Flathead Fishing: Ultimate Guide For Lure Fishers

With Tips From Over 30 Of Australia’s Best Flattie Whisperers

Welcome to the ultimate guide for targeting flathead with lures. Designed for the Australian lure fisher, this comprehensive resource will transform experienced anglers into flathead elites with pro tips, gear recommendations, and detailed techniques.

Flathead Fishing Basics

  • Outgoing tides: The outgoing tide is a prime window for flathead fishing, concentrating baitfish and making flathead location and behaviour more predictable. As the tides run out you should focus on areas that baitfish are forced to retreat to. Drains, gutters and holes that contain water as the flats around them drain are prime territory. Flathead usually lie in wait as baitfish and prawns are swept into these areas.
  • Incoming tides: Don’t overlook the incoming tide, especially around shallow feeding grounds. Trophy flathead often move up with the advancing water, sitting in just a few inches of water where hapless baitfish congregate to avoid other predators.
  • Seasonal behaviors: It’s important to understand season factors and how they influences the best times for flathead fishing. These factors vary both by species and location, so it’s worth catching some of the podcast interviews below to get more specific information.
  • Low light periods: Tidal factors tend to be the key to finding the best times for flathead fishing, matching various stages of the tide and water movement to the habitat where flathead will wait in ambush. But flatties also live in places that don’t have so much tide, and so low light periods can become more important. Like most species, flathead tend tobecome more active around first and last light, so these are great times to focus efforts in less tidal areas.
  • Weather: A large proportion of my podcast guests have shared their preference for flathead fishing on days when there is a little wind and/or a little cloudiness or colour to the water. Flathead are ambush feeders and use these conditions to surprise prey. But wind ripple and water colour also provide cover for anglers wanting to avoid spooking fish.

Understanding Flathead And Their Environment

Before diving into the technicalities, it’s vital to grasp the typical habitats and behaviors of flathead. They’re predominantly found on sandy bottoms near seagrass or structures, utilizing these environments to effectively ambush prey. Weather conditions, such as a light breeze or a slight freshwater influx, can significantly influence flathead behavior, making it crucial to choose the right spots and times for fishing.

Strategic Positions: Channels and Drop-offs

Channels and drop-offs are prime hunting grounds for flathead, who use these deeper areas to ambush prey. When scouting these fishing spots, observe that flathead often position themselves facing into the current. This strategic placement allows them to spot baitfish and prawns being swept towards them, guiding you on where to find fish and how to effectively work your lures—typically with the current. Employing a strategy of working along contours and methodically fanning casts can greatly enhance your chances of a successful catch.

The Underwater Camouflage: Weed Beds and Sandy Flats

The fringes of weed beds and transitions to sandy flats are often spotlighted by experienced anglers as top flathead territories. Flathead use these areas with broken bottom compositions for camouflage, lying in wait to strike at unsuspecting prey. They frequently traverse along linear structures like weed bed edges or transitions from sand to rock or mud. Thoroughly working these areas can significantly increase your encounters with these cunning predators.

The Estuarine Maze

Estuaries present a complex maze of structures that are crucial for successful flathead fishing. From oyster racks to mangrove roots, pinpointing spots where flathead are likely to hide and ambush prey requires refined skills and experience. Moreover, the dynamic nature of estuaries, especially after rainfall, creates unique fishing opportunities due to changing conditions, making these areas exceptionally rewarding for those targeting flathead.

Essential Gear and Lures For Flathead Fishing

Selecting the right gear is pivotal for flathead fishing. Here, we discuss the optimal setups recommended by experts:

Rod and Reel

Flathead are clean fighters, even large fish can usually be played out on light gear with a little care. However, many of the lures that are effective on bigger flathead are large and heavy. So, rods and reels are generally matched to the lures that are being used. The choice of rod and reel setups varies depending on the style of fishing:

  • Light Tackle: Ideal for casting light lures. Typically, a 6’6” to 7’7” rod paired with a 2500-3000 size reel, equipped with 4-5kg braided mainline and 5-8kg fluorocarbon leader, facilitates easy casting of very light lures over good distances.
  • Medium Tackle: Suitable for larger lures and deeper water, featuring rods up to 7’6” long, a 3000-4000 size reel, 8kg braided line, and an 8-10kg leader, which allows for effective use of heavier jig heads and soft vibes.
  • Heavy Tackle: Designed for the largest lures like large swimbaits and glidebaits. A rod ranging from 7’ to 7’6”, a 200-300 size baitcast reel, 15kg braid, and 15kg fluorocarbon leader make up this setup, perfect for targeting the biggest flathead.

Lures

Flathead will take a massive range of lures – the trick is to know which lure to use and when. Lure choice is aligned with water depth and conditions and the habitat in which the fish are being targeted. Among the lures commonly used in flathead fishing are topwater stickbaits and bent minnows, soft plastics (paddle tails, jerk shads, slugs and creatures), diving minnows, blades and soft vibes. Selection is based on whether fishing is done in shallow water (0-2m) or deeper water (>2m), flathead behaviour and local bait species.

Pro Flathead Fishing Tips

Over the years we have had over 30 guests on the Australian Lure Fishing Podcast specifically to talk about lure fishing for flathead. That great wealth of knowledge is available on this website by going to the show notes pages for each specific episode. However, I thought it would be useful to pull a key tip from each episode and share it here. Enjoy!

Fishing Near Structure - Russell Babekuhl, Forster Flathead

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Russell emphasizes the importance of fishing near structures such as oyster racks, especially during specific tidal movements. He recommends using topwater lures during the last hour of the run-in tide and the first hour of daylight for optimal results. Clear water and a minimum tide of 1.3 meters are crucial for accessing the best spots. His preferred gear includes heavy-duty tackle to manage large flathead around dense structures. More on Russell’s strategies can be found here.

Water Level Vs Tides: Bo Sawyer, Gold Coast Guide

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Bo Sawyer advises focusing on water levels more than tide phases. He notes that different water levels allow for fishing at various depths as the tide changes. In his experience, weather conditions such as a light breeze or a slight freshwater influx can also influence flathead behavior. Bo highlights the effectiveness of scent on lures when targeting smaller flathead but suggests unscented lures might perform better for larger specimens. Learn more about Bo’s approach here.

Topwater Bent Minnows - Simon Cross, Crossfire Lures

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Simon emphasizes the effectiveness of topwater lures, especially the Crossfire 110 and 190, which mimic wounded baitfish. He highlights the importance of using medium-heavy rods with strong drag systems when flathead fishing with these lures. Additionally, Simon notes that a ‘walk the dog’ retrieve can make lures more enticing and details the importance of observing nipper holes and disturbed sand as indicators of flathead activity​ (more)​.

 

Fishing Non-Tidal Systems: Greg Reid, Pro Lure Australia

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Greg provides insight into the unique conditions of St George’s Basin, where typical tidal strategies don’t apply due to its minimal tidal influence. He suggests focusing on the edges of the basin when it is draining and in shallow waters along the edges when full. Greg also notes the importance of using long rods for casting distance to spook fewer fish and recommends using shad style plastics and soft vibes for effective lure fishing​ (more)​.

Moons And Seasons: Guy McConnell, Gold Coast Flathead

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Guy highlights the seasonal congregation of flathead at water body entrances from September to December, recommending fishing in deeper holes around new and full moons and shallower flats and drains at other times. Effective techniques include thoroughly working a spot with patience and adapting lure types based on tidal movements and fish behaviour. He also mentions that flathead are more active during tides with noticeable water movements​ (more)​.

Timing And Observation: Shane Porter, Port Stephens

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Shane Porter focuses on targeting flathead using topwater lures in Port Stephens, emphasizing the importance of timing and observation. He recommends fishing before dawn and listening for feeding noises on the water to pinpoint flathead activity. Shane also advises inspecting flat areas at low tide to spot “lies” where flathead rest, using these clues to target specific areas during high tide. His approach includes using surface lures like the Duo Realis pencil 130 for its effective “walk the dog” action and its ability to trigger strikes during pauses in retrieval​ (more)​.

Finding Bait & Using Scent: Ryan Vines, Gold Coast Guide

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Ryan Vines notes the importance of locating bait when flathead fishing in the Gold Coast area, especially during the warmer months when flathead disperse onto flats and near creek mouths. He suggests using scent on lures to enhance their attractiveness, particularly if the water clarity is not optimal. Ryan’s approach involves making long casts, letting lures sink to the bottom, and then retrieving them with slow hops and long pauses, which is critical as most strikes occur when the lure is stationary.

Covering Ground: Richard Smith, Lake Macquarie

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Richard Smith advises anglers to be thorough and methodical when fishing for flathead in Lake Macquarie, suggesting that every inch of the fishing area should be carefully worked over. He casts systematically in a pattern around the boat to cover all angles, then moves a short distance and repeats. He stresses the importance of keeping the lure close to the bottom, particularly in shallow waters during summer and along drop-offs in winter. Richard finds fishing is productive during warm summer afternoons, regardless of tides or winds (more)

Fish the Smaller High Tides: ET, Port Hacking

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ET shares strategies for flathead fishing in the Port Hacking area, explaining the area’s unique geography and how it affects fish behaviour. He suggests focusing on the flats, specifically targeting areas with oyster beds known as “The Ballast Heap,” which attract bait and in turn, flathead. He finds smaller high tides keep bait closer to the drop-offs, enhancing flathead activity. Large glidebaits are great to target big flathead, mimicking the local baitfish like mullet and garfish in both size and colour. ET’s approach combines detailed pre-fishing planning with specific tactics during different tidal movements for successful flathead fishing.

Prawns Flats Flathead Fishing: Mark Williams, Lake Macquarie

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Lake Mac’s flathead can be elusive with bigger specimens not biting daily. Mark describes the importance of fishing during the prawn runs from October to April, when flathead are more likely to be found on the flats. He also advises maintaining lure contact with the bottom and highlights the effectiveness of fishing during the turn of the tide, particularly the bottom half of the runout tide for shallow water fishing. Additionally, Mark mentions the potential for trolling as an underutilized method in the area, encouraging more experimentation with this technique.

Using GIS & Mapping Tools: Nick Moore, Central Queensland Flathead

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Nick suggests fishing anywhere there’s a change in bottom composition, such as where sandy areas meet rocky or weedy patches. He highlights the effectiveness of using GIS mapping tools to identify promising fishing spots and suggests fishing during outgoing tides for optimal results. Overcast days and moderate winds can also extend the bite window, especially in shallow waters.

Lure Tweaking Edge: Rob Payne, Gold Coast

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Rob recommends focusing on areas with mixed weed and sand patches as prime flathead fishing areas. Lure modification is part of his strategy to stand out during competitive fishing events, like altering lure weight or adding sound to overcome fish familiarity with common lures. Additionally, Rob advises on using different rods and lures depending on whether you’re trolling or casting, matching the gear to the fishing technique and conditions.

American Football Jigs: Dougie Burt, Gold Coast

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Dougie likes American-style football jig heads for flathead fishing on the Gold Coast. These help the lure maintain an upright position on the bottom, making the action more natural and effective. Dougie notes the importance of fishing during low tides at creek and channel entrances, where flathead tend to congregate as the tide rises. He also advises checking for and clearing weed from lures when trolling, as this is often an indication of being in the right fishing spots (more).

Trolling for Flathead Results: David Greene, Gold Coast

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Greeny’s approach includes using Zerek Tango Shad lures for effective trolling, especially useful in clear waters of the Gold Coast. Greeny highlights the importance of matching the lure action to the flathead’s behavior, suggesting that a Gumby Lure can be particularly effective due to its simplicity and effectiveness in catching fish. His tactics are geared towards anglers of all skill levels, focusing on the use of basic yet effective lures to achieve good results. (more).

XOS Flathead On Topwater: John Costello, Gold Coast

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John targets extra-large flathead using surface lures. He finds that the run-in tide is generally the best time for flathead fishing, but notes that with the right approach, flathead can be caught under various conditions. Stealth is key, as flathead can be found in very shallow water where they are easily spooked. Using large lures, up to 20 cm, to specifically target larger fish is effective and overcast days with a southerly wind give the best results. (more).

Identifying Choke Points: Steve Starling, Tuross Lake

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Starlo mentions that significant flathead are often found in areas where food is abundant rather than just deep holes – understanding how to identify “choke points” where fish accumulate is crucial. He emphasizes the importance of finesse in gear setup to avoid spooking the leader-shy big flathead. Steve recommends using stingers on large, unweighted soft plastics to improve hookup rates and suggests that learning from slow fishing days by refining stealth and lure presentation (more).

Large Lures For Pressured Waters: Ken Stratford, Mallacoota Inlet

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Ken fishes for trophy flathead in Mallacoota, a location known for its pressured fishery. He suggests persistence and adaptation are vital for success. Key tactics include using larger soft plastic lures that can attract the more significant, more cautious flathead and adjusting techniques based on the fish’s behaviour and environmental conditions. Ken’s understands the flathead’s habitat and feeding patterns to effectively target them, especially during optimal times such as early mornings and late evenings when the fish are more active (more).

Clear Skies And Current Breaks: Matt Cameron, NSW North Coast

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Matt loves fishing for flathead during the winter on the NSW North Coast. He researches potential fishing spots online to maximize time on the water, focusing on areas where currents change direction or where there are breaks in the current. He suggests starting fishing well away from the water’s edge, as flathead can be found in very shallow waters, even as little as 10 cm deep. Stealth and careful approach are crucial, especially when flathead are in skinny water, as they are easily spooked. Matt also finds clear sky days with high tides in the middle of the day to be the most productive for winter flathead fishing (more).

Topwater Stealth For Winter Flathead: Karl Attenborough, NSW Mid North Coast

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Karl challenges the belief that flathead can’t be caught in winter, noting that trophy fish are readily available and often found in very shallow water. He emphasizes the importance of stealth and patience, advising anglers to observe spooked flathead to understand their movement patterns. Karl recommends using surface lures as they are less likely to spook trophy flathead in shallow waters. He prefers fishing on flats that maintain a water covering even at low tide, particularly a few days leading up to the full or new moon. His preferred fishing times are during high tides in the mid-morning, allowing him to fish the flats on the runout (more)..

Larger Lures, Worked Fast: Brett Geddes, Gippsland Flathead

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Brett likes flathead fishing lures to be worked quickly and close to the bottom to mimic the natural behaviour of prey and trigger the ambush instincts of flathead. He suggests using larger lures (6-9 inches) to specifically target bigger flathead and reduce bycatch. His preferred conditions for flathead fishing include overcast skies with a light breeze, although he notes that flathead can be caught under various weather conditions (more).

Tidal Movement And Prime Times: Paul Lennon, Port Stephens Guide

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Paul recommends fishing during the first two hours of both the incoming and outgoing tides when flathead are more likely to feed actively. Using a mix of soft plastics and deep-diving lures depending on the water depth and structure is recommended. Paul emphasizes the importance of adapting techniques to the day’s specific conditions and flathead behaviour (more).

Deep Water Nearby: Patrick Linehan, Hastings River

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Patrick focuses on areas with a mix of sand, mud, shell, and broken bottom. He suggests looking for flathead “lies” at low tide to understand their movement patterns relative to the tide. Patrick emphasizes fishing in 1 to 1.5m depth near deeper water, especially in the lower reaches of the river. His approach includes using unweighted soft plastics around tide changes when the water flow is minimal, maximizing lure workability (here).

Summer Vs Winter Flathead Habits: Steve Norris, Lake Macquarie

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Steve touts the effectiveness of fishing in shallow margins during warmer months and deeper waters as it cools. He notes that flathead can be skittish around excessive noise and recommends fishing in quieter areas or during low boat traffic times. The best fishing conditions, according to Steve, are around new moon in winter and full moon in summer. Persistence and adapting lures or colours based on conditions are key to success (more).

Boat Traffic And Handmade Lures: Mitch Ficsher, Lake Conjola

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Mitch’s flathead fishing focuses on shallow flats influenced by tidal flows, especially in the early morning to beat boat traffic. He prefers using glide baits and handmade timber swimbaits, emphasizing water movement and depth as crucial factors (more).

Find Small Fish, Catch Big Fish: Tony Riordan, Ballina

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Tony suggests a rising tide on the flats provides the best fishing opportunities, with flathead actively moving with the water. The beginning of the runout tide also proves fruitful as it brings food down to the waiting flathead. Tony emphasizes the importance of using smaller lures to attract bites and switching to larger lures to target bigger flathead once activity is noted (more).

Swimbaits And Shallow Water: Scott Amon, Nambucca River

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Scott likes larger swimbaits in shallow waters, typically less than 3 meters deep, to attract flathead. He recommends a slow retrieve, occasionally pausing to allow flathead to catch up and strike. For larger swimbaits, he uses heavy tackle suitable for barramundi, which aids in casting the larger lures effectively (more).

Google Earth and Stealth Strategies: Scotty Thorrington, Brisbane Waters

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Scotty recommends the use of Google Earth to scout for potential hotspots like sandbars, pressure points, and drains, which are ideal during different tide phases. Early morning sessions to avoid boating traffic and a stealthy approach, adapting tactics based on seasonal variations. He also provides specific advice on lure selection and retrieval techniques to maximize success in this region (more).

Dealing With Floating Weed: John Didge, Corio Bay

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John reckons habitat edges, such as transitions from sand to mud, are the for flathead fishing. He advocates for very slow lure retrieval to keep it close to the bottom, which is crucial for enticing flathead. Seasonally, autumn months offer peak conditions, with flathead congregating in moderate depths of 2-3 meters, where there’s a bit of flow and bait activity. John also points out the challenges of fishing with floating weed, recommending weedless plastics as a suitable solution (more).

ALF Podcast Episodes About Flathead Fishing

Fishing At Forster: 5 Top Spots With Local Gun Luke Austin

The fishing at Forster – Tuncurry is superb, all year round with numerous options for land-based and boating anglers alike. Luke Austin has lived there all his life and shares some great spots for visiting anglers and locals alike.

  • Flathead fishing has been elevated to “sportfishing” status as more anglers target and release trophy fish on lures.
  • Due to their accessibility from shore, boat or kayak, fishing for flathead is extremely popular and a great way to get started at lure fishing.
  • Because of the way flathead feed, lures will often outfish baits simply because lure fishers can cover more water to find the fish.
  • Many flathead species will come into mere inches of water to feed an hunt on the incoming tide. 
  • A common rule of thumb when flathead fishing is “big lures take big fish”. It seems that big flathead are often ignore small food items.
  • It’s usually possible to catch flathead on very light tackle, but a heavy bite leader is required to prevent them wearing through the line.
  • Dusky flathead (Platycephalus fuscus): The largest species, found from southern Queensland to eastern Victoria.
  • Sand flathead (Platycephalus bassensis): Southern and eastern Australia, from Queensland to Tasmania.
  • Bartailed flathead (Platycephalus indicus): Tropical Australia, from Western Australia to Queensland.
  • Tiger flathead (Neoplatycephalus richardsoni): Southern and western Australia.
  • Blue spotted flathead (Platycephalus caeruleopunctatus): Found from southern Queensland to Tasmania.
  • Northern sand flathead (Platycephalus laevigatus): Northern Australia, from Western Australia to Queensland.
  • Yellowfin flathead (Platycephalus conatus): Southern and eastern Australia, from Queensland to Victoria.
  • Rock flathead (Platycephalus laevigatus): This species is found in southern Australia, from Western Australia to Victoria.

There are many more species, but these are the main ones of interest to anglers.

  • Soft plastic lures such as paddletails, curltails, shads and so on  in 3-6″ sizes, fished on jig heads or rigged weedless.
  • Soft vibes in sizes from 75-110mm.
  • Hard bodied diving lures from 75 to 120mm long.
  • Small metal blades of around 35-40mm.
  • Bent minnow style surface/sub-surface lures
  • Floating stickbaits, poppers or other surface lures
Mastering Gold Coast Flathead With Guy McConnell

Mastering Gold Coast Flathead With Guy McConnell

Flathead are distributed right across the Gold Coast in good numbers, but spring is the time when the bigger fish become more concentrated and easier to target. Gold Coast sponsored angler Guy McConnell does a great job of sharing tips that will help anyone catch more (and better quality) flathead on lures.

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The Five Best Fishing Spots In Sydney With Luke Kay

The Five Best Fishing Spots In Sydney With Luke Kay

The greater Sydney area has no shortage of fishing opportunities for lure tossers, as today’s guest Luke Kay shares in this interview. From the bays and estuaries to the ocean rocks, Luke takes us through where he likes to go in search of fish.

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Discover the Best Fishing Spots in Southeast Queensland this Spring

Discover the Best Fishing Spots in Southeast Queensland this Spring

For the boating angler, Southeast Queensland during spring is all about big snapper, quality jewfish, threadfin salmon, flathead and plenty more! Nabeel Issa is a multiple time ALF podcast guest and always has plenty of great info to share. Today he walks us through why spring is his favourite time to fish in SEQ and gives us the rundown on how, when and where.

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Episode 532: Top Brisbane Landbased Fishing Spots In Winter With Beau Rixon

Episode 532: Top Brisbane Landbased Fishing Spots In Winter With Beau Rixon

Brisbane offers an astonishing range of land based fishing options to suit anglers of all skill levels, ranging from the hunble flathead right through to tailor, squid, bass and jewfish. Local fishing tutor and land-based guide Beau Rixon spends a lot of time fishing the area from the shore and teaching others to do the same, so for today’s episode I invited Bea to jump onboard and share some of his favourite land based spots.

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Episode 182: Jumpinpin Flathead With Nick Whyte

Episode 182: Jumpinpin Flathead With Nick Whyte

Jumpinpin is famous for bream and hold quality jewfish…… but for the flathead enthusiast it’s also home to some quality crocs. Brisbane angler Nick Whyte explains what you need to know to target the big lizards in deep water.

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