Flathead Fishing Episodes

[Trailer] Episode 621: The Best Flathead Lures With Greg Vinall

We summarise some of the information shared by the many ALF guests who have come onboard over the past four years to share their flathead fishing passion!

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

Flathead Tackle Cheat Sheet

Lure Selection Tool

Premium Members Content

[Trailer] Episode 603: Understanding Flathead With Greg Vinall

There are some things about flathead that make them very different to other fish species. Body shape, binocular vision and a few other things that anglers should understand!

Episode 587: Port Stephens Topwater Flathead With Shane Porter

Fishing for flathead on topwater lures is a phenomenally fun way to target the species. Today’s guest Shane Porter is somewhat addicted to taking crocs off the surface and explains his techniques in detail in this interview.

Episode 569: Lake Macquarie On Lures With Dan Guilfoyle. Part 1: Summer.

Lake Macquarie might cop a lot of fishing pressure over the summer months, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some great opportunities on offer for those in the know about how, when and where to fish! Dan Guilfoyle shares a lifetime of local knowledge for those keen to hit the water in the coming months.

Episode 567: Gold Coast Flathead with Ryan Vines

Ryan is a lifelong Gold Coast Fishing fanatic and winner of the 2022 Flathead Classic. His business Capn’s Charters specialises in lure fishing for flathead, among other species, on the northern Gold Coast.

Episode 563: [Featured Guide] Mallacoota Bream With Chris Jordan

Mallacoota offers exceptional southern estuary fishing opportunities and as the area’s only sportfishing guide Chris Jordan is looking forward to introducing more and more anglers to everything the area has to offer!

Episode 557: Corio Bay & Geelong Fishing Spots With John Didge

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Episode 545: Best Hervey Bay Fishing Spots In Spring With Scotto Mitchell

Spring is a great time to fish the Hervey Bay area land-based or from a small boat or kayak. In today’s ALF episode local personality Scotto Mitchell helpsput us onto some awesome fish with simple tackle and techniques.

Episode 542: Spring Fishing Spots Around SEQ With Nabeel Issa

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.

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.

Episode 527: Best Botany Bay Winter Fishing Spots With Gary Brown

Botany Bay is an incredibly productive system and in the winter months the crowds thin out and the fishing goes off! Gary Brown has written numerous books and articles on fishing Botany Bay and in today’s ALF episode he shares his favourite winter fishing spots.

Episode 524: Lake Macquarie Flathead With Richard Smith

Lake Macquarie is a great spot to chase some quality dusky flathead on lures and Richard Smith is well qualified to help ALF listeners find, target and land some great flathead.

Episode 515: Five Top Winter Fishing Spots In SE Queensland With Liam Fitzpatrick

Looking for winter fishing spots in Southeast Queensland? Liam Fitzpatrick shares a few beauties with ALF listeners.

Episode 511: Five Best Winter Fishing Spots In The Wet Tropics With Kim Anderson

The wet tropics rivers and estuaries are often thought of as wet season options, but long time local guide Kim Anderson dispells that myth!

Episode 502: Port Hacking Flathead With Andrew Ettinghausen

Port Hacking is a stunning waterway that holds good numbers of quality flathead and who better to help us catch them than fishing icon and Port Hacking local Andrew Ettinghausen?

Episode 448: Please Support A Slot Size Limit For Dusky Flathead In NSW

Key Things You Need To...

Episode 399: Mackay Flathead With Nick Moore

Flathead may not be the first species that comes to mind when you’re fishing central Qld, but they’re abundant and a lot of fun!

Bonus: Why We Need A Slot Size Limit For Flathead With Scott And Brad

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Episode 372: Lake Macquarie Flathead With Nathan Debono

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Episode 367: Brisbane Waters Flathead With Scotty Thorrington

Brisbane Waters offers some excellent flathead fishing within a stones throw of Sydney and today’s guest, local sport fishing guide Scotty Thorrington has been targeting them since the 80’s. Get some tips here!

Episode 350: Corio Bay Flathead With John Didge

John Didge Radio...

Episode 342: Lake Conjola Flathead With Mitch Fischer

Lake Conjola is a top place to target trophy flathead, and todays guest is nailing them on his handmade glidebaits!

Episode 338: Ballina Flathead With Tony Riordan

Ballina is blessed with a couple of estuary systems that hold good stocks of flathead and fish well through the Autumn, as local angler Tony Riordan explains.

Episode 333: Hastings River Flathead With Patrick Linehan

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Episode 317: Lake Macquarie Flathead With Steve Norris

Lake Macquarie flathead tagging icon Steve Norris shares some tips for bagging quality flathead in his home waters.

Episode 286: Nambucca Swimbait Flathead With Scott Amon

Flathead are suckers for a well presented swimbait, and in Episode 286 Scott Amon explains his strategies for connecting the two in northern NSW.

Episode 271: Nambucca Glidebait Flathead With Scott Amon

Casting big soft plastic glidebaits at trophy flathead is nothing new, but it’s certainly productive. In Episode 271 Scott Amon shares his best tips for this style of fishing!

Episode 263: Mallacoota Flathead With Ken Straford

Mallacoota holds plenty of trophy flathead, but being a highly pressured system they’re not necessarily easy to catch! Vic flathead enthusiast Ken Straford has been targeting them for decades and has plenty of tips to share!

Episode 237: NSW North Coast Winter Flathead With Matt Cameron

Matt Cameron explains how he goes about finding quantities of trophy flathead in the shallows over the winter months.

Episode 207: St George’s Basin Flathead With David Johnstone

St George’s Basin is one of the three trophy flathead fisheries in NSW and local flathead guru David Johnston has a pretty good handle on how to catch them. Listen in for David’s tips here!

Episode 203: NSW Mid-North Coast Flathead With Karl Attenborough

Flathead fishing in winter? Flats guru Karl Attenborough explains his strategies for taking trophy flathead from ankle deep water in the dead of winter!

Episode 199: Gippsland Lakes Flathead With Brett Geddes

Gippsland is famous for its top notch bream fishing, but there are plenty of quality flathead to target too, as local fishing personality Brett Geddes shares in Episode 199.

Episode 197: Port Stephens Flathead With Paul Lennon

Port Stephens offers some exceptional flathead fishing, despite the large human population nearby. In this episode local guide and fishing writer Paul Lennon treats us to some top tips for targeting quality crocs!

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.

Episode 151: Lake Macquarie Flathead With Mark Williams

Lake Macquarie is one of the three trophy flathead fisheries in New South Wales and flattie gun Mark Williams knows the system better than most. In this episode Mark shares some secrets for targeting the big “old girl” flathead in this popular system.