One type of hotspot Patterson looks for is a rotating current near a large hole that has formed beneath buckled revetment. Giant flatheads love the security of these dark cavities, and anglers who use a finesse presentation to put the bait right in front of the fish often find themselves battling a trophy-class cat.

"A good depthfinder is essential for finding these underwater houses," said Patterson. "I usually start downstream and troll slowly upstream parallel to the bank, watching the screen for the ups and downs of these buckled-up revetment slabs. When I find a hole and feel like the boat is directly over it, I pick out a reference spot on the bank; then, I motor upstream and anchor the boat casting distance away from the hole.

"I typically use a float rig set 4 to 6 feet deep for this type of fishing because the revetment houses are small, and precise location is mandatory for success. I cast directly over the hole, let the rig settle and wait for a hit. If I haven't had a bite after 15 to 20 minutes, I troll up the bank until I find another likely spot and anchor again. I continue doing this, working my way upstream and fishing first one hole and then another."

Another flathead hotspot is where a steep mudbank, slow current and timber combine to create an area attractive to flatheads. Cats visit these areas in spring looking for spawning sites in protected cavities and undercuts in the woody cover, and may remain here or revisit the area in other seasons to feed on baitfish and crustaceans.

"I look for bluff banks with timber or old stumps sticking up," Patterson stated. "These are excellent fishing spots, particularly those on the downstream side of shallow sandbars where the current is slow and baitfish stack up. These banks often drop off into troughs of water that are more than 20 feet deep just 40 feet offshore. The troughs typically run parallel to the bank, and they're great features for cats. Flatheads run the troughs most of the year, depending on the water level and current speed. And you can catch them by working one of the two basic rigs in and around the cover."

In Patterson's view, summer is the best season for flatheads. "Flatheads frequent shallow water throughout summer," he said. "That makes them easier to target. In the Mississippi, depths of 100 feet or more are not rare. But in summer, even though the water temperature may reach 80 degrees or more, the flatheads usually are in less than 20 feet of water."

"After you've found the cats with sonar, which is fairly easy, catching 100 to 300 pounds or more a day is very common." -- James Patterson, Mississippi River Guide Service

Feeding activity peaks at night. "Summer flatheads definitely bite better after dark or at the first part of the sunrise or sunset," Patterson noted. "So fish at night or near dawn and dusk for the best chance of success."

CHANNEL CATS
If it's channel cats you're after, the places you should target are dictated by structure -- unusual bottom features such as logjams, big rocks, fallen trees or brushpiles.