Cracking the bigger flatties

[adamski]

Hi Raiders,

I've been trying to set myself goals with plastics recently and my latest is to crack the 50-60 cm mark for flathead (current PB is a miserable 42 cm ). Was wondering if anyone could give me any extra advice on catching big lizards?

I watched a few youtube vids and read up about catching larger specimen and invested in some 100-120 mm wrigglers, 1/8 jigheads with a 1/0 hook as well as a pack of silver foxes. I saw a youtube vid where one of the anglers was giving the lure big sharp double lifts on the retrieve. His reasoning was the first big lift gets the larger flattie's attention, then the second sharp flick hooks the fish when it jumps on the lure. Generally most of my little flatties have come on a softer lift and the areas I fish often have a lot of snags/stuff lying on the bottom- I'm worried a big sharp lift is just going to end up with a lot of lost lures. Does anyone have a suggestion about the best retrieve to use?

At the mo I fish a 4lb leader on 3lb braid, is it worth going up to 6 lb/10lb? I'd like to keep the set up as light as possible and don't really want to re-spool my only good reel with braid. Do you think 3 lb braid with a heavier leader is a viable option?

Any help is much appreciated.

Cheers,

Adam

[Jimbu]

I've found if you do big rips, you'll hook more flatties and less by-catch because you might spook some more timid species. A single big rip is good enough, flatties will hit anything that moves. Generally it will grab it on the drop, you'll feel it as a bite, and it will sit on the bottom with the lure in it's mouth. The next big rip will set the hook.

A big rip will probably result in less snags, as it's pulling the lure more vertical and it covers more ground before hitting the bottom again. This technique also allows you to cover more ground more quickly so you can work an entire area in no time; flathead are opportunistic feeders who will wait in one spot for something to ambush.

Not sure about the line strength question; I'll let someone more experienced answer that!

[oldsalty]

You can still catch a big fish on ur current outfit but when you start throwing bigger lures around you will want a heavier outfit as opposed to just respooling ur current one.

[adamski]

Thanks for the advice guys, I'll probably work with the current set up at the moment and see how I go with giving the sharper single lifts. I'm still getting into the hang of catching bream on the lighter outfit, but I might grab myself up a heavier combo at some point in the new year and use that as my big flattie/jew rod.

[Linc]

4lb leader with a 90cm+ croc on the end would be pretty dicey, I fish 15lb flurocarbon when I know the bigger flatties are on the chew, they can make short work of your leader in no time, but if you're not getting broken off then save the heavier leader till you do start getting busted off.

What depth of water are you fishing? The absolute number one golden rule of all is to always make sure you're coming in contact with the bottom so don't be afraid to use a heavier jig head in deeper water - unlike other fish, time spent waiting for the jig head to sink is pretty much wasted on flatties unless you're fishing shallow water.

[adamski]

Generally for flatties I fish a max of 2 metres depth with a 1/12th or 1/8th. My rod rating's 1-3 kg so I don't want to go casting anything much heavier than that (would a 1/4 or 3/8 be okay on that set up?) . Had hookups twice with 50 cm + specimen, first time I just didn't really know what I was supposed to do and didn't tighten the drag because I thought it'd go straight through the leader, it bust me off as it headed into a canal near where I was fishing. Second time I managed to control the fish. but the area I had to land it was tiny and I lost it when it got stuck on the nearby sea wall.

[Goanna54]

Hi Adamski,

I've had a bit of success of late with +50cm lizards and fish with 6lb braid, 8 pound fluoro leader with 1/4oz TT jig heads size 2/0 hook. If you have the drag set right you won't get broken off if you keep the pressure on. You'll need a landing net or they'll chew you off for sure. Retrieve is the old "burn and pause" - 3 or 4 cranks, let sink and pause etc. alternate with slowish flicks or just a slow roll retrieve. Mix it up a bit and it makes the fishing more interesting and keeps you from getting into a rut. Good luck!

Goanna

[Ryder]

Up the leader to 10lb at least .

The big ones go hard once they hit the surface or see the net.

They will run again and again.

On the light line you should be ok, it's the leader that will give way.

Set the drag before, and resist changing it during the battle.

[Scratchie]

Hey Adam,

First of all, flathead are not leader shy at all. They are ambush predators, so putting an imitated wounded sp in front of them is what they are looking for. I've learnt this the hard way and dropped 2 fish that I believe were close to the meter mark last year because I was using lighter leader. My current set up for them is 2-4kg stick 3000 stradic 8lb braid and 20lb leader. I use exactly what you wrote in your post. A 1/8 jig normally 2/0 and use a bloodworm 100-120mm or 100mm silver fox. I will also use a 5inch jerk shad in pilchard.

As for the retrieve, to be honest I had results on all different techniques. My kids have caught some cracking flatties and all I get them to do is cast, hit the bottom and wind slowly. I usually use a single long lift and many times they will take it on the drop! There is no guaranteed way of doing things, trial and error! And for that really big flatty, well, she could be anywhere but be ready!

Cheers scratchie!!!

[Koalaboi]

Hi,

Had a great winter on the lake here catching some pretty good sized fish from 50 to 70cm.

I reckon if they're on the chew they're on the chew and just about any reasonable sp will work. They're not fastidious feeders like trout on mayflies and I've fished as well as anyone around me even though we all had different lures. I must admit I like pumpkin seed colours with flecks of green or red but really have done well on silver foxes etc.

I have moved up to 10lb braid and 14lb fluoro for the leader and 3/8 oz jigheads to get a decent cast in as I fish from the shore...if I had a boat, I'd probably drop the weights down a tad.

Just the same I fish for the table and once I have a feed I pack up so heavy gear suits me.

I reckon just keep at it, you'll get the big ones sooner or later.

KB

[Sydneyfisher12]

Check the weight rating on your rod mate if it's to light you'll have a lot of trouble casting heavy and large lures. If your going for the 50cm fish around your areas the lures your using are fine and have produced plenty of 50cm+ for me. If your going to chase the big ones only you need to use a heavier rated rod and largess lures where there are small ones there will be big ones around and your lure size will also have to go up to 5,6 or even 7 inches plus to target there real big ones.

Cheers sydneyfisher12

[thefisherman6784]

Adam,

If you want to chase that big flattie, just keep in the back of your mind the by-catch... Jewfish!!!!!

Also don't be afraid to fish the canal and surroundings as I have pulled multiple fish over 50 there biggest going 64cm at dead low tide in the canal

Keep persisting

A big girls coming your way this summer

We will get together soon for a dedicated big flattie session

Cheers thefisherman6784

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[adamski]

Thanks for the tips guys. Yeah, the main goal at the mo is to get a few fish over 50 cm. After that, I think I might grab a heavier combo in the new year or maybe buy a blackfish outfit, just so I can start to target different species.

[stevefish]

No need for new gear, 4 pound is fine. I use 2 and 3 pound with 10 pound leader, sometimes dropping to 6 in clear water if fish are hard to find. With light line you can get away with light leaders.

With a bit of angling you should be able to catch fish well over your line class, and lizards are not dirty fighters and don't live in nasty terrain.

Personally I like SPs of around100mm. I believe any bigger you start to have a lot of plastic and not much hook. Also it is a bit cumbersome trying to work a big big lure on a light rod.

[fragmeister]

Hey Adam,

First of all, flathead are not leader shy at all. They are ambush predators, so putting an imitated wounded sp in front of them is what they are looking for. I've learnt this the hard way and dropped 2 fish that I believe were close to the meter mark last year because I was using lighter leader. My current set up for them is 2-4kg stick 3000 stradic 8lb braid and 20lb leader. I use exactly what you wrote in your post. A 1/8 jig normally 2/0 and use a bloodworm 100-120mm or 100mm silver fox. I will also use a 5inch jerk shad in pilchard.

As for the retrieve, to be honest I had results on all different techniques. My kids have caught some cracking flatties and all I get them to do is cast, hit the bottom and wind slowly. I usually use a single long lift and many times they will take it on the drop! There is no guaranteed way of doing things, trial and error! And for that really big flatty, well, she could be anywhere but be ready!

Cheers scratchie!!!

Great advice here.

My experience too that fatties are not put off by much at all and pretty much have a grab at anything within reach.

Some of my better fish have been simply by casting a whole pilchard on ganged hooks with enough lead to keep it in the bottom.

I use this technique off the spit at Maianbar . Then I just walk along the beach about 30 meters and slowly reel in. Cast and repeat. This way I cover the whole beach