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Best Working Lures. Opinions From Flathead Specialists


jewgaffer

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Hi Everyone.

Good numbers of lighter coloured dusky flathead are coming into the Sydney area. They range in size from undersize fish to larger schools just below legal to around 420-450cms and quite a few flathead around that size have been caught lately. They have been caught namely around the flats in the Hacking, in the usual bays and alcoves off the main river in the lower Hawkesbury, Botany Bay and are in good numbers generally in the lower sections of the Georges at this stage.

After there not being much to show on the jewfish front since the end of Autumnn and after having poor winter results myself, I decided that this year I would get back into old style drift fishing to at least have the chance of getting some take home flathead rather than spending the whole session fishing for jewfish and the bi catch associated with jewfish waters.

At one stage of winter I was considering installing an electric on the transom of my Savage Side Console and only fishing the warmer pockets around shallower water, but now have opted for drift fishing deploying a sea anchor and using a pole push off where necessary.

Sp technology is going ahead in leaps and bounds and I've had advice on how Nuclear Chicken sp/s have been working very well and I have had several confirmations since winter that these lures are a must have inclusion for flathead .

I would like to hear opinions from flathead specialists as to which particular lures they have had their best results with, particularly new hi tech sp/s or blades which they consider as being outstanding and also those bordering on being outstanding flathead lures.

Cheers

jewgaffer :1fishing1:

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On the blade front yep they sure do work. Hopping them over drop offs for bream was deadly on flatties.

Never tried the larger ones and spacificly targeting them, would be very interesting!

post-3563-1224040303_thumb.jpg

My usual favs are the 5" jerkshads and Ecogear Grass Minnow "L" fished on a double whip retrieve. I like the Grass Minnow in less than 3m then the jerkshad for anything deeper.

Greg

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Hi Byron, Hutcho and I have been using berkley 5" jerk shads and 4" minnows, in the chartruese , satay chicken and lime tiger flavours, and as you know they have caught us some nice model flatties lately.. Cheers Mate..

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I think you will find you will get hundreds of different responses on sp colours for flathead and almost as many on the shape, i.e shad, fish, minnow, grub.

After specifically fishing for flathead for many years with soft plastics i have come to the conclusion that flathead will eat almost ANYTHING and of any size.

The jig head size is probaly more important than anything. Enough to get it to hit the bottom, but not too much to effect the action of the lure so as to remain "realistic".

Blades and hard bodies are great but no soo good in really weedy areas. I've also got a few on poppers.

But if I could only take 3 sp's with me (fishing mainly 1-12 foot of water) it would be -

1. 80mm squidgy fish in silver fox on a 1/3oz jig head

2. 3 inch gulp grub in pumpkinseed on 1/16oz jig head

3. 4 inch gulp minnow in smelt pattern (poddy mullett) on 1/8oz jig head

and if i could sneak in a 2inch gulp shrimp in new penny on a 1/32 oz jig head for the flats that would be great too :)

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I have been putting alot of time into the flatties in the last few weekends and have found that moving up the jighead weight to 1/4oz and using 5" Jerkshads in Nuclear Chicken has worked well. Anything under 1/4oz hasn't done so well, even in shallow water.

I am going to put some time in up around Wisemans this weekend and will see how they go up there.

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wow 450cms!!! :1prop: .......

......same as greg mention, i use the double whip retrieve.

Thanks so far and RayR your sp recommendations speak for themselves. Greg I'll buy a couple of the old "GregL" specials, thanks for that, might even get a few xxl blades. Thanks Scotty for recommending Silverfox lures. I've had Silverfox mentioned as being a goer a couple of times in the past, so your confirmation is appreciated.

I would say large size new flathead will come into Sydney behind the young ones, as they usually do as soon as it hots up a bit. The signs are there with fish coming in, albeit the sizes so far are small but what can you do. The old upriver duskies have been few and far between and are not as good on the taste as the smaller new arrivals. It's better for me and my friends to take time out to get a few take home flathhead first than having a fishless session on the jewfish. Although there were reports of school jew being caught in the Georges quite recently, it will be bait first and then a couple of hours on the flathead at this time of the year before starting the jewfish session.

Cheers

jewgaffer :1fishing1:

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I think you will find you will get hundreds of different responses on sp colours for flathead and almost as many on the shape, i.e shad, fish, minnow, grub.

After specifically fishing for flathead for many years with soft plastics i have come to the conclusion that flathead will eat almost ANYTHING and of any size.

The jig head size is probaly more important than anything. Enough to get it to hit the bottom, but not too much to effect the action of the lure so as to remain "realistic".

Blades and hard bodies are great but no soo good in really weedy areas. I've also got a few on poppers.

But if I could only take 3 sp's with me (fishing mainly 1-12 foot of water) it would be -

1. 80mm squidgy fish in silver fox on a 1/3oz jig head

2. 3 inch gulp grub in pumpkinseed on 1/16oz jig head

3. 4 inch gulp minnow in smelt pattern (poddy mullett) on 1/8oz jig head

and if i could sneak in a 2inch gulp shrimp in new penny on a 1/32 oz jig head for the flats that would be great too :)

Couldn't put it any better myself, Plastic Man

...If only for the inclusion of a shortened Gulp Turtleback worm in watermelon, Fished only heavy enough to stay in contact with the bottom but not impeed the action or plumet like a house brick!. This is my 'Gun' lure at the moment.

I also like to work the lure fairly agressively with actions like the double whip, although don't be affraid to experiment.

However, I believe finding areas likely to hold actively feeding fish, is more influential to being successful than a particular lure or colour.

Thats my opinion anyway

Dan

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G'Day Byron

Just my two bobs worth:

4" Gulp Minnow in Lime Tiger

4" Gulp Alive Swimming Mullet in Rootbeer Gold

3" Atomic Prong in Carolina Pumkinseed Holo or the new Guzzler in New Penny

The flathead down here have developed a real taste for koolabung blades, and TT's in Golden Boy (I think it's the one in Greg's photo). Look forward to a successful flattie report from you very soon :thumbup:

Cheers

Hodgey

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squidgy 100mm shads in technicolour are unbelieveable!! i havent caught a flattie since i ran out of them, 2day i got 4 packs at BCF theyve got sum pink in em and all this glittery stuff that makes em sparkle when u work em, try them! u wont be dissapointed.

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No flathead guru but will throw my 10c worth in

I have tired over 30 different colour, shape and size plastics and this one has been the best by far. It seems to work best with 2 good tugs let sit on the bottom for 5 or so seconds then 2 more tugs and so on

the biggest flatties i have caught have been with one of them (except the recent one which was on a whole pillie)

post-7433-1224069710_thumb.jpg

Edited by hoges1974
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No flathead guru but will throw my 10c worth in

I have tired over 30 different colour, shape and size plastics and this one has been the best by far. It seems to work best with 2 good tugs let sit on the bottom for 5 or so seconds then 2 more tugs and so on

the biggest flatties i have caught have been with one of them (except the recent one which was on a whole pillie)

there the BEST!!

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I also like the 3 & 4 inch gulp pogy's in black & white or mackeral colours. :biggrin2:

Cheers,

Grant.

Thanks Grant. I was hoping you'd come in on this one. I like the way you say the words "I also like" ever so subtly about your 3 & 4 inch gulp pogys. They'll will be number one on my shopping list, no risk about that and I'll bet there's hundreds of released flathead running all over the Tweed right now permanently retired and suffering from bat eyed twitch syndrome. :D

Cheers mate :thumbup:

jewgaffer :1fishing1:

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I'm curious Jewgaffer why you say the flathead are now "coming into Sydney", implying that they are migrating or have been away somewhere? I've never thought of duskys as a migratory fish, at least outside the estuary system. They are rarely caught along the coast and certainly not in any numbers to imply that they migrate up and down the seaboard. I've always thought that they basically go dormant over winter in the estuarys which is why catch rates drop off.

On a side note as a teenager I used to get the largest fish in the Hacking in winter on livies.

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I'm curious Jewgaffer why you say the flathead are now "coming into Sydney", implying that they are migrating or have been away somewhere? I've never thought of duskys as a migratory fish, at least outside the estuary system. They are rarely caught along the coast and certainly not in any numbers to imply that they migrate up and down the seaboard. I've always thought that they basically go dormant over winter in the estuarys which is why catch rates drop off.

On a side note as a teenager I used to get the largest fish in the Hacking in winter on livies.

Hi Scienceman I worded my information on the arrival of new flathead into the Sydney area deliberately meaning to indirectly say, the replacement or replenishment of flathead in the Sydney area. Thus I used the words lighter coloured and new flathead coming into Sydney because that is precisely what this new batch of flathead is. Dusky flathead like so many other species begin their lives in mangroves as fry and whenever necessary they will migrate as soon as they are old enough to fend for themselves and like bream they travel along a coastline and enter an estuary either close to or far away from home and at spawning time they spawn close to an estuary mouth wherever it is safer for the survival of the species.

When a river suffers from floods and associated lack of oxygen or extreme cold conditions flathead leave the particular area to enter another estuary where conditions are more suitable. It is well known that Dusky flathead travel hundreds of miles along a coastline looking for better conditions. As you may know outside currents have an affect as to when it is suitable for migrating fish to come into an estuary. Older duskys found miles up river are of a darker colour and become craggy to look at, don't spawn when land locked and either die off over time or become fished out, and this does happen, and particularly where an entrance to the sea has been closed for a long time.

Cheers

jewgaffer :1fishing1:

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Thanks Grant. I was hoping you'd come in on this one. I like the way you say the words "I also like" ever so subtly about your 3 & 4 inch gulp pogys. They'll will be number one on my shopping list, no risk about that and I'll bet there's hundreds of released flathead running all over the Tweed right now permanently retired and suffering from bat eyed twitch syndrome. :D

Cheers mate :thumbup:

jewgaffer :1fishing1:

Thanks Byron.

A mate in the tackle industry put me onto them a few years ago & they are great on the Flatties.

The lizards up here really like the 75mm squidgy fish silver fox & the older style, slimmer 5 inch jerkshads as well.

Ohh yeah, don't be suprised if one of your beloved Jew jumps all over a pogy as well. :biggrin2:

Cheers,

Grant.

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wow 450cms!!! :1prop:

i still find the squidgy does pretty well. my fave shape is the fish in silver fox, gary glitter or black gold colours

i use 65mm-85mm

same as greg mention, i use the double whip retrieve.

I agree with you absolutely. " squidgy fish" in "black and gold" and" silver fox" and last but not least "gary glitter". put them on a 3/8th jig head. can go heaver or lighter depending on water depth but that is a good starting size.

you can't lose Byron, you just have to kep casting. inbetween and around weed beds you will catch fish

cheers Alex

Edited by frangkie
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......I agree with you absolutely. " squidgy fish" in "black and gold" and" silver fox" and last but not least "gary glitter"......

I've gotta agree with that ..... but having said that, today I caught about 9 to 50cm on Squidgy Lobby (big size) in yellow & gold fleck. I think, if you put it close enough to them, they will react & take it. It never hurts to try new varieties tho! :) :)

Just stick with it, Byron & you will catch! Personally, I prefer the in tide for flatties, to the first 1hr after high.

Good luck

Roberta

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I agree with you absolutely. " squidgy fish" in "black and gold" and" silver fox" and last but not least "gary glitter". put them on a 3/8th jig head. can go heaver or lighter depending on water depth but that is a good starting size.

you can't lose Byron, you just have to kep casting. inbetween and around weed beds you will catch fish

cheers Alex

I'm not so sure about this can't lose business Alex, by the sound of this Qld fishing you've settled into you won't be with me down here to get me motivated and away from freak territory for a good while yet.

PM me your phone number Finks I've had my mobile stolen and send me Steve's as well. I'll be up north for a fair while after my back op and that'll be quicker than the time it takes the anaesthetic to wear off, that's for sure, and I reckon I'll be getting right back into canoe racing instead of hobbling around Randwick.

Cheers

Byron :1fishing1:

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The absolute best flathead lure is one you are attempting to use to catch bream. Preferably during a bream comp.

Actually most of my bigger flatties have come as bycatch while fishing for jew in deeper water. 4" or larger stickbaits or shads, whippy retrieve and if targeting flatties particularly (as opposed to jew), white or pink are the colours imo. As someone else mentioned though, flatties will just about eat anything bounced in front of them.

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The absolute best flathead lure is one you are attempting to use to catch bream. Preferably during a bream comp.

Actually most of my bigger flatties have come as bycatch while fishing for jew in deeper water. 4" or larger stickbaits or shads, whippy retrieve and if targeting flatties particularly (as opposed to jew), white or pink are the colours imo. As someone else mentioned though, flatties will just about eat anything bounced in front of them.

Thanks wakd, that sounds real good to me and I am very interested in trying out four inch plus stick baits.

I'm getting my shopping list ready right now but I must ask this question of yourself and if necessary other raiders who recommended their best working lures.

Now this is the question - As to jig heads, I'm going to have to fish 1/2oz upwards in some of my flathead areas, and I need to know which lures work best at what weights as far as my fishing deeper water and faster currents is concerned. I.E. I will need to use the lightest possible sp's in some instances but which ones off those already mentioned are not suited to heavier jig heads and which ones are ?

Also the weight of each jig head governs each jig head's hook size apparently

Cheers

jewgaffer :1fishing1:

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Hi Jewgaffer

Whilst fishing for snapper we use anything from 1/8th upto and ounce in a 4/0 TT on 5" jerkshads. Not much tail movement on these anyway and you still get smashed.

On pogys we use upto the same weights from about 1/2 up on 5/0 TT's. I use the larger hook as the lure is a bit bulkier so I still have a nice big open gape on the hook exposed.

Most of our snapper is in 6-25m and mainly targeting 20m. Are your flattie grounds similar or are you targeting the shallow drop off stuff?

Greg

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Hi Jewgaffer

......On pogys we use upto the same weights from about 1/2 up on 5/0 TT's. I use the larger hook as the lure is a bit bulkier so I still have a nice big open gape on the hook exposed.

....Most of our snapper is in 6-25m and mainly targeting 20m. Are your flattie grounds similar or are you targeting the shallow drop off stuff?

Greg

Greg your input been of good help to me, thanks.

What weight can be used at the max for what sp or what stick bait so as not to affect the lures optimum performance is what I need to know before stocking up on each lure recommended.

For example some days I'll either fish in very close or just inside the moored boats in front of the Wobby houses not far from where you stayed that time and you know what the waters like up there as to depth and current. While you do get an hour or so of slackwater you've still got to get the lure down to around 50 - 70 feet.

Some of the sp alternatives given have focussed on using ultra lightweight jig heads which I'll still buy for the flats anyway, but in some cases the drop offs will need more weight so I don't know which of the lightweights sps will perform as well with bigger lead on them and which ones won't.

Your snapper comparison and jig head size for depth fishing using shads and 5" pogys has helped out a lot. Greg do you have to accept the hook already on each jig head size or does each jig head at that weight give you a choice of different hook sizes ?

Cheers

jewgaffer :1fishing1:

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Mate I fish TT jigs as that's what my tackle shop carries. In these larger weights they usually have them in 2 or 3 different hook sizes. The larger size in each is usually a thicker gauge to if you need to stop big fish in rough terrain.

As I said, I have used these two plastics up to and ounce and still work well. Even the tail on the pogy rattles away on the drop and a jerkshad will still get chomped on the drop. The main thing is to cast forward of the boat to give the lure enough time and slack line to reach the bottom.

We can still fish the bottom well outside in 20kn breeze in 20+m, on a decent drift speed on a 5/8th jig. Long casts seem to help alot! Our Snapper technique is basicly a flathead retrieve over reef......

Hope this helps a little

Greg

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