Flathead on soft plastics

Flathead, common catch that tastes great!
wem21
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Flathead on soft plastics

Post by wem21 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:12 am

Hey all,
I am currently unsuccessfully targeting flathead with soft plastics. I use the zman minnowz in the 3" pearl/blue glimmer with a 1/4oz jighead and I walk up and down beaches and piers using the lift-drop retrieve without any bites. Is there anything I am doing wrong?

smile0784
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Re: Flathead on soft plastics

Post by smile0784 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 1:12 am

Ask purple5ive he catches a lot on soft plastics

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LINwAd
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Re: Flathead on soft plastics

Post by LINwAd » Tue Jan 02, 2018 6:14 am

I catch alot of flathead around the piers and Jettys of Melbourne. I normally utilise a two flick and sink meathod which seems to work for me and never cast in the same spot more then once unless you missed a bite.

When fishing the piers etc it is vital you cover as much ground as possible. What I normally do it every 2 or 3 metres I will do 3 casts that fan out. One angled left one straight out and one angled right.

There is heaps of flathead around that can be caught with plastics. I normally try to stick to more natural colours like white and silvers with the exception of the Motor oil colour.

I dont think I have ever gone above 1/6oz for flathead and normally run 1/8.

If you are having trouble try a 2.5inch zman curly tail in motor oil colour... they seem to be the GO TO when the fishing is slow.
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M9085
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Re: Flathead on soft plastics

Post by M9085 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 6:44 am

I have a similar problem. I’m either doing something wrong or the damn flathead isn’t around the spots I’m fishing.

It’s a different story on a boat. Once you find them they will take any plastic I throw at them. I mean any size any colour.

wem21
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Re: Flathead on soft plastics

Post by wem21 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 9:54 am

LINwAd wrote:I catch alot of flathead around the piers and Jettys of Melbourne. I normally utilise a two flick and sink meathod which seems to work for me and never cast in the same spot more then once unless you missed a bite.

When fishing the piers etc it is vital you cover as much ground as possible. What I normally do it every 2 or 3 metres I will do 3 casts that fan out. One angled left one straight out and one angled right.

There is heaps of flathead around that can be caught with plastics. I normally try to stick to more natural colours like white and silvers with the exception of the Motor oil colour.

I dont think I have ever gone above 1/6oz for flathead and normally run 1/8.

If you are having trouble try a 2.5inch zman curly tail in motor oil colour... they seem to be the GO TO when the fishing is slow.
Do you have any trouble casting far with the 1/8oz weights? Is the lure you are talking about the baitfish with the curly tail or the grub with the curly tail? And what size hook do you use on your jigheads?

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LINwAd
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Re: Flathead on soft plastics

Post by LINwAd » Tue Jan 02, 2018 11:22 am

I don't have much trouble casting out the 1/8 jigs, recently I have gone even lighter (1/16). The one I am talking about is the curly tail grub style lure (Zman 2.5inch Curly TailZ - http://www.bcf.com.au/Product/ZMan-Grub ... 5in/326834)

I normally run size 1/0 hooks.
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Re: Flathead on soft plastics

Post by cantcatchem » Tue Jan 02, 2018 11:34 am

wem21 wrote:
LINwAd wrote:I catch alot of flathead around the piers and Jettys of Melbourne. I normally utilise a two flick and sink meathod which seems to work for me and never cast in the same spot more then once unless you missed a bite.

When fishing the piers etc it is vital you cover as much ground as possible. What I normally do it every 2 or 3 metres I will do 3 casts that fan out. One angled left one straight out and one angled right.

There is heaps of flathead around that can be caught with plastics. I normally try to stick to more natural colours like white and silvers with the exception of the Motor oil colour.

I dont think I have ever gone above 1/6oz for flathead and normally run 1/8.

If you are having trouble try a 2.5inch zman curly tail in motor oil colour... they seem to be the GO TO when the fishing is slow.
Do you have any trouble casting far with the 1/8oz weights? Is the lure you are talking about the baitfish with the curly tail or the grub with the curly tail? And what size hook do you use on your jigheads?
Hey mate, you wont have any problems casting grubs on a 1/8 jig head as long as you don't go over 8lb braid , I like to use 4lb with 6lb leader, and by the way listen to LINwAD as he knows his flathead fishing, hope you get a few :thumbsup:

wem21
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Re: Flathead on soft plastics

Post by wem21 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 2:11 pm

Thanks!

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Re: Flathead on soft plastics

Post by dazz999 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 4:39 pm

1/8 is ideal tt jigheads are well made try some zman pink glow curly tails

Davco19
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Re: Flathead on soft plastics

Post by Davco19 » Mon Dec 02, 2019 8:25 pm

Up until recently I've been hammering those flatties but the last couple of weeks it's gone very quiet and struggling to find them. This seems to have coincided with the arrival of lots of small Pinkies and I wonder if this in any way a factor. Especially as on Saturday whilst winding in one of said small pinkies it was followed up by a very interested flattie. Could the flathead at my favourite spots be filling up on the smallest pinkies? In order to catch the little pink ones I've downsized my plastics, maybe I should try upsizing to see if the flatties will be more interested. The spots I'm talking about have up until now been quite productive with anything up to 7 40-50cm in a session. Only been doing this type of fishing for a couple of months so do please excuse me if I'm talking crap.

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