Flathead outwide
Submitted by timboon on Fri, 2024-02-23 01:10
Crew,
Have any of you fellas chased Flattys outwide???
Its somethins we used to do in SA, fish the 70-90m depth and usually do pretty well...
Gummys and a few other bits and bobs were a bonus...
I know its not uncommmon to get a flatty jump on a puka jig outwide but could be another target species during there demersal closure periods...
TB
pelagicyachts
Posts: 1314
Date Joined: 23/02/11
we got a good sized one in
we got a good sized one in 40-50m drifting south of westend jigging - was quite surprised
davewillo
Posts: 2368
Date Joined: 08/09/16
I've caught a couple of good
I've caught a couple of good ones in 30 - 40m when fishing for other species. Never targeted them though Boon.
PGFC member and lure tragic
Rob H
Posts: 5784
Date Joined: 18/01/12
There was a trawler working
There was a trawler working the west coast called the Bianca, when I was long lining early 2000's.
Out of Freo I saw them unloading dozens of bins of flathead, their permit was outside 200m, Commonwealth Trawl zone
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Bodgy 79
Posts: 278
Date Joined: 04/08/22
Big flathead
Have regularly caught good ones as bycatch at the same mark off flat coral /ruble off south coast that usually hold good snapper and nanny's.Some have been 75cm in 65m of water,there not afraid to open up and take a big hook
timboon
Posts: 2942
Date Joined: 14/11/10
Rob, I used to unload the
Rob, I used to unload the trawlers as a youngster in my town in SA, they also would bring back bins of big flattys from out wide, I would guess more like 250+ without knowing exactly.
If they were trying to clip schools of Hapuka you wouldn't get them in less than 250m over that way.
Livewire
Posts: 291
Date Joined: 25/11/16
Only ever seen big flattys
Only ever seen big flattys caught as a by catch locally. Back in my filleting days the boss bought 19 fish bins full of big south Coast flathead. These were some monsters all of which needed to be filleted and packed and frozen. 18 hours at the tables,, didn't want yo see another one for a long time. Every fish and chip shop in town bought up as many boxes as they could sold in a week!
timboon
Posts: 2942
Date Joined: 14/11/10
Interesting LW, Did they
Interesting LW,
Did they come off a trawler or did a long liner get em on the flats?
TB
sea-kem
Posts: 14920
Date Joined: 30/11/09
I rate flatty over KGW as a
I rate flatty over KGW as a by catch.
Love the West!
Livewire
Posts: 291
Date Joined: 25/11/16
Trawler. Gets them out of
Trawler. Gets them out of the deep 100m, Southwest blue spot, average was 3-4kg. Excellent quality fillets. I think you could target them around Esperance. I've caught a few from the boat but not out that deep more like 30-40m , actually traded a couple for a snapper at the ramp.
davewillo
Posts: 2368
Date Joined: 08/09/16
I used to catch a lot on fly
I used to catch a lot on fly in the Swan but never kept any. Anyone eat flatties from the lower Swan?
PGFC member and lure tragic
jighead
Posts: 722
Date Joined: 03/02/12
Yep
Taste great
davewillo
Posts: 2368
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Thanks Jighead. Next ones
Thanks Jighead. Next ones might not be so lucky!
PGFC member and lure tragic
Faulkner Family
Posts: 17973
Date Joined: 11/03/08
Lower reaches of the Swan are
Lower reaches of the Swan are fine for eating as there is fresh water in and out . When you start getting up towards nedlands the fish I found tasted a bit muddy.
Never targeted the flatty out wide but used to get them in 40 odd mtrs. Usually good size. Don't think the fisheries would believe you if you said you were only targeting flatties so it would be a bit dicey
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together