[Meanderer]

I got a small flatfish that I heard was effective for steelhead fishin. It is 1 3/4 inches long with a single treble hook...very light.

I am looking for direction on HOW I should fish this spincasting in a river.

Drift vs cast and retrieve? Type of water? Swivel? Weight?

Odds of success?

[grubman]

Hey Mean

Looks like slow day in the forum, everyone's out fishing. Only tips I can offer is from what I have read and not actual experience, I have and used the flatfish but nothing hit it.

Some articles that I have read said that you can cast it upstream and retrieve it fast enough so that it swims. Tie it direct to the metal figure 8 or you could use a small split ring, not too much therminal tackle, it will effect the action. As for weight, I know these small ones weigh next to nothing. I would put some small split shot 16" up from the lure if you wanna go deeper, since they float. Steelies and salmon suppose to hit them from what I read.

I tried them in the summer on lakes, if steelies and salmon like them then no other fish does.........lol.

Hope this helps, good luck fishing.

[georgianbaydrifter]

flatfish is a boom diggity trout and salmon lure i dont fish lures much but my buddy takes many fish on them evrey season first you need to tune you flatfish here's how; 1)take off metal figure 8 using side bites or pliersand tie direct to the bait ( way better action) 2) revove factory hook and split ring attatch a good quality split ring (SPRO) to a # 8 or #6 trebel 3x strong i like (owner or diachi) then a quality swivel to that finally attatch another split ring to other side of swivel and mount to bait ( this brings the hook farther back on the bait so the body doesn't interfere with hookset also prevents hook from binding when its rolling and tthrashing 3) using a medium grit sandpaper lightly sand the leading edge of the bait this takes out any imperfections and makes it run and dive better. for best results my friend uses 6 pound berkley xt clear you can add weight if you want to get it down a bit but i have seen many strikes near the surface. in larger pools dropshotting can also be effective.
trout eat meat and lots of it i kept a little hen brown from a creek around here for the roe and it had 3 frogs and two shiners in its belly
top colours are 1) skunk 2) silver 3) chartuese
hope this helps

[grubman]

georgianbaydrifter, on 13 November 2011 - 04:31 PM, said:

flatfish is a boom diggity trout and salmon lure i dont fish lures much but my buddy takes many fish on them evrey season first you need to tune you flatfish here's how; 1)take off metal figure 8 using side bites or pliersand tie direct to the bait ( way better action) 2) revove factory hook and split ring attatch a good quality split ring (SPRO) to a # 8 or #6 trebel 3x strong i like (owner or diachi) then a quality swivel to that finally attatch another split ring to other side of swivel and mount to bait ( this brings the hook farther back on the bait so the body doesn't interfere with hookset also prevents hook from binding when its rolling and tthrashing 3) using a medium grit sandpaper lightly sand the leading edge of the bait this takes out any imperfections and makes it run and dive better. for best results my friend uses 6 pound berkley xt clear you can add weight if you want to get it down a bit but i have seen many strikes near the surface. in larger pools dropshotting can also be effective.
trout eat meat and lots of it i kept a little hen brown from a creek around here for the roe and it had 3 frogs and two shiners in its belly
top colours are 1) skunk 2) silver 3) chartuese
hope this helps

Those are awesome tips. I always noticed that the hook gets caught on the body all the time or your line. I started to think it was a bad lure. You know the old saying,"It's a poor craftsman who blames his tools"...............lol

Is the method of fishing it upstream of pools and retrieving it correct?

Thanks.

[Meanderer]

grubman, on 13 November 2011 - 05:47 PM, said:

Those are awesome tips. I always noticed that the hook gets caught on the body all the time or your line. I started to think it was a bad lure. You know the old saying,"It's a poor craftsman who blames his tools"...............lol

Is the method of fishing it upstream of pools and retrieving it correct?

Thanks.

WOW! Sophisticated stuff. Very impressive.

Are you saying to take the hook off the lure and mount it below the lure on the line?

[grubman]

Meanderer, on 13 November 2011 - 06:00 PM, said:

WOW! Sophisticated stuff. Very impressive.

Are you saying to take the hook off the lure and mount it below the lure on the line?

What he means is, flatfish body eye-split ring-swivel-split ring-new hook.

The front of the flatfish where you tie the line or use a snap swivel there is a extended metal piece shaped like a figure 8, take it off with pliars for more action.

The front lip of the body usually has a bit of excess plastic that will change the action, so it needs to be sanded down.

Ya awesome tips.lol.

[Blair]

georgianbaydrifter, on 13 November 2011 - 04:31 PM, said:

flatfish is a boom diggity trout and salmon lure i dont fish lures much but my buddy takes many fish on them evrey season first you need to tune you flatfish here's how; 1)take off metal figure 8 using side bites or pliersand tie direct to the bait ( way better action) 2) revove factory hook and split ring attatch a good quality split ring (SPRO) to a # 8 or #6 trebel 3x strong i like (owner or diachi) then a quality swivel to that finally attatch another split ring to other side of swivel and mount to bait ( this brings the hook farther back on the bait so the body doesn't interfere with hookset also prevents hook from binding when its rolling and tthrashing 3) using a medium grit sandpaper lightly sand the leading edge of the bait this takes out any imperfections and makes it run and dive better. for best results my friend uses 6 pound berkley xt clear you can add weight if you want to get it down a bit but i have seen many strikes near the surface. in larger pools dropshotting can also be effective.
trout eat meat and lots of it i kept a little hen brown from a creek around here for the roe and it had 3 frogs and two shiners in its belly
top colours are 1) skunk 2) silver 3) chartuese
hope this helps

In some area(s) it was required to alter the original lure due to restrictions.
ie: Single Hook, Barbless etc.

Always good to know the REGS for each specific area.
Just hitting the Tackle Box and grabbing what was good in one area may be a FAUX PAUX in another.

ps: I love FLATFISH! have been using them for over 40 yrs.
Silver and Blue are my Favourites.

Pike really like the Yellow ones with Black spots

[Meanderer]

Blair, on 14 November 2011 - 04:25 PM, said:

In some area(s) it was required to alter the original lure due to restrictions.
ie: Single Hook, Barbless etc.

Always good to know the REGS for each specific area.
Just hitting the Tackle Box and grabbing what was good in one area may be a FAUX PAUX in another.

ps: I love FLATFISH! have been using them for over 40 yrs.

Is it a retrieve or run down fast water?

[Blair]

Meanderer, on 14 November 2011 - 05:19 PM, said:

Is it a retrieve or run down fast water?

?? I do not understand the question.

You can fish FLATFISH in any type of water.
Slow retrieve, fast retrieve, medium retrieve

It's a lure - conditions dictate how you use it.

[Meanderer]

Blair, on 14 November 2011 - 09:32 PM, said:

?? I do not understand the question.

You can fish FLATFISH in any type of water.
Slow retrieve, fast retrieve, medium retrieve

It's a lure - conditions dictate how you use it.

I had heard that some cast into rapids and then let it drift downstream. Make any sense?

[getin]

Meanderer, on 14 November 2011 - 09:40 PM, said:

I had heard that some cast into rapids and then let it drift downstream. Make any sense?

That is basically what I have done. Let it go downstream with the flow and then retrieve. Also, you an have a few split shots about 10-15 inches above the lure, to faciliate the casting.

The one problem I have with lures is that if one or more person is fishing the same pool by drifting a bait, it is very hard to manouver the lure.

if you can work it out, it is a very effective lure. Caught my largest rainbow so far, last year on a flatfish

[Blair]

Meanderer, on 14 November 2011 - 09:40 PM, said:

I had heard that some cast into rapids and then let it drift downstream. Make any sense?

Its hard to make any lure work if you are going with the current (Lures that spin or have action)
So ... yes, you let the lure go down a bit and then start to retrieve it, so the current has its pulling action.

However, your not like casting it to: 3pm O'clock and letting drift to 9am (You get snags)
Just try 12-1 at most and start retrieving 7-8 (Depends on water geography)

In still or calm water, doesnt make a difference which angle you fish the water.

Thats why you should always start at the Top of a pool or higher up in rapids and work the water down.
Different set up, but thats what float drifters do (Any fishermen should do)

If you get good at casting (Bait Cast, Spinning, - Fly ... doesnt matter what setup: your ahead of the game)
Practice makes perfect.