Leaping Lizards!

Anglers who target the humble flathead regularly call them lizards, and these days we're hearing more about these fish than ever before. Because of exciting new techniques and amazing technology in fishing tackle, the good old flathead has become one of the most targeted species in Australia.

The flathead's popularity is reflected by the number of cover shots you see on fishing magazines these days. Feature stories written about the latest techniques to catch flathead also seem to be in every fishing publication you pick up.

Although many guys still like to catch their flathead on bait - whether it be live bait such as nippers and small mullet, or strip baits of tuna, yellowtail and the like - the new wave of anglers prefers the artificial stuff. And with good reason.

Lure fishing for flathead is certainly not a new technique, and in years gone by the small minnow-type lures were all the go. Deep divers and shallow-running minnows either slow-trolled or cast and retrieved always produced good fish, and my two biggest (5 and 6kg) flatties have been caught on these kinds of lures.

Now, while natural bait and minnow-type lures will still catch a hell of a lot of good flathead, the best (and cheapest) method is jigging soft plastics.

SHAPES & SIZES
The soft-plastic jigs used to target flathead come in many shapes, sizes and colours, and the most popular would have to be the Shimano Squidgy range.

In fact, Shimano has designed a whole range of special tackle to use exclusively with these soft-plastic lures. The company has also put out a two-hour DVD showing how to rig and use the appropriate tackle for the best possible results.

The one thing you'll learn very quickly about this style of fishing is that it's a real hands-on sport: you really need to work at it to get results. But once you do get the knack of working the jigs correctly in the various conditions, you'll find that flatties can't resist crashing these look-alike baits.

The tackle itself is one of the important things that helps make these soft plastics work, and the type of rod you use is part of the key. A light but very stiff rod is needed so that the lifting, jigging action is more direct to the lure. A long, floppy rod will only hinder the action of the lure, because most of the lift is absorbed in the bending of the rod. 

GET REEL
Most flathead anglers also like to use a small threadline reel for this style of fishing, as they are much easier to use - particularly if you happen to be working really light jigs in shallow water or where there is no current.

Light baitcaster reels will also do the job, but these take a little more time to get used to.

The type of line to use is also very important for working soft plastic jigs. A light, strong braid line around the 6kg mark is your best bet.

The advantage of braid material over monofilament line is that there's no stretch with braid. It also delivers a direct pull to the jig. The only drawback is that it's fairly visible in the water, so you must use a short (metre-long) length of clear, light monofilament or fluorocarbon trace material around 3–4kg breaking strain.

The art of joining monofilament line to braid also takes a little bit of practice, and the joining knot needs to be well tested before being put to use. I find that doubling the braid line and using the simple double blood knot works very well. Just make sure you really wet the knot down before pulling it up tight.

THINK SHARP
Many of techniques used with soft plastics come down to commonsense as far as what size and weight of jig to use is concerned.

For example, if the current is running hard and the channel or sand-bar edge you are working is fairly deep, you'll need the larger, heavier lead-head to get the jig down. On the other hand, if the water is shallow and there is little or no run, the smaller, lighter heads will be far more effective.

For big flathead, work up to the longer, bigger tails; and as far as colours go, stick to the more natural colours - particularly if the water is fairly clear and clean. In muddy, murky water, the brighter colours such as lime green, hot pink and bright orange are more likely to get crashed.

To work the jigs correctly in a jerky, up–down motion, you don't want to be drifting too quickly over the ground. An electric motor on the boat is the best thing to keep you in position, or to move you very slowly along the bank. Once you find a fish, you can bet there will be others close by; and the silent-running electric motor won't spook them if you move back over the spot where you got the first bite.

An electric motor can also be useful for slow trolling minnows if the current or the wind allows. But if owning one is not an option for you, try towing a bucket behind your boat to slow the drift. 

THE SPINE WHO LOVED ME
Targeting flathead calls for other essential items in the boat as well: you'll need a large landing net, as this is the best (and safest) way to boat these fish.

When handling a flathead, big or small, be very careful: they can flick their heads, and the long, evil spines on the back of their heads can inflict terrible pain.

It's best to use a leather glove to handle them, and holding the bottom jaw firmly is perhaps the easiest way to control the fish to get the hooks out.

So, when all that's done, you'll have yourself a decent feed. And I don't think I have to tell how good flatties are to eat!

WHERE TO FIND FLATHEAD
Although flathead do like very deep channels and holes, you can still hook huge fish in surprisingly shallow water.

Look for flathead over tidal sandflats less than a metre deep and cast your jig into the patches of sand between the seaweed beds, making sure the lure is bumping over the bottom. If weed is a problem, try using a "weedless" hook.

Fanning your casts into the mouths of creeks, drains or the channels also produces good results. You can also cast your lures towards the riverbank and bounce them down the sloping bottom into deeper water.

Flathead bury themselves in the sand and wait for their prey to swim past, so look for holes or channels in the sandbars where a flathead might ambush baitfish escaping the draining flats. For this reason, a falling tide is usually favoured.

And remember: less weight for shallow water, more weight for deep water - and keep that jig on the bottom!