Fishing Australia

This week I have the pleasure of penning my 500th weekly Fish’n’Tip for all the loyal readers out there.

This is the place where I cut my teeth on newspaper fishing journalism, and it all started with just one column in a wonderful little newspaper known as the "Queanbeyan Age".

With lots of dedication and enthusiasm, all motivated by the fact that I had to go fishing to get the good oil, this has grown steadily to be a feature column in the Rural Press network of newspapers around Australia and is also the longest running weekly column on the internet where it can now be viewed on this website (FishingAustralia.tv).

Funnily enough the internet presence made it possible for people around the world to read the column, and you would be surprised at how many people write in from OS happy to hear stories from their home country.

The column hasn’t missed a week for 500 weeks straight, and I have been flattered along the way to have people mimic the sayings and types of fishing I have developed. But before my ego gets too inflated…I too have had the pleasure of fishing with many great fishos from whom I have learnt heaps! You guys and girls know who you are - thanks!

I have had all sorts of wonderful experiences to write about, from giant cod on fly, to the still talked about marlin from my hobie kayak, from fishing with celebrities and heads of state, to helping out those in need of a cheer-up via a day on the water.

Of course there is much much more…too much to detail here, but suffice to say if you google up “Rob Paxevanos” followed by the fishing topic you can get stacks of material on any technique from around the country.

Most of all though people write in saying thanks for helping them catch their first fish or for getting them into a new type of fishing.

I would like to celebrate the next few weeks by writing about lure fishing for the humble flathead - our most popular and easy to catch saltwater fish that is within reach of anyone along the coast. AND it is the perfect time of year to catch them.

FLATHEAD

I’ll mainly be talking about the species that live in the estuaries, inlets and bays in the Southern half of Australia. In particular, I’ll be concentrating on Dusky and Sand Flathead species that inhabit the shallows and thus can be targeted from the bank or from a small boat; but bear in mind that all flathead can be caught using the same strategy.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS

Flattys as the name suggests have broad flattened heads and bodies and they can camouflage themselves extremely well or even bury themselves in the sand with just their eyes showing.

From this sneaky position they watch the traffic going overhead until a tasty little fish, prawn or other snack comes too close…then BOOM the Flathead explodes out of hiding and inhales its prey in the blink of an eye.

Flathead are typically solitary predators too - each fish does their own thing. However, in prime habitats, you can sometimes find many individual fish inhabiting the same area.

WHERE

Being ambush predators, flattys will often move into position somewhere near cover so they can surprise attack their prey as it comes around the corner.

The best places to find them are where the broad sand or mud flats meet a feature, such as an oyster lease, rock bar, shallow gutter, undulating gravel bed, steep channel or drop off.

Another classic ambush zone is where bait pours out of channels as the tide drains off the flats.

Flattys also like to lay in small sand patches amongst heavy weed, or conversely hide near small weed patches on a vast sand bank.

Their low profile also means that if needed they can sit on the bottom where the current is strong and barely raise a fin!

Cripes they can be found just about anywhere, so the real trick to finding them is to cover plenty of likely spots. Drifting with baits is good, but lures are even better; and this is exactly what I’ll be looking at next week in detail.

For the 500th time it’s my pleasure to type:

See you on the water.

Rob Paxevanos