The flathead likes flowing waters over a sand, gravel or mud bottom. It is usually associated with underwater structure such as fallen trees, stumps, and rock ledges.

Aggressive predators and opportunistic feeders, these cats eat aquatic insects and invertebrates as well as live or dead fishes. They do, however, seem to prefer live forage when it's available.

The flathead can reach gargantuan proportions. The Georgia record is over 67 pounds, and it's quite likely that larger ones are out there. Many anglers consider large flatheads to be just as tasty and tender as are smaller individuals. The flathead is on this account unique among catfish, since other cat species tend to become less palatable as they grow in size.

The original range of the flathead in Georgia is limited, though illegal introductions have expanded it greatly, often leading to reduction in numbers of native prey fishes such as bullheads and redbreasts.

"Flatheads are one of the largest-growing Georgia sportfish and are often overlooked by anglers, especially in reservoirs," Dalmier said.

CHANNEL CATFISH
The channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) is a comparatively slender, long-bodied cat with a deeply forked tail and a protruding upper jaw. Adult individuals are dark gray along the back, light or greenish yellow along the sides, and white below. The sides of both juveniles and adults have scattered dark spots, but these can become much less apparent as the fish continues to grow.

Channel catfish inhabit rivers, reservoirs, small-to-large streams, backwaters, swamps, lakes, and farm ponds throughout Georgia. Extremely adaptable, they're normally the fish referred to when the collective term "catfish" is heard. The ultimate opportunistic feeder, the channel cat will consume any live prey it can catch; it's also an indiscriminate scavenger.

Channel catfish grow large. The current Georgia record is 44.75 pounds.

Dalmier refers to the channel catfish as a "bread-and-butter" species. "Nearly every angler in Georgia has enjoyed fishing for them at one time or another," he said. "Channel catfish are widely distributed throughout the state, are usually easy to catch, pull like a mule, and are great eating. A meal of deep-fried channel catfish and hushpuppies is a Dixie tradition."

TACTICS
Georgia anglers traditionally go after catfish by means either of rod-and-reel ensembles or of trotlines. The trotline method is universal and is employed for blues, flatheads and channel cats.

The standard trotline is a stationary nylon line tied to an immovable object on shore. These lines can have many evenly spaced hooks that drop off the main line on a swivel. Hooks should be 3/0 or larger to prevent bigger fish from twisting loose. Such lines may require a total weight of several pounds.

Bait the trotline with live bait, cut bait or commercially prepared baits designed specifically for trotlining. Live fish are preferred by flatheads; blues and channels are less fussy.

Single lines can be set up as "bush hooks" and suspended from shoreline limbs. These should be weighted with 4- to 6-ounce sinkers.

Trotlines should be left out overnight and retrieved early in the morning. As long as the baited lines are in the water, check them often; vigilance will result in fewer lost fish.