soft plastics for flathead

[ifonly]

Hey guys

I know a lot of you out there specialize in lure fishing and then there are some of you who specilize in soft plastics and in posts i have read people who fish with lures recommend flathead is the place to start and by the way people make it sound its not difficult. I have never caught legal flathead inside the river only ever on the drifting grounds outside. So what areas should i be looking at trying I have focused most of my efforts on the end a run out tide, In port hacking around the southern side of lilli pilli sandbar. I have been using squidgy fish and another brand that is very similar with less sparkly bits in black/gold colour with a small jighead with what i think around a 2/0 hook. Im making sure that the plastic dosent spin in the water. But i haven't scored a fish yet Im really keen to break this duck. Can anyone give me any areas or conditions try. Ive searched this forum and there isnt the greatest amount of detail and hopefully im not the only one starting out with the more simple (apparently) soft plastic luring. Any tips would be greatly appreciated

cheers

[gazza0878]

hey mate

Yeah 2/0 jig head is ok if you are targeting smaller flatties with small softplastics like the 70mm squidgies but if you want something bigger you need to use atleast a 4/0 jighead with 80mm to 130mm squidgies.

Your right with the tides i find runout tides the best but really for most of us its whenever you can get out on the water so i have spots that fish well both run in and out you just gotta get out there and find them.

For places to fish as i'm not to familiar with where you fish, just look for broken weed patches and a nice little drop off and just keep moving if you don't get anything after a few casts.

I fish in a boat with a electric motor and can totally recommend one they have increased our catch ten fold. So we are always moving on a certain drift i'm not a fan of being anchored when casting lures.

With the types of lures/ colours, i find it depends on the colour of water, weather ect my favourites of late are squidgies fish- blackgold (best by far), grasshopper, poddy mullet, evil minnow and in the wrigglers Lava and red rum and bloodworm colours.

With using the softies i have a double lift that works well for me( just 2 quick flicks of rod)

Also don't forget to put on S factor or some other scent its a must.

Oh yeah and the TT Blades are good also i've been killing em of late with them, i really find a blades works better this time of year when water is a bit cold and you get great bycatches as well like trevally, kingies, salmon and whiting i got a 43cm whiting a couple of weeks ago on one.

Anyways i hope that helps you i'm sure you will get one soon and then you won't use bait again.

[ifonly]

hey mate

Yeah 2/0 jig head is ok if you are targeting smaller flatties with small softplastics like the 70mm squidgies but if you want something bigger you need to use atleast a 4/0 jighead with 80mm to 130mm squidgies.

Your right with the tides i find runout tides the best but really for most of us its whenever you can get out on the water so i have spots that fish well both run in and out you just gotta get out there and find them.

For places to fish as i'm not to familiar with where you fish, just look for broken weed patches and a nice little drop off and just keep moving if you don't get anything after a few casts.

I fish in a boat with a electric motor and can totally recommend one they have increased our catch ten fold. So we are always moving on a certain drift i'm not a fan of being anchored when casting lures.

With the types of lures/ colours, i find it depends on the colour of water, weather ect my favourites of late are squidgies fish- blackgold (best by far), grasshopper, poddy mullet, evil minnow and in the wrigglers Lava and red rum and bloodworm colours.

With using the softies i have a double lift that works well for me( just 2 quick flicks of rod)

Also don't forget to put on S factor or some other scent its a must.

Oh yeah and the TT Blades are good also i've been killing em of late with them, i really find a blades works better this time of year when water is a bit cold and you get great bycatches as well like trevally, kingies, salmon and whiting i got a 43cm whiting a couple of weeks ago on one.

Anyways i hope that helps you i'm sure you will get one soon and then you won't use bait again.

Thanks for the tips dory and cushie i will be spending alot more time on the water as the days start getting longer and the weather starts getting warmer so i will give the weed/sand areas a better go and another question i should have asked is whats the go with flatties and current is it no run no fun rule.

A 43cm whiting kingies and salmon is some decent by catch.

Thats flatty is a solid fish too i bet that put up a bit of account for itself

And as for the baitless fishing im hoping that if i can get this one cracked to start using lures on the drift i have read that it works in magazines so will have to give the wallet a workout at the tackle shop and buy a few more jigheads and plastics

Anyways thanks heaps for the tips guys

Edited August 15, 2011 by newbie15

[Longy]

another question i should have asked is whats the go with flatties and current is it no run no fun rule.

Anyways thanks heaps for the tips guys

Not exactly sure if it matters too much, was down at Batesman Bay fishing on Sunday, was a bit windy and rough outside, so we came back in and fished area between the Toll Gates (island) and Marine Rescue, and there was flatties a plenty, most was under size, but it was a whole lot of fun.

As soon the bait hit the bottom, there was a flattie on the nibble, it was constant action.

We had to leave them biting as we wanted to get back across the bar before it was right on low tide.

[campr]

I have fished the Hacking for flatys for many years and I find that you will do it tough on lures until the water starts warming up late September to October. They often move further upstream in winter unless a fresh pushes them back down.

They are still about if you persist. I have had most luck with paddle tailed shads in shartruse with black back using a sharp double or tripple lift, however with cold water a slower drop/retrieve may be better. Low tide concentrates fish to channels so concentrate on drop-offs with scattered weed patches an advantage. Good luck.

[Kelza]

Hey mate..

I love using plastics for flatties ..it's so fun and rewarding

I started with the squidgy fish in black and gold an had a bit of luck

But I had more Luck with the squidgy wrigglers ..I just find that they have abit more action and flatties can't resist them

..but my favourite is definitely 3" minnow in chartreuse colour..

I use a 2/0 1/8 size jig head and never had any problems ..my p.b flatty is 70cm on one of these lures and found that big whiting take them aswell

My pop caught a 42cm one on these ...good luck mate I just do sharp double lifts with alot of 5 second pauses ...I find alot of the time a flattie with lie on it on the pause so slow ur retrieve down and it works

[stylo]

What they said ..

I like using 80+mm fish, shad, wriggler style lures and either 3gram/6 gram 1/8 to 1/4 oz jig heads.

No finesse about it mate .. just cast towards weedy areas if you are fishing quite shallow and cover lots of area with your casting. Whip, drop & wind, whip, drop & wind. Start with small pauses and if nothing hits, add a longer pause. With his style of bottom flattie fishing, I've caught them usually when the lure has dropped and sat there for a few seconds and I realise they've taken the lure on the next lift.

You'll also get them targeting bream with small wrigglers, bass minnows, worms on light jig heads. I've often caught flatties smashing these lure on the way down since they flutter on the drop with such light weights ... they will chase the lure all the way up and when it is on the descent smash it ! Awesome to watch in clear shallow water.

EDIT

There's a heap of info here .. http://www.fishraide...php?showforum=9 look for posts from Hodgey especially

Edited August 18, 2011 by stylo

[Jono Hammond]

I used to live in Sydney and fish with plastics for flatties before and after work, i used mostly Gulp shrimp style lures in Banana Prawn colour, i would work them very very slowly across the bottom with only very small twitches - worked for me anyway.

Good Luck

Jono

[farizzy]

im in the same boat as you mate.

ive been trying around rosvile area, had a few good hits but no joy yet,

anyone no of a good plastic for that area, ive tryed the wriggllers and gonna give the nucular chicken a go next

[JET01]

Mate i've been fishing the Hacking for a couple of years now and the biggest i've caught in the hacking was 62cm in a little channel not too far from a boat ramp.

Other than that the Hacking can be a pretty hot or cold i find as someone has already said, it fishes way better in the summer when the water is warmer.

there was a guy in a canoe on this site that caught a 1m shovel in the hacking so there are definately fish in there.

My mate caught a decent 50cm trevally once, but I prefer botany bay personally as i catch more fish more often.

[thezaid]

caught my first fish on sps and it was a legal size flonder just 26cms, caught using nuclear chicken

[Nuttynatty]

Hi there

Started using SP's about a year or so ago wont go out for a fish without them these days, Nuclear Chicken's i find are absolute crackers on Flatties in the areas i frequent around the Wonni and Hacking, pulled a 85cm flattie a few days ago on a 3inch Nuclear Chicken down the Wonni.

Sand flats on an outgoing tide seem to work for me.

Small one from a few weeks ago.

[ifonly]

Guys this stuff is gold thanks heaps for all your replies and keep them coming because im sure there's alot more onlookers aswell didnt get out this weekend or during the week at all but maybe this weekend fingers crossed. Got some wriggler tail lures to so they will be first cast next trip.