Flattie Help Please!
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2020 7:41 pm
G'day all,
First post in a while, having moved to Tassie, but I hope you don't mind me asking for some advice here as this is still the best fishing forum going around.
I have been fishing for flathead at a local bay beach from my canoe during the warmer months and always catch undersize fish. Sometimes 10 or 15 of them, with the exception of a few that are just over legal size here and there. I will detail what gear I'm using, techniques etc. and ask the question, is it possible there no big flatties where I am fishing or do I lack proper technique or knowledge?
Location: Conningham Beach, Tasmania. https://goo.gl/maps/NLa4bCdE8MR5h4j1htt ... E8MR5h4j17
Time: Set out about half an hour before the top of the tide and fish for anywhere between an hour or three hours depending on how much I can spare.
Gear: 1/2 oz jig heads - #1/0 hooks. Berkley 4" Jigging grubs (nuclear chicken, white, fluro yellow) 8 pound braid w/ rod length of 6 pound leader.
Technique: I cast out and let the plastic hit the bottom and retrieve slowly, whip it twice, let it sink, repeat. I cover a lot of water and don't fish the same spot for very long, letting the canoe drift naturally, every now and then going for a paddle to find a new spot to drift in.
On a good day I'll get onto quite a lot of fish, and it is great fun and a beautiful location to be drifting around, however as I mentioned they are almost all undersize. I would have thought by now I would have at least just by shear luck got onto one big lizard. If anyone can offer me some advice I would really appreciate it. The reason, by the way that I continue to fish this spot is that the canoe lives at this beach, and working full time with two small kids this maximises my time on the water. If there is any other info that would be helpful just let me know!
Thanks in advance everyone.
First post in a while, having moved to Tassie, but I hope you don't mind me asking for some advice here as this is still the best fishing forum going around.
I have been fishing for flathead at a local bay beach from my canoe during the warmer months and always catch undersize fish. Sometimes 10 or 15 of them, with the exception of a few that are just over legal size here and there. I will detail what gear I'm using, techniques etc. and ask the question, is it possible there no big flatties where I am fishing or do I lack proper technique or knowledge?
Location: Conningham Beach, Tasmania. https://goo.gl/maps/NLa4bCdE8MR5h4j1htt ... E8MR5h4j17
Time: Set out about half an hour before the top of the tide and fish for anywhere between an hour or three hours depending on how much I can spare.
Gear: 1/2 oz jig heads - #1/0 hooks. Berkley 4" Jigging grubs (nuclear chicken, white, fluro yellow) 8 pound braid w/ rod length of 6 pound leader.
Technique: I cast out and let the plastic hit the bottom and retrieve slowly, whip it twice, let it sink, repeat. I cover a lot of water and don't fish the same spot for very long, letting the canoe drift naturally, every now and then going for a paddle to find a new spot to drift in.
On a good day I'll get onto quite a lot of fish, and it is great fun and a beautiful location to be drifting around, however as I mentioned they are almost all undersize. I would have thought by now I would have at least just by shear luck got onto one big lizard. If anyone can offer me some advice I would really appreciate it. The reason, by the way that I continue to fish this spot is that the canoe lives at this beach, and working full time with two small kids this maximises my time on the water. If there is any other info that would be helpful just let me know!
Thanks in advance everyone.