In my last report I mentioned a monster flathead that followed up a 33cm bream I had on my line and grabbed it just under the kayak. Well yesterday it got even more interesting. Using small live mullet (too small, couldn't catch decent ones) I eventually hooked this mighty flathead (pictured), took me at least ten minutes to get him beside the yak, photographed and back into the water where he shot off like a rocket. I'm only using a 5lb leader. Small bream were taking all my little livies and I was getting ready to paddle home when I hooked one last small fish. Suddenly the line got a whole lot heavier and peeled off my reel. I set the drag but could not raise this fish even slightly and imagined I might have hooked a ray (we have 100s of stingrays in Burrill Lake).
For 15-20 mins I played this fish, raising him a metre or so, before off it went again. The water in the lake is crystal clear at the moment and I can just see the sandy bottom in 3 metres, FINALLY I started to make progress and very slowly I brought the fish towards the yak. Up it comes, little by little... and off again. More progress and finally it comes into view two metres down. An absolute monster of a flathead. I bring it up slowly. My intention was not to even try to net it, just get it along side and cut the line very close to the mouth. It comes up close to the top, and no question, at least a metre long!!
Suddenly it regurgitates a small snapper and swims away! I wind in and there's this little busted up pinky about 20cm long hanging off my hook! (pic attached] I laughed my head off. Here's me thinking, ok little mullet will catch a big flathead.. ha ha