix roundup with Kerosene. That stuff KILLS problem is it keeps on killing, right into the water supply....

 

[Topsail Angler]

Sounds like good advice CoachD, thanks!

It also seems the key is staying on it and getting to it before it takes over. I mainly see it along roadsides and other properties where folks just leave it alone.

 

[Topsail Angler]

Back to the original topic - I read in one of those articles that the WRC stocked the Cape Fear with just 11 female flathead cats. Also read where they only feed on live fish and they have huge appetites. One place I saw said that they required 10 pounds of food to gain 1 pound. when you multiply that by all the flatheads out there - that's a lot of chow!

 

[Coach D]

It sure is shocking. A 40 lb cat has eaten 400 lbs of fish to get to that size. How many panfish is that?? WOW!!!

 

[sundrop]

It sure is shocking. A 40 lb cat has eaten 400 lbs of fish to get to that size. How many panfish is that?? WOW!!!

Well...If I'm catching them, it's about 175 for many it is 600...LOL!!!

 

[Topsail Angler]

It sure is shocking. A 40 lb cat has eaten 400 lbs of fish to get to that size. How many panfish is that?? WOW!!!

A Bunch and that is the issue folks are worried about - because they have no real predators here, some folks feel the flatheads grow unhindered and wipe out the forage fish. There is much debate about if that is true and I'm no expert - just passing on what I have read.

 

[fishyfishy]

I have noticed a dramatic difference in the CF over the years.No more are the stripers,herring and sturgeon. Before the installation of the lock and dam(3 in all)the stripers huge and plentiful, the herring were abundant and sturgeon some up to 400# called the CF home.Just goes show the effects of human intervention.

 

[Hung Up Again]

Ok people ...

What exactly do you think other predator fish (Bass, Stripers, Bowfin, etc.) eat in that river?

Do you think the flathead is the only fish pounding bream, crappie, crayfish, etc.?

Sure, they are putting a big dent, but these stories make the flathead look like a complete demon.