Spider-rigging (the use of multiple rods placed all around the boat) is a common practice among catmen. But Brown takes it to the next step for blue cats. He wants to know exactly where those fish are and offer his presentation right in their faces.

"When the fish are schooled up tight with bait and you find them, I'll throw my marker buoy out or mark (the spot) on the GPS," he explained. "I'll then return and pinpoint them on the sonar. Once I know the exact location I'll move upwind of the spot and drop and anchor and let the wind push me back over the spot and then past it. I'll then drop a second anchor and pull the first anchor rope to center myself vertically right over the fish.

"You use two anchors spread apart because you don't want drop an anchor directly into the fish. These areas are usually in a hump or a small hole or some sort of structure following the same rules of the thermocline and normal fish depths around 15 feet or better. Once set, I'll use six rods baited and rigged out flat all around the boat. I'll drop the lines down to the bottom and reel them up about a foot."

Often, the fish start biting right away, but when a big one hits the fun begins, he says. A lot of times when that happens every rod in the boat will go down. What that first fish has likely done is create a feeding frenzy, said Brown. Therefore, the faster rods can be baited and sent back into the fray, the better the opportunity anglers have of keeping the excitement going. If the bite, however, are not quick in coming, he usually packs up and leaves within 30 minutes.

Flatheads are a little different. The spider-rigging method used is nearly the same, but a bit more intricate. If you find an area where the river channel and a creek arm intersects, or an area that has large chunk rock or wood cover, the flatheads will likely be there in abundance. "During the day these fish may congregate on structure," said Brown. "There may be as many as 20 fish in one brush pile. So you have to fish really tight over that brushpile. I use 80-pound braided line. Let your bait down slow, until you feel your bait bumping into the rocks or brush, whatever you are fishing, then reel it up about a foot or so. Just remember they hold real tight to structure during the day."

At night, though, the fishing alters quite dramatically. The fish that had been along the river channel of along the edges of wood or rock cover are now roaming, in search of food. Finding old roadbeds or shallow flats near bridge pilings is key, says Brown. The areas where they are foraging are not far from where they spend their days holed up. If you can find a bunch of riprap, that's likely where the flatheads are going to be located. "In this situation use a Carolina rig with a 2- or 3-ounce sinker," he said. "Don't be afraid to fish shallow either. Get right on the edge of riprap, fishing from depths just below the surface to 15 feet."