[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by Radar Chief

Just about any live bait, perch, shad, goldfish, hellgramites, I've even caught them on a big wad of worms and know guys that have caught them on frogs, snakes and field mice. Yes field mice, just don't ask me how they rigged that one up.
What I'll do is take a perch about the size of your hand and hook him in the back behind the dorsal fin. It doesn't harm them badly so they live on the hook longer and stay more active than if they're hooked through the mouth, because activity is what will draw a flathead in.
Blues will hit on all the above also but I've heard that cut bait works particularly well for them. Take a shad, live or dead, then take a fillet knife and and cut it several times down both sides because the fresh blood is what will attract blues.
Channels will bite on all this bait also so your not really missing out on anything by going live bait.
As far as how I'm rigging this up I'm using 0-0000 circle hooks, 24" or so of steel leader on a barrel swivel and a 2 to 8 ounce "egg" slip sinker. My line is only 30# mono so I'm really not rigged all that big.

Tons of great advice in all of your posts, you obviously know your stuff. Do you usually fish rivers or lakes?