Live bait Flathead

[Wiskas]

Hi Raiders

Asking the experts out there for some advice. I’m getting out on the water a bit more around the Broken Bay Area (Refuge bay, Patonga etc) and I’m keen to give live baiting a go for flathead on poddy mullet. 
Could anyone suggest a setup and rigging options that would be ideal for this?. I’d like to stick with mono if able so it’s remains simple for my son to use. 
 

thanks in advance 

Wiskas 

[PaddyT]

Yep used to do heaps of it in Cowan Creek- catch your poddies up on the flats at the back of the creeks and bays -Yeomans, Jerusalam, Bobbin Head etc , rig only needs to be very simple-main line around 3-4 kg with a ball sinker running to a swivel, about 40-50 cm of 6 -8 kg leader to a 3/0 suicide /beak/ hook. Pin the poddie just in front of the eye socket and go for a drift, water depth 2-5 m . An excellent spot is around the sport and rec camp around the corner from Patonga and PAtonga itself. Deeper water areas and areas with a lot more tide will require more lead to keep the bait down, also dont be afraid to use quite big poddies-a 2 kg flattie will scoff a 20 cm mullet

[Wiskas]

Cheers Paddy T!

[Pickles]

Hi Wiskas, great advice from PaddyT. I like to use a circle hook (1/0 - 3/0) as it always catches the fish in the corner of the mouth and never gut hooks like a “J” hook. This makes release of smaller (or big girls) easy and reduces the chance of getting spiked). Suicide is next best option (like Paddy T recommended),  a cut bait of yellowtail (heaps at West head - just look for the other boats when you get there) or small live Yakkas works great also. If you can get out to Flint and Steel, off the reef in mud will produce some really decent size duskies. 

[Wiskas]

Many thanks Pickles! 

 

[jenno64]

I use the mustad wide gap 3/0 or 4/0 hooks as the hook up rate id 95% corner of mouth or top jaw....easy release. I use a paternoster rig with lead to suit flow and pin the mullet through the bottom and top lip as I'm usually on the move. Big poddies big fish!

[seasponge]

I had a crack at using live poddies for flathead a month ago. Every single poddie was just getting smash so quickly by tailor, which would just bite the bait in one go, leaving nothing but the head left on the hook. Went through all our livies so quickly, and no flatties. Any advice for that scenario?

[SaltyGreek]

I use a running sinker rig with a 1/0 or 2/0 hook usually (depending on the size of the mullet). Another good bait for the bigger flathead is live herring. Caught and lost multiple 80cm+ flathead using them

[Wiskas]

Thanks all!