Flathead fishing advice

[Bilo]

I am still recently new to fishing, and would love some advice on where the best setting for catching flathead from land. whether its a beach or rocks etc...

also would love advice and any plastics to use. and are they a good fish to eat

cheers

 

[Regan]

i would target places around the estaurys especially where there are drop offs and weed beds as this is where the flatties will sit. Try and work as much ground as possible as the flatties will normally sit in the one spot. some of my favourite flattie soft plastics include:

- zman grub, 2.5 - 3.5 inch, any colour but my favourite watermelon 

- flash-j shad 3inch, colour kosan'ayu

- zman minnowz, colour smokey shad or bad shad

and they are very good eating.

[Bilo]

19 minutes ago, Regan said:

i would target places around the estaurys especially where there are drop offs and weed beds as this is where the flatties will sit. Try and work as much ground as possible as the flatties will normally sit in the one spot. some of my favourite flattie soft plastics include:

- zman grub, 2.5 - 3.5 inch, any colour but my favourite watermelon 

- flash-j shad 3inch, colour kosan'ayu

- zman minnowz, colour smokey shad or bad shad

and they are very good eating.

Thanks man, just wondering, are the size limits different for the different types of flatties?

also i was looking at Pro Wriggler Soft Plastic Lure 100mm Bloodworm?

[Regan]

Those pro wrigglers will work well for the bigger flatties

36cm for a dusky which is the main species of flathead caught in estauries

[Bilo]

3 minutes ago, Regan said:

Those pro wrigglers will work well for the bigger flatties

36cm for a dusky which is the main species of flathead caught in estauries

cheers for the help. gonna try catch and cook a few during these holidays 

[Bilo]

53 minutes ago, Regan said:

i would target places around the estaurys especially where there are drop offs and weed beds as this is where the flatties will sit. Try and work as much ground as possible as the flatties will normally sit in the one spot. some of my favourite flattie soft plastics include:

- zman grub, 2.5 - 3.5 inch, any colour but my favourite watermelon 

- flash-j shad 3inch, colour kosan'ayu

- zman minnowz, colour smokey shad or bad shad

and they are very good eating.

also what weight jig head and size of the hook?

[Regan]

i usually use a 1/12 jig head for estauries but if it too windy or the current is running fast you can upsize to make sure it gets to the bottom.

just match the size of the hook to your plastic so it come out towords the middle/end

[kingie chaser]

4' gulps in nuclear chicken are also killer on the flatties 

[ARC H]

Just get a shrimp, grub or fish style soft plastic.

In some sort of natural color i don't think specific color matters to much.

walk along foreshores casting as you go and concentrate your efforts on jetties, rockwalls moorings, dropoffs and weedbeds as has been said, any bit off structure really

another thing is check out if there are bait fish, prawns in the water and try to imitate them with a lure

if you are using grub or shrimp styles you'll encounter some good bycatch like bream

if you fishing around 1 -2metres of water 1/8 or 1/2th as has been said is the go

also they are expensive but soft vibes are great

also make sure you slow your retrieve down in winter

enjoy and good luck

Edited July 10, 2018 by ARC H

[DerekD]

15 hours ago, Regan said:

 some of my favourite flattie soft plastics include:

- zman grub, 2.5 - 3.5 inch, any colour but my favourite watermelon 

- flash-j shad 3inch, colour kosan'ayu

- zman minnowz, colour smokey shad or bad shad

and they are very good eating.

Hi Regan,

I'm confused.... Why would you be eating Z-man grubs and flash shads??? ?

Are they edible like the Berkley Gulps and for that matter what flavours do they come in? Oh wait, read post again - smokey and watermelon. Sweet.

Regards,

Derek

[Regan]

8 minutes ago, DerekD said:

Hi Regan,

I'm confused.... Why would you be eating Z-man grubs and flash shads??? ?

Are they edible like the Berkley Gulps and for that matter what flavours do they come in? Oh wait, read post again - smokey and watermelon. Sweet.

Regards,

Derek

hahahaha

meant flatties good eating ?

but if you like eating sps they also have them in pumkin seed, bubblegum and even greasy prawn ?

Edited July 10, 2018 by Regan

[DerekD]

12 minutes ago, Regan said:

haha

meant flatties good eating ?

I can be a bit literal at times (mostly deliberately so) so when friends in Sydney talk about the temperature being freezing I look around for ice patches and snowflakes.

[DerekD]

3 hours ago, Regan said:

but if you like eating sps they also have them in pumkin seed, bubblegum and even greasy prawn ?

Thanks Regan,

Now I'm feeling peckish and want to walk to my car to see what Soft Plastics flavours I have to snack on this afternoon. Suspect you need a beer to wash down greasy prawn but my place of work is alcohol free for safety reasons.

D. ?

[Regan]

1 minute ago, DerekD said:

Thanks Regan,

Now I'm feeling peckish and want to walk to my car to see what Soft Plastics flavours I have to snack on this afternoon. Suspect you need a beer to wash down greasy prawn but my place of work is alcohol free for safety reasons.

D. ?

looks like you will have to have your greasy prawn this arvo whilst your fishin with a beer in your hand if you cant have it at work ?

[DerekD]

2 minutes ago, Regan said:

looks like you will have to have your greasy prawn this arvo whilst your fishin with a beer in your hand if you cant have it at work ?

Genius!!!

Please take me under your tutelage oh Great Guru Regan.

[Regan]

1 hour ago, DerekD said:

Genius!!!

Please take me under your tutelage oh Great Guru Regan.

haha ok np

but i think this is getting a little off topic about flattie advice 

but you can start an new chat about sp tastes and flavours ?

[Bilo]

9 hours ago, ARC H said:

Just get a shrimp, grub or fish style soft plastic.

In some sort of natural color i don't think specific color matters to much.

walk along foreshores casting as you go and concentrate your efforts on jetties, rockwalls moorings, dropoffs and weedbeds as has been said, any bit off structure really

another thing is check out if there are bait fish, prawns in the water and try to imitate them with a lure

if you are using grub or shrimp styles you'll encounter some good bycatch like bream

if you fishing around 1 -2metres of water 1/8 or 1/2th as has been said is the go

also they are expensive but soft vibes are great

also make sure you slow your retrieve down in winter

enjoy and good luck

Cheers, i got some Squidgies Wriggler Soft Plastic. Gonna give that a shout around Hermit Bay just up from rose bay sydney, might also give it ago down in watsons bay.

[ARC H]

20 minutes ago, Jake18 said:

Cheers, i got some Squidgies Wriggler Soft Plastic. Gonna give that a shout around Hermit Bay just up from rose bay sydney, might also give it ago down in watsons bay.

Yeah the wrigglers are awesome 

Good luck 

[macca02]

"Paddle" tail plastics are my goto for flathead (though really any plastic will do, though i think these are really effective as they look like a little poddy mullet).

Squidgy fish in a size roughly around 55-65mm in length (black & gold is a personal fav colour) with a 1/6th oz jighead (Size 1 or 1/0 hook matches this plastic size) is a great starting point for shallow water <3m.

Deeper water and current depending i'd go a heavier jighead to get back to the bottom quickly.

Also with jigheads i prefer to go with something with a hook that is a thinner gauge (nitro bream range) as it penetrates the flattys mouth much easier than the thicker gauge hooks (especially when you're using relatively light tackle/thin lines). I noticed a massive difference in hookup rates in regards to missing fish after using some of the thicker gauge style jigheads.

I generally give it a couple of quick flicks up, wind up the slack as it sinks back to the bottom and repeat the process with varying pauses.

[Bilo]

1 hour ago, macca02 said:

"Paddle" tail plastics are my goto for flathead (though really any plastic will do, though i think these are really effective as they look like a little poddy mullet).

Squidgy fish in a size roughly around 55-65mm in length (black & gold is a personal fav colour) with a 1/6th oz jighead (Size 1 or 1/0 hook matches this plastic size) is a great starting point for shallow water <3m.

Deeper water and current depending i'd go a heavier jighead to get back to the bottom quickly.

Also with jigheads i prefer to go with something with a hook that is a thinner gauge (nitro bream range) as it penetrates the flattys mouth much easier than the thicker gauge hooks (especially when you're using relatively light tackle/thin lines). I noticed a massive difference in hookup rates in regards to missing fish after using some of the thicker gauge style jigheads.

I generally give it a couple of quick flicks up, wind up the slack as it sinks back to the bottom and repeat the process with varying pauses.

cheers man, waiting for my plastics and jigheads to come in the mail... the nearest a shop was miles away.

[Bilo]

Could anyone give me some good spots to catch flathead near Watons Bay, Rose Bay, Vaucluse or anywhere around here? just got my soft plastics and keen to use them. 

[GoingFishing]

Rose Bay flats are a great place to start for flathead but watch out for Rays.

Go early or late afternoon when the boat/swimmer activity is at its minimum

 

Edited July 15, 2018 by GoingFishing

[Bilo]

1 hour ago, GoingFishing said:

Rose Bay flats are a great place to start for flathead but watch out for Rays.

Go early or late afternoon when the boat/swimmer activity is at its minimum

 

just to make sure, is that near the boat hire? and also how far would i have to walk out you reckon? 

[kingie chaser]

I am also keen to try these prawn pro squidgy's as well in both paddle tail & wriggler, recon you would catch a variety of species on them.

[big Neil]

On 7/10/2018 at 1:04 PM, DerekD said:

I can be a bit literal at times (mostly deliberately so) so when friends in Sydney talk about the temperature being freezing I look around for ice patches and snowflakes.

You're a card Derek...you should be dealt with! LOL. I'm heading back to Sydney (probably October) would like to catch up if possible. We could share some sarcasm. Cheers, bn