Q. When Is A 81cm Flathead A Disappointment

Davemmm · November 10, 2008

With an RDO booked in for today the plan was to hook into some Georges River Jews. That was the plan anyway.

Hit the water a bit after five to be confronted with a noreaster a bit heavier than expected. First stop dump the crab traps at middle flat being very careful to line them up with prominent landmarks so I can find them after dark (more on that later).

Burleyed in a couple of spots near the bridge but couldnt attract a thing. I didnt stay long as previous experience has showed that an hour of burley is no better than ten minutes. So I worked my way across the bay trying a heap of different squid spots all for nothing.

In the end I bit the bullet and went straight to Mollineaux just on dark. Sure enough here was a plague of sweep. Fortunately a few yakkas sidled up as well, no slimies but. So with half a dozen yakkas, three frozen squid, two mullet fillets, a freezer burnt blackfish and two sausages (they were for me) I headed back.

Found the crabtraps easy enough but they only had one small female in them. Placed them back very carefully inline with landmarks so I could find them again later in the night.

I had planned to fish straight off middle flat. I figured the tide running off the flats and dropping off onto a shell bed in seven metres might be a good spot to start. Unfortunately the noreaster was still blowing pretty hard so plan B was a trip a bit further up the river to Tom Ugly's.

Things were pretty quiet here for a couple of hours. The only thing that got eaten was one of the sausages. Then one of the yakkas started going nuts and the baitrunner started. Then nothing. Then after a bloody eternity, which was probably only twenty or thirty seconds, it goes for another run. Jammed the hooks in this time and proceded to winch back a reasonable (not huge) fish. But alas the run was short and I came up with a leader shreaded just below the bloody sinker. Damn Damn Damn Damn

Another hour, two cups of tea and the other sausage later and the tide bottomed out. Peak time (maybe) well thats what "they" all say.

Sure enough one of the yakkas goes off. Short run and he turned and sort of gave up bloody heavy lump to pull up but. Got him up near the top and he/she woke and pulled a little bit of drag and ran under the bloody anchor rope. Fortunately pulled it out clean and landed the fattest bloody flathead ever.

It went 81cm on the tape but filled the boat with blood even before I got her out of the net. After cutting the hook off and giving her a quick measure I tried to swim her a bit. With a bit of gill missing and most of her blood soaking into my carpet she just sat there and slowly rolled sideways. So as much as I wanted to give her back Neptune was telling me to keep her.

Anyway the next couple of hours were dead so I went to get my crab pots and guess what... couldnt bloody find them!!!!!

Home to bed and then got up this morning and went looking. Got no idea how I couldnt find them they had only drifted about ten feet. One net was ripped apart and the bait was gone and i got two decent crabs out of the others.

heres the fish

Dave

james7 · November 10, 2008

What a ripper flattie!! Onya Dave!

And nice blue swimmers too.

First time I've heard a 81cm flattie called a disppointment!

Great report mate.

Cheers

Peter

johnv · November 10, 2008

great report there Dave, nice lookin flattie aswell unlucky not catching anything else except for the crabs;; well done dave even sounds like u had a great time

cheers johnv

Edited November 10, 2008 by johnv