PB Flathead on fly

[Ben Hall]

A few years ago I set out to get a big Flathead on fly, I armed myself with a Sage Salt HD 6wt rod, 5/6 Spectrum Max reel with a SA floating line. I was fishing the mangrove line banks of the Hunter River using a 1/0 yellow and white clouser tied by Saltwater FLIES Australia. Caught and released 2019 

With my PB Flathead on a soft plastic measuring 80cm to almost knock it off with this 78cm capture on fly I was pretty stoked.

Edited Tuesday at 01:59 AM by Ben Hall
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[big Neil]

Fly fishing for species other than Trout is great fun. I've never tried for Flathead but have caught good sized Luderick and quite large Carp with my 5/6 Trout outfit. Great fun, I love it, though I am not very competent with the fly gear.

Cheers, bn

[noelm]

19 minutes ago, big Neil said:

Fly fishing for species other than Trout is great fun. I've never tried for Flathead but have caught good sized Luderick and quite large Carp with my 5/6 Trout outfit. Great fun, I love it, though I am not very competent with the fly gear.

Cheers, bn

Agree 100%, I am also very much a learner with fly gear (even though I have been doing it on and off for a long time) just the act of actually fly fishing seems to be somehow satisfying, and now and then, when you hook something, it’s a real buzz. I got a couple of really nice Whiting on a fly that was given to me by a fellow raider (not sure I should mention who, unless he OKs it) I have a photo, but I don’t usually post many fish capture photos (don’t know why). Not wanting to take over someone else’s thread, but the Whiting were caught almost in my backyard and it was such a “hoot” no net, no spare gear, nothing, just me wading around in knee deep water. That is a nice Flatty on fly…….

[Little_Flatty]

58 minutes ago, noelm said:

Agree 100%, I am also very much a learner with fly gear (even though I have been doing it on and off for a long time) just the act of actually fly fishing seems to be somehow satisfying, and now and then, when you hook something, it’s a real buzz. I got a couple of really nice Whiting on a fly that was given to me by a fellow raider (not sure I should mention who, unless he OKs it) I have a photo, but I don’t usually post many fish capture photos (don’t know why). Not wanting to take over someone else’s thread, but the Whiting were caught almost in my backyard and it was such a “hoot” no net, no spare gear, nothing, just me wading around in knee deep water. That is a nice Flatty on fly…….

All good Noel, that was my Fuzzle Shrimp:

Fantastic tying instructions here: 

I've given away a few, they work great on estuary flatties. I only give away flies I've tied that I have personally caught fish on.

Nice flatty @Ben Hall! Would be very difficult to top your record, though I'll do my best to get close this summer 😎

[noelm]

That’s the one, no idea why the Whiting took a liking to it, but the area I fish is full of small rocks with crabs and worms and so on under every one, it’s dry at low tide, and when the tide rises, especially if high at daylight or dusk, all sorts of fish forage over the rocks in the sand. It’s very easy fishing, but those little light brown Stingrays can give you a fright at times. I do get legal Flathead there at times, but they are mainly closer to the ocean.

[Ben Hall]

17 minutes ago, Little_Flatty said:

All good Noel, that was my Fuzzle Shrimp:

Fantastic tying instructions here: 

I've given away a few, they work great on estuary flatties. I only give away flies I've tied that I have personally caught fish on.

Nice flatty @Ben Hall! Would be very difficult to top your record, though I'll do my best to get close this summer 😎

Thanks Little_flatty

                                If your out there catching fish on fly your already winning, just got to hope the big one comes along. I would suggest running a bite tippet for insurance if you are serious about getting a big one. If I remember on this fish I was just running 10lb tippet but when I'm out casting bigger flies in hope of that big fish I have run about a foot of 16lb shock tippet for insurance.

[Ben Hall]

1 hour ago, big Neil said:

Fly fishing for species other than Trout is great fun. I've never tried for Flathead but have caught good sized Luderick and quite large Carp with my 5/6 Trout outfit. Great fun, I love it, though I am not very competent with the fly gear.

Cheers, bn

The more you do it, the more you'll enjoy it. When you keep improving and make cast's that you couldn't before or adapt to challenging conditions and catch fish.

Don't worry I still have days that I question myself "do I really want to be a fly fisherman"

Cheers Ben

[james Cutler]

Great Flathead. Well done.