arpie Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 (edited) Hi guys Met up with a yakking buddy this morning & hit the leases again (a different one from the other day, but facing the same direction!) Almost immediately, I got flattie hits & was soon onto a couple of nice fish! Any that were less than 40cm, I put back & I guess, all up, I must have hooked about 15 fish - about 5 'self-released', I put back about 5 & kept 5, which I gave to another buddy, Stephen & Wendy! I was only fishing in 1m of water & it is amazing how many flatties live in that depth! They are quite aggressive, too! As the water cleared, I actually watched one flattie chase my lure to the surface, when it saw me & took off! Once again, I spooked quite a few! As I was heading for 'home' one actually launched itself out of the water, scaring the life out of me! Previously, I had been fishing only the floating leases (less chance of being busted off) but, as I went down an old 'conventional' lease, I couldn't help tossing my Squidgy Fish around & WHAM!! The rod tip was wrenched into the water & the fish was taking line easily! It was all over in about 5 secs ...... I applied a bit more pressure as I attempted to keep it from the lease poles, to no avail! PING!! It busted me off in the braid! Mind you, it was still only 6lb Crystal Fireline! Shame it wasn't the the 14lb Vanish that was tested! Nice brace of fish! Biggest one was a tad over 50cm Rod & I will hit the water again tomorrow & I plan on packing up on Sun & heading south on Monday ...... then again, with that being the last day of the Long Weekend ...... maybe I'll leave on Tues!???? Cheerio Roberta Edited October 3, 2008 by Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ben75 Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 (edited) Gday Roberta Nice work on the flatties Cheers Ben Edited October 3, 2008 by Ben75 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke K Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Hi Roberta, That's an awesome session you had with the flatties, congratulations!! Looking at the reports, I reckon it's going to be an awesome flattie season. Bye for now, Luke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koalaboi Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Hi Roberta, Another report guaranteed to get us all amped to hit the flatties. Alas down here at Tuggerah Lakes the flatties have not come on...water's still cold. Mind you, the blackfish have been great...pulled in 9 today. "Brace" of fish. I think, and I'm happy to be proven wrong, that a brace is two fish which means you've brought home two and a half brace!!(even better!)...or is it braces? I'm basing my "correction" on the old english fly fishing texts..they could be very wrong, I mean well hey, the Brits sent the convicts out here and themselves stayed in England! I look forward to sending in some flattie reports also based on my fave lure...the silver fox!!!! Tight lines, Koalaboi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodgey Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Great session Roberta! A terrific feed of flatties on plastics You had better get a wriggle on if you are coming down Note the following Raiders: * Kel - arrived here 01/10 to 08/10 * Hoges1974 - already camped in Narooma * Flightmanager - heading to Ulladulla shortly * Mitch - due in 4 weeks * Poddy Trapper - due around the same time * Kingys What Kingys - looking at 2 trips here between now and Feb * Stewy - VERY soon It's gonna be standing room only soon! Looking forward to a glass of the finest and a chat next week! Cheers Hodgey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray R Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Well the Flattie Queen does it again, nice catch there Roberta, and good luck on your next outing, I 'll be trying to match your efforts on Sundee when I go back down to Patonga.. Cheers.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkymalinky Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Hey Roberta, Sounds like an awesome session. With that sort of aggression and in that depth of water I'd be interested to know if they'd hit poppers? Hope you get another shot at that big lady. Cheers, Slinky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Yet another good effort Roberta l'll bet Wendy's glad she found such a keen fishing mate up there in Forster. Cheers jewgaffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davemmm Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Too many of us just target bream around the sticks. Once again Roberta you have shown that there are good flatties to be had in these spots. Nice going Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted October 3, 2008 Author Share Posted October 3, 2008 (edited) Hi Slinky .... I'd be interested to know if they'd hit poppers?..... I was tossing them around too & only got one undersized bream & 2 other obvious 'follows' but no hit. So flatties didn't appear to want to chase poppers, but I have seen Rod hook one on a popper over the New Year. hehehe ....Hope you get another shot at that big lady...... I'll recognise her when I see her - she will have my lure & 2m of Vanish & God Knows how much braid hanging off her mouth! Methinks she'll rub it off pretty quickly! Hi Hodgey - sounds like your place is the place to be!!! Can't wait!! Hi Koalaboi - don't know where I came up with that term from!!! cheerio Roberta Edited October 5, 2008 by Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger Cam Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Great session again Roberta "one actually launched itself out of the water" - interesting... a flathead that thinks it's a dolphin..... You've been catching a few with the Squidgey Fish. One of them was stuck to a magazine cover I bought recently and put it in the bottom of the tackle box! After reading your recent posts, I think It's going to make it's way to the top! Regards, Cam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted October 4, 2008 Author Share Posted October 4, 2008 Hi Cam Give the squidgy fish a go - especially in the silver fox colour, as it mimics a poddy mullet & there are heaps of them around the leases just now! I catch all my flatties in the leases! It is the main sp I use, as I have had so much success with it. Yeah - I've had yellow belly launch out of the water after a lure, but never a flattie! Gave me a big fright! Went out this morning with Rod again & I got 3 to 55cm (dropped two nice big ones & put a few back) & he also got 3 & gave me one of them! Glorious day out on the water today - not too hot! :) Cheerio Roberta I'll be a bit quiet next week as I will be on the road! After returning from the South Coast, hopefully I will have something to chat about! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james7 Posted October 4, 2008 Share Posted October 4, 2008 You're certainly running hot at the moment Roberta. Despite losing a few big ones you're obviously having great fun and you've bagged some beauties! Your reports always make me feel as if I'm there with you (or at least I wish I was there). Next time take a few photos of those floating leases. Also, that's a great photo of the flattie in the water. Cheers and have a great time down south Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pukunui Posted October 4, 2008 Share Posted October 4, 2008 What a great session, Dont you just love days like that. Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted October 4, 2008 Author Share Posted October 4, 2008 (edited) Hi Peter Conventional leases - there are poles underneath the wooden racks, every 5-10ft to catch your lure on, or for the flattie to wrap you around! The racks are often closer together than this one, too, making accurate casting a must! Cross winds are a pain when fishing these areas, as they blow your lure onto the racks. You also have to have the drag turned right up to turn their head immediately. On really high tides, the racks disappear underwater & you can float over them in the yak, fishing the alleys (gotta have polaroids to see the racks), but you have to be really careful as the water level drops or you get major scratches everywhere! (Got them now, anyway, so don't worry about them anymore!) Floating Leases - these rise & fall with the tide & only have a single pole at either end. They are also usually placed in alleys, fairly closely together. The bream & flatties love hiding under them. They can be up to 30ft long, so you cast as close as you dare to the edges (there are wooden struts that stick out from the edge of the poly tubing so you can't cast too close.) Still need the drag to be done up well, but you have more 'room to play them' than in the conventional lease! Often I tie up to the rope at one end & cast towards the pole at the other end & give at least 6 casts (into the centre & along the edge of the other rack as well) before paddling up to the next one & doing the same. In the hobie, I can just peddle along until I get a hit & then usually just 'float' to the rack & fight it. You lose a bit of tackle on the big ones, but it is one of the most productive fishing areas in the Wallis Lake!! THey are everywhere! Big blackfish hang around them too, as well as the flatties & bream. It is exciting fishing, as you never know when you'll get the BIG HIT! It was a conventional lease that busted me off the Big Fat Momma the other day! Cheerio Roberta Here are the flatties I got yesterday - the 2 bigger ones were 50 & 55cm A bloke in a tinny with an outboard had the hide to tell me that my kayak setup would spook every fish within casting distance! Can't work out some people!!! i reckon I ended up with more fish than him!! Edited October 4, 2008 by Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickN Posted October 4, 2008 Share Posted October 4, 2008 Roberta, I have had flathead hit surface lures in the past but nothing on an absolute regular basis. If I were you I would try fishing those Squidgy 100mm fish unweighted, in 1m of water you will get plenty of takers and the weight of the lure will give you plenty of casting distance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted October 4, 2008 Author Share Posted October 4, 2008 Good idea, Nick - will give that a go However, the weight of the jig head really gets that tail working & when it hits the bottom, sends up that little puff of sand that indicates a fish! Sometimes the crosswinds on the leases makes it difficult to cast with accuracy too, so the jig head works well there too. Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodgey Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 However, the weight of the jig head really gets that tail working & when it hits the bottom, sends up that little puff of sand that indicates a fish! It's all about vibration and visual indication. If it's not broke ... don't fix it Another great bag of fish Roberta. The fish are really well conditioned this time of year. Had a very brief look in lousy conditions yesterday with surface lure and fly (RodL). Some VERY promising signs, with the NW Pencil receiving a few enquiries, as well as the 'old faithful' popper. Deno had a HUUUGE breambo investigate his lure, but shied away before striking Better conditions today, so we may try to have a decent crack at them today. Hodgey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 Good idea, Nick - will give that a go However, the weight of the jig head really gets that tail working & when it hits the bottom, sends up that little puff of sand that indicates a fish! . Roberta Roberta Ever tried threading a long thin piece of tripe thru one of your hardbody trebbles. I know it's cheating a bit it works when the fish are not interested in taking a lure. Cheers jewgaffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted October 5, 2008 Author Share Posted October 5, 2008 Hey Hodgey - Yeah - go with what you know! Shame you aren't able to take an RDO during the week!! However, with daylight savings, we may be able to wet a line in the pm!! :) Sounds very promising!!! Can't wait!!! I can feel another visit to the tackle shop coming on ...... Hi Byron - you are right ...... it is cheating! And I HATE TRIPE!! If they stop taking my silver fox, I guess I may just have to investigate it, possibly! ROberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug43 Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 Well done Roberta, You really seem to have these lease flatties sorted out in an environment where they are very easily spooked! I remember snorkelling around some leases a few years back in your neck of the woods and being amazed by the size and numbers of flatties lying in ambush in less than a metre of water. Them being there and actually catching them don't neccessarily go hand in hand though, so Well Done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted October 5, 2008 Author Share Posted October 5, 2008 Absolutely, Doug! I have snorkelled some of them as well & it is absolutely amazing that you don't even see them till there is a huge puff of sand & they are GORN!!! The blackies are pretty dumb, too - they spook, but then they return to where they were! The flatties ...... you just have to guess which direction they have taken off to? It's incredible the number & size of fish that lurk in && around the leases. From blackies, flatties, bream, mullet & whiting - they are all there! I think the flatties like the really warm water, plus they get a feed from the other fish feeding off the racks ..... they don't have far to travel when they are only in 1m or water! Huge numbers of mullet out & about there just now too in the leases & shallows. Forgot to take any bread with me tho! I am always on edge when in the leases, cos you never know what size you are going to get! My biggest so far in the yak is 80cm! Been busted off by bigger tho! Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forliano Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Cleaned up on Blackies... Now flatties... Love it... Keep it up... love reading your reports... Cheers Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickN Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 The Silver Fox has always been a great producer for Flathead. I doubt it will go out of fashion any time soon. I used the Silver Fox up around the reefs at Cairns and absolutely nailed everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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