Targeting Southern Bluespot Flathead in South Australia is rapidly gaining popularity. The combination of accessibility, table fare & their willingness to take lures justifies their accent in the SA recreational fishing community. In this article I will be sharing my thoughts and theories to help you catch more Southern Bluespot Flathead.

Contrary to the popular estuary dominating Dusky Flathead, the Southern Bluespot is rarely captured within South Australian estuaries. Instead, they congregate in shallow, coastal bays and flats. This opens the door for South Australian anglers to explore an often overlooked environment. The perfect habitat consists of a mixture of sand, weed beds and low lying reefs close to shore with minimal wave action. Although these areas are known as Flathead hot spots they can turn up just about everywhere!

Season:

Southern Bluespot Flathead are targeted when they breed during the seasons of autumn and winter. Furthermore, spawning season coincides with an influx of mid-size prey items to a Flathead's preferred environment; Most notably Yellow-eyed Mullet. As the numbers of larger Flathead increase in the shallow waters, the window for anglers to catch a trophy-sized Flathead swings open.

Tides:

Before venturing out for Flathead it is important to check the tidal curve of the area you plan to fish. The falling tide and the hours either side of low tide are productive times to target them. As the flats drain and expose, bait fish must move into deeper water. Once the tide has fallen, the volume of water is reduced and the areas a Flathead can lay in ambush will be more concentrated. The equation is Low Water = More Flathead

Fooling Flathead:

Flathead have a unique anatomy compared to other predatory species such as Kingfish and Mulloway. Eyes on top of their flat heads restrict them to looking upwards primarily. I believe the primary hunting sense of a Flathead is sight. Therefore I try to exploit the sense they rely on the most in order to draw a strike. For them to eat anything they need know it's there first. To give yourself opportunities, you need to thoroughly work the likely holding areas. If you're confident the area looks perfect Flathead then are likely to be in that area. It may take a bit of patience and persistence for one to see your offering; and then strike, but the hard, repetitive work will more then likely be rewarded. 

Working lures slowly with pauses gives fish more time to identify and chase your lure. Slow presentations are effective if the activity is low. If the activity is high; faster, sharper lure action is more efficient and allows you to cover ground quickly.

Lures:

Effective lure choices for Flathead are endless. However I do choose lures which are practical for the area. Majority of my choices are larger lures of 4-5 inches. My favourite is without a doubt the Fuze Seaducer Mullet 95mm. These lures have a natural, deep and round profile with a big vibrating tail and rolling action which big Flathead just love. Rigged with worm hooks for a weedless/snagless presentation you can cast into the thick of the structure without fear of cleaning out your tackle box. If the fishing is quiet, downsizing to 3-4 inch lures often draws a strike. 

Colour choice is not usually a game changer however it is worth making the right choice before casting. My general rule for colours choices are:
Natural colours (blue, white, silver, natural green & brown) are best in clear, sunny conditions
Bright colours (red, fluoro green, yellow, purple, gold, orange & pink) are best in discoloured, overcast conditions.

Gear:

Light 2-5kg, 7ft+ spinning rods capable of casting lures up to 15g are perfect. Reel sizes of 2000-3000 are well balanced on an appropriate rod. Braided line is highly recommended. 6-10lb braid attached to a fluorocarbon leader of 10-16lb is the ideal range. Be mindful of a their raspy, abrasive mouth. It is capable of wearing through light leaders if they swallow your lure.  

When the weather is calm and the baitfish are about, have a crack on our calm beaches and rocky shorelines for SA's shallow water secret. Chasing Flathead is one of the most relaxing yet thrilling land based targets in SA. And of course, you will be catching one of the worlds premier table fish!