Lane Cove Flatties

[downriggen dan]

After getting the boat back from an anti foul I was stoked to get it running with no drag

again, it is amazing how fast growth gets on your boat. I decided to head up river with some salted white bait and some storm shads. Flatties were the target. First tried the hole off Balls Head, then near the coal wharf, then off Grenich , Clarks Point all for zipp. Headed up to an area in the lane cove which has produced small flatties for me and started the drift. I was fishing with two 4 lbs rigs with 6 lb leaders as I lost my heavier trace line and was just setting the white bait rod 5 minutes into the drift when the shad went off and went off big time. I grabbed it and at first I thought I was snagged but then I started to feel these huge head shakes and I knew I had a serious flatty hooked up It stripped line a few times but was almost im possible to lift into view even though I

only in 7 or 8 metres of water. Finaly this angry mother came to the surface and she was a beauty. Some one pinched the net off the boat and I have not ought a new one so I tried to net it with the tiny bait net, big mistaske It riped that net to pieces and promptly released its self to breed another season. I caught another 2 nice flatties in the 50 cm region and I will call the flatty at 85 cm but it could have gone a bit bigger it was a monster and my pb for in the river. All fish were released. Water temp has dropped 5c on my sounder in one month in the lane cove. 24.9-19.8. Lets see how long this fishing will last.

dan

[Martin]

Good report Dan, shame you could not net the flathead for a pic or two just for memory sakes.