Food Habits - Flatheads are predatory fish and will consume bass, bream, shad, crayfish and often feed on other catfish. The young rely more extensively on aquatic insects and crayfish than do the adults. Large flatheads sometime congregate where food is plentiful such as near tailraces of dams.

What does the flathead catfish eat?

Young flatheads usually feed on clams, crayfish, insects, and assorted small fishes such as shad, shiners, and sunfish. So, while you fish, live fish can be good bait for flatheads as they are unwilling to consume smelly or old bait.

What is the best bait for flatheads?

Flatheads feed primarily on live baits. Good hearty and lively baits like live perch, bluegill, sunfish, goldfish or mudcats are the preferred bait for catching flatheads.