The three-way rig can get complicated, I keep some tied up on hand in the boat cause it takes a while to
rig one of these. Your main line is tied to a three-way swivel, make it heavy in fact as heavy as you can get
because that thing is taking all the strain from an angry flathead. Now the drop line that the weight fastens
to needs to be light, I prefer eight pound tests, busts off easy if it gets hung and the only thing you lose is
the weight.

   As far as weights go I prefer the pyramid sinker in the two to three ounce sizes, the corners grab well on
loose gravel or rocky bottoms and will hold in high current situations. Some people like a long tag line, I
keep mine at a foot in length from the swivel to the weight, just a preference on my part.

   The line that attaches to the hook I prefer it to be again no longer than a foot, I use very active shad so I
want them tethered down so there movements are very limited and a foot does not let them go far at all.

   The slip sinker rig is just as it sounds. When a flathead picks up the bait he can move off with it as he
wants too, the three way rig he is going to feel resistance, but I feel there too excited to drop a squirming
shad so they just go with it.

   Again keep the slip rig simple, I use two to three ounce egg sinkers, large swivels and one foot leaders.
The one thing I don't use are plastic beads, I would much rather have soft lead bang against the knot and
have some "give" than a plastic bead that will tear away at the knot.

   See my point. What I do though is take a 1/4" drill and relieve the ends that the line slides through, that
way the knot goes into a concave region of the lead weight.

   All rigs are tied with the Palomar style knot, I have used this knot a lot of years and it has not failed me
yet so why change a good thing. Don't snug these things down dry, monofilament heats up and will weaken
so use some spit or lake or river water to keep it moist. I keep rigs all ready tied and ready to go in the
tackle box, again tie them carefully, it only takes one mistake to lose a flathead.

   Another thing, try to get into the habit of checking your line, swivels and your hardware after you bring in
a flatty. Your stuff is on the bottom it can get scraped against anything, and I mean anything can be found
on the bottom of a lake or a river. Flatheads turn after they pickup a cutbait or livebait and those spines on
the sides and top can do a number on your line and all it takes is a small nick and the line will bust.

   Check the sharpness of your hooks, sharp is when you drag the point across your thumbnail and it grabs,
as far as circle hooks go I have not figured out a way to sharpen them because of the point going towards
the shank of the hook so I just change them out.

   Check the slip rig and make sure the weight slides freely, if it gets hung on a rock, the ends can get
banged down on the line and it can damage or cut the line during a battle with a flathead.

   One other thing check your drag settings on your reel, make sure you can pull the line freely from the
spool, when fighting a flathead I'm constantly changing the settings. As he gets tired I start tightening it
up to wear them down and on the next fish you don't want a tight drag setting on a very strong fish.

JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ
    I can be reached at at my email address<plange@woh.rr.com>
or look for me out on the "Brown" this spring but,
when the river warms up then I'm off to there!

Thanks,
Tim "Doc" Lange

Doc's Website: <http://www.hookedoncatfish.com>
Ohio River Catfishing at it's finest.