What Am I Doing Wrong?!

[taip]

Hey guys, I'm new to the forums here and have been reading all the fishing reports and getting excited about the next few months of fishing. I've been heading out every weekend for the past month or so trying to learn how to use these soft plastics but I'm getting nothing!

Am I the only one not catching fish on these things in and around Narrabeen? Seems like the conditions are improving every day but I'm yet to catch my first fish on these things!

I have tried jig head weights from 1/16th to 1/4 oz and using the gulp products in shrimp, pogy, jerk shad and the pumpkinseed minnows hoping to land me a nice flatty for dinner but I'm coming up empty on every outing.

I feel like I have tried everything but am the only one not catching lots of fish with these things.

You all seem very well schooled in the art of SP fishing so, any advice you could shed would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[taloyoak]

Cib,

Where in the lake are you fishing, what part of the tide, what weather, what action, retrieve speeds?. What Depths etc.

Do you know much about Flathead- where they like to hang out, what they like to eat in the lake. When you fish are you in a boat, or on land?. Do you stay in one spot or move around. Here is a pic of part of the lake, do you fish anywhere in the pic. I painted the edge of the weedbeds in yellow- I fish there for flatties ( flyfish), and get plenty along there.

[andrew399]

Just keep practicing!! its only a matter of time til you get a good flatty, especially with the water warming up.

My only tips would be to pick a target species and select appropriate lures. Let the plastics sink all the way to the bottom, a couple of flicks, and let sink again. Repeat all the way back to you.

Fish around fishy areas, baron sand flats are no good. Find patches of weed on the flats or other fishy structure....

[taip]

Cib,

Where in the lake are you fishing, what part of the tide, what weather, what action, retrieve speeds?. What Depths etc.

Do you know much about Flathead- where they like to hang out, what they like to eat in the lake. When you fish are you in a boat, or on land?. Do you stay in one spot or move around. Here is a pic of part of the lake, do you fish anywhere in the pic. I painted the edge of the weedbeds in yellow- I fish there for flatties ( flyfish), and get plenty along there.

Haven't fished along that part of the lake, but have tried down near woolies bridge (both sides), the flats and channel near the caravan park and on the other side of the lake on the weed beds near the kayak club.

I usually end up fishing a few hours either side of high tide. The weather has varied from overcast days to bright days with clear water. I have tried slow and fast retrieves with all kinds of action applied in my hope to land a flatty on plastics. Normally a fairly slow retrieve with a double jigging action bouncing it on the bottom as I have read this is what flathead usually respond to.

Perhaps I will try some of the places you have outlined, thanks!

[yakfishing]

Only advice I can give you is cover large areas, youve gotta find the flattys they wont find you. Dont keep flicking to same spot, systematically cover all the areas you can cast to. Pick a spot on the water to the left and aim for it, then next a few degrees right, then a few degrees right for the next. Do this routine a couple of times with sharp flicks, then do the same again with another style (maybe slow retrieves and more subtle rod raises). If theres no luck there, move yourself further up and repeat. Still no luck change the lure pattern, colour or weight and keep at it, you will get there eventually and your casting will be so good you can hit a poddy mullet on the nose from 20m

[locodave]

Here you go mate, don't worry, i didn't believe in plastics until last week when I caught one!!

[frankie machine]

Cib,

Sounds like you're heading in the right direction. I've only been into soft plastic for the past 12 months and once you crack a few it's addictive. you should have a look at the lure section on the site, there's some great advice there. Any posts by 'Hodgey' are terrific - his knowledge is amazing. there's also some good article on the site by ken alexander. good luck

[Lure'em]

I've been doing the same thing as you for zilch as well. My best advice would be to try bait and plastics at the same time as sometimes flatties are only biting on bait.

When I finally get a nice flattie on a plastic in the lake I'll let you know how and where.

Jack

[yakfishing]

I've been doing the same thing as you for zilch as well. My best advice would be to try bait and plastics at the same time as sometimes flatties are only biting on bait.

Thats the advantage of gulp, it is bait and plastic at the same time. But if you get desperate whitebait on a gang is the go but youve still gotta keep it moving. slow retrieve and some people throw in a few flicks