davethetrout
New member
I caught it today in some really fast current on a muddler minnow.
Thanks
DTT
Thanks
DTT
Give us a try!
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What kind of fish is this?
- Thread starter davethetrout
- Start date
Green Butted Skunk
Stockie
Flathead....young one at that...
GBS
GBS
davethetrout
New member
Doesnt that mean mommy is around? I have never caught one of these before..are they common? Arent the adults reall huge? Thanks GBS,I thought Thats what it was but my client I was fishing with though different.
DTT
Green Butted Skunk
Stockie
How'd he taste????
The fish that is................
GBS
The fish that is................
GBS
Pete
Trout Hunter
Flatheads have eventually become the dominant predator in just about every water they inhabit.
The state of NJ considers them an invasive species, it and the snakehead, are considered serious threats. See page 49 of the Guide for an identifying description, photo, and phone no. to report it.
Koi, and goldfish are also on the badguy list, but reporting a catch is not required.
In case you don't have a guide handy:
I can't tell from the photo, there may be a hint of white on the upper tailfin lobe, or maybe it's just the way the light is hitting it. It's definitely not a deeply forked tail. I can't see the jaws very well....
I hope you just caught a big, atypical, bullhead.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~EDIT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I can see the jaws better in the full size copy of the picture you posted in the gallery.
I think you caught a flathead....
If you released it, don't admit it to the people at F&G. Say you ate it and discarded the head & entrails :dizzy:
Offer to e-mail the photo.
Bad news for the Delaware and it's tribs, but not a surprise. I read somewhere that one was caught in a trib on the PA side.
The state of NJ considers them an invasive species, it and the snakehead, are considered serious threats. See page 49 of the Guide for an identifying description, photo, and phone no. to report it.
Koi, and goldfish are also on the badguy list, but reporting a catch is not required.
In case you don't have a guide handy:
- Upper white lobe on cadual fin.
Protruding lower jaw
Tail not deeply forked
I can't tell from the photo, there may be a hint of white on the upper tailfin lobe, or maybe it's just the way the light is hitting it. It's definitely not a deeply forked tail. I can't see the jaws very well....
I hope you just caught a big, atypical, bullhead.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~EDIT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I can see the jaws better in the full size copy of the picture you posted in the gallery.
I think you caught a flathead....
If you released it, don't admit it to the people at F&G. Say you ate it and discarded the head & entrails :dizzy:
Offer to e-mail the photo.
Bad news for the Delaware and it's tribs, but not a surprise. I read somewhere that one was caught in a trib on the PA side.
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davethetrout
New member
Caught on the Jersey side under the Lambertville New Hope Bridge in front of Peir 2..It is definetly a flathead, was confirmed by somone who is in the feild of fisheries. I didnt know and didnt plan on killing it and wont if i catch it again, hope that doesnt make somone mad but their eyes are as real as ours and I looked ol flatty in the eyes and he promised to be good
DTT
DTT
Montauklax
Just finished a River Runs Through it!
Please kill any others you catch. They are an invasive species and put our native and naturalized speices at harm. To let it go again would be as irresponsible as letting a snakehead swim free.
Pete
Trout Hunter
It takes a lot more than that to make me mad. The efforts of one fisherman aren't going to reverse an infestation..... If you hadn't made that particular cast, the result would be the same.
I'm not sure if the "do not release" statement in the NJ guide is law, or just policy, but releasing them is ill advised.
I released a few Koi myself before I knew better. Upon reflection, I shouldn't have, but I'm not going to beat myself up over it. The pond was so badly infested that two or three less wouldn't have made any difference.
I'm not sure if the "do not release" statement in the NJ guide is law, or just policy, but releasing them is ill advised.
I released a few Koi myself before I knew better. Upon reflection, I shouldn't have, but I'm not going to beat myself up over it. The pond was so badly infested that two or three less wouldn't have made any difference.
davethetrout
New member
I am a hunter,I have the capability of killing when the mindset is right,while fishing though,I cant just throw a fish on the bank to die or beat it with a rock just because some dont agree.. If I catch another,we`ll see when the time comes,but for now,I have been fishing that area for over 30 years and this was the first one I ever caught. I promise to make a call if I ever catch another one. I realy did not realize this was a serious situation. I am not some softie conservative who is anti hunting by any means,but I couldnt just whack it or throw it in the bushes. Am I really an irresponsible sportsman now? I am usually quite proud of my ability to abide by the law and do only the right thing. I wont kill it if another is caught, but I will put it in a bucket and call somone who will dispose of it properly. Thanks for the responses and concern.
DTT
Montauklax
Just finished a River Runs Through it!
Dave- I'm not trying to question whether or not you are a sportsman or not. Much like you, I grew up hunting (and still do) but I've always gravitated toward fishing because the life of the creature remains in my hands til the very end.
I wasn't suggesting that you kill an undesired native. There is already enough of that around- just look at the sea robbins thrown ashore at Sandy Hook or fallfish that some idiots throw on the banks when trout fishing.
Flathead cats are predators and put our native fish species at risk. And we are asked to release them.
NJDEP-News Release 04/99 - DEP Advises Anglers to Be Aware of Invasive Species of Catfish
Will kiling/keeping them eliminate the threat? No, but it can't hurt the problem.
I wasn't suggesting that you kill an undesired native. There is already enough of that around- just look at the sea robbins thrown ashore at Sandy Hook or fallfish that some idiots throw on the banks when trout fishing.
Flathead cats are predators and put our native fish species at risk. And we are asked to release them.
NJDEP-News Release 04/99 - DEP Advises Anglers to Be Aware of Invasive Species of Catfish
Will kiling/keeping them eliminate the threat? No, but it can't hurt the problem.
davethetrout
New member
I emailed the NJ F&G people and explained the story. We`ll see what happens... I read they eat all the baby shad worse then any other fish species in North America. WOW...I guess the next flatty I catch,if ever, will meet its doom:crap:
Thanks...
DTT
Thanks...
DTT
Eagle Claw
Trout Hunter
I wonder how the proposed new political appointees to Fish and Game would respond to reports of flatheads ? (political vs science based managers) The link on the above post (#11) showed great concern by the current management.
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Joe D
Registered User
Some more info. from the West Bank...
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/anglerboater/2002/ja02angler/meetflathead.pdf
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/anglerboater/2002/ja02angler/meetflathead.pdf
I spent some time in Tasmania where we caught dozens of flatheads - all for our meals. They were actually pretty tasty. The one in your picture certainly looks like a small flathead, however, I don't recall that there were so many entrails. I guess flatheads on the other side of the world may look slightly different.
Dave, glad you were able to 'see the light'. Flatheads are a tremendous threat wherever they show up. They eat vitrually everything that swims and can (and have) easily decimate all existing fish populations in a waterway.
They were first documented in the lower Del. about 2 years ago I believe, though it may've been longer. If you catch any, kill them and report the catch to the Div. ASAP! If possible save the carcass for the biologists.
davethetrout
New member
Just got reply from the email I sent..
Dave,
After sending my initial response I read the string in the forum you gave the link to. Again, thanks for notifying us - I forwarded your message not only to our freshwater fisheries staff but also to our Information and Education bureau chief asking if we need to have something on our site about the fish since the DEP release is from 2004 and now buried in their archives. Thanks. PT
Paul Tarlowe, Wildlife Education Specialist
NJFishandWildlife@dep.state.nj.us
The N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife is a professional, environmental agency dedicated to the protection, management and wise use of the state's fish and wildlife resources.
NJDEP Division of Fish & Wildlife
Dave,
After sending my initial response I read the string in the forum you gave the link to. Again, thanks for notifying us - I forwarded your message not only to our freshwater fisheries staff but also to our Information and Education bureau chief asking if we need to have something on our site about the fish since the DEP release is from 2004 and now buried in their archives. Thanks. PT
Paul Tarlowe, Wildlife Education Specialist
NJFishandWildlife@dep.state.nj.us
The N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife is a professional, environmental agency dedicated to the protection, management and wise use of the state's fish and wildlife resources.
NJDEP Division of Fish & Wildlife
davethetrout
New member
Very fun fish to land,not the usual channel cat drag,but a nice side to side and a small run in the current.. I want to land the momma!
DTT
davethetrout
New member
This isnt over, the reporters are callin.. The DEP is putting out a press release and called and interveiwed me...
DTT
DTT
The thing with introductions is that you just never know. When I lived in Illinois the local river (Fox River) supported a pretty diverse species mix with smallies, walleyes, sunfish, pike, channel cats, and flatheads. The flatheads were the biggest predator (commonly to 20 lbs) and seemed to chow down on stunted sunnies - at least that what the best bait was. The other populations were very healthy. The Dealware has a similar mix of fish, so hopefully the flatheads wouldn't run wild.
In Illinois the big flatheads weren't considered great eating; the local meat anglers targeted walleye and channel cats.
In Illinois the big flatheads weren't considered great eating; the local meat anglers targeted walleye and channel cats.
McAwful
Get some..
Dave,
Good to hear that the DEP is looking in to the potential problem. We have been doing a ton of Smallie fishing up my way. We are seeing a huge proliferation in Smallies from juvenile to 13 inches. Two to three times more than in recent years. So judging from what we are catching in the afternoons the Flatheads are eating all of the THREE-FIVE POUND FISH:dizzy:
McA
Good to hear that the DEP is looking in to the potential problem. We have been doing a ton of Smallie fishing up my way. We are seeing a huge proliferation in Smallies from juvenile to 13 inches. Two to three times more than in recent years. So judging from what we are catching in the afternoons the Flatheads are eating all of the THREE-FIVE POUND FISH:dizzy:
McA
