HAD A FLAT TIME THIS ARVO
I was keen to bust my soft plastic lure hymen and having got into some good skippy action at my new spot I decided to make the most of this arvos fine weather and head solo to the spot. Dropped anchor and burleyed up the skips in no time so on went a squidgy flick bait. Shortly after the slow decent to the bottom and a bit of a rod lift and bang I was on but not a skippy, I thought "bloody wrass" and then up appeared a blue spot flatty! My first fish on a plastic! After high fiven meself down went the placcy again and in between some good skippy, 3 more flattys were landed in quick succession and one more even followed a hooked skip up to the surface. Biggest went 46, and man they are good on the chew, almost like crab meat. I seriously need a lesson in filleting them tho. The big bait on a balloon had a few runs with no hook up and also got an eagle ray on me bait caster, great arvo, Im hooked on placcys now, the flattys prob never wanted me bait on a hook, a lure to trigger their predatory instincts is the go! Cant wait to get me young bloke on to a fish on a plastic now, no more baitn hooks, woohoo!
I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.
barlow
Posts: 147
Date Joined: 04/01/12
enjoy ya feed.
enjoy ya feed.
scottland
Posts: 3037
Date Joined: 10/05/10
nice feed there
good work great feeling getting fish on artificials
i support two teams eagles and whoever is playing the dockers
grayzeee
Posts: 2283
Date Joined: 09/07/09
good workthey are a prick to
good work
they are a prick to fillet
had to take 2 fillets per side as the ribs stick staight out
If I spent half as long fishing , as I do reading this bloody forum , I'd be twice the fisherman I am.
tim-o
Posts: 4657
Date Joined: 24/05/11
Yeah took me a while but
Yeah took me a while but worth it hopefully Ill get plenty of practice
I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.
sea-kem
Posts: 14929
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Nice work. I kept noticing
Nice work. I kept noticing the helicopter flying by but noticed it was actually a Dragonfly lol.
Love the West!
tim-o
Posts: 4657
Date Joined: 24/05/11
I pointed it out to me missus
I pointed it out to me missus after I posted it, funny lookin helicopter!
I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.
sea-kem
Posts: 14929
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Ha ha that's what happens
Ha ha that's what happens after I've had a few glasses of wine.
Love the West!
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
glad you pointed out it was a dragon fly
Without my glasses I was sure in was a blackhawk
Michael Yoni
Posts: 601
Date Joined: 02/01/11
With all those boats in the
With all those boats in the background how did you deal with them pinging your secret spots???
(or were you pinging their's 
)
Nah, kidding....... nice lizards. Pain to fillet for sure, I just clean them and roast them or chuck them in a good old fashion italian sauce.
MY
tim-o
Posts: 4657
Date Joined: 24/05/11
You get the odd boat comin
You get the odd boat comin close aye. The fact that those boats were there when I got there meant they were prob gettn fish too so maybe I should have wondered past! Na the were prob gettin into squid over the weed in the shallower water, thats my next goal....any tips anyone?
I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.
Goodz
Posts: 2332
Date Joined: 20/07/09
For the squid, concentrate
For the squid, concentrate along the edges of the weed banks where they meet the sand or drop off but make sure you're fishing ontop of the weed, seem to find more squid there. Lots about at the moment.
Faulkner Family
Posts: 17985
Date Joined: 11/03/08
gotta be stoked with them
gotta be stoked with them lizzards. well done. great tucker
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
ca11um
Posts: 335
Date Joined: 25/12/11
Great fish mate!! Flatties
Great fish mate!! Flatties on plastics are a heap of fun!!
soupster51
Posts: 2723
Date Joined: 29/11/06
Congrats
Agree awesome fun on plastic. Agree tastey as. Agree bastard things to fillet. Looks like you had a good time though.
The best reason for doing what's right today is tomorrow.
ca11um
Posts: 335
Date Joined: 25/12/11
I think we are in agreement
I think we are in agreement soupster :D
Digger01
Posts: 43
Date Joined: 29/09/09
FIlletting Flatties
Not sure how you are going about filletting them but I will try to relate how I go as I dont find them too much trouble.
My first rule but is I wont tkae them unless they are at least 40cm as you dont get much off a lesser sized fish - just not worth the kill (unless you want to cook whole)
GOOD FILLETING KNIFE
It is really like a normal fish - Hold fish so you can cut in from the side starting at the head end cut in behind pectoral fin angle upward toward top of backbone then turn the knife and run down the spine toward tail removing fillet away from spine BUT STOP just before you are about to remove the fillet completely, then you use where the fillet is attached to the carcas to hold the fillet so that you can take the flesh off the skin, it make it much easier to hold and start working the skin off. Same for other side. I sometimes make the first cut into the backbone, turn and start down the spine but stop after about 50 MM or so and do the other side the same while you have the body of the fish in tact to support and get the most off the backbone.
See how you go....
kirky79
Posts: 1351
Date Joined: 13/01/12
Used to get a few duskies
Used to get a few duskies over east. One tip I find to make it easier to get the skin off is.
After taking the fillet off cut along the bone line that runs along the entire length of the fillet
Down to the skin, this tends to open & flatten the fillet making it easier to skin.
Cheers
P.s nice shot of the flattie with its wings out
tim-o
Posts: 4657
Date Joined: 24/05/11
Yeh thats what I did, had a
Yeh thats what I did, had a quick search of youtube and I knocked the fillets off as Digger said and then butterflyed them so I could shin them with the knife. I have seen on TV Diggers skinning method that Id be keen to learn, but the most difficulty I had was ridding the fillets of the bones. Each fillet ends up with say 100mm of 'rib' bones that I cut either side closely to remove, but there was still bones here and there like from around the gut etc. A bit more practice and less cuts in the flesh so the fillet stays intack is the go. Tryn to keep close to the spine is the key to yeilding the most off the fish too. It all broke up in the pan but I wasnt phased, I ended up with a mountain on me plate, so moorish that meat. Cheers for the comments guys, Im just stoked to be broadening my fishing and this site has been a great help. One step at a time and hopefully I can land some bigger species so Iv really got something to brag about.
I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.
GlennO87
Posts: 182
Date Joined: 29/01/11
Wow, nice catch!. Always
Wow, nice catch!. Always wanted to catch big ocean flathead. VERY rare to get and you got four, lucky man. Not far from shore either i see. There is a few good video on youtube as you have said. We use to find a wooden poled. Nail through the head into the pole, cut into either side of the neck. Nip the skin, and then pull it all off in one go with hands if not pliers....Then knock the fillets right off.
I love fishing. It`s escaping reality for a few hours for me!
tim-o
Posts: 4657
Date Joined: 24/05/11
Lucky (skilled!) enough to be
Lucky (skilled!) enough to be able to practice filleting flatties again and I got it sussed. Knock the fillets off, then seperate the skin off the fillet from the head end by hand and just rip the skin off. Doesnt mess the fillet up like butterflying it and yeilds the most. Cut either side of the rib bones and just feel and pick out the 1 or 2 stomach bones, easy. Convinced the very preggo missus (few weeks to go) and young bloke to come and on the first drop she pulls up an undersize pinky! Had the usuall fun on skips and got the 4lb busted on the reef after a hard sideways run on a placcy :(
I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.