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.

Image Upload: 

barlow's picture

Posts: 147

Date Joined: 04/01/12

 enjoy ya feed. 

Sat, 2012-05-12 21:25

 enjoy ya feed. 

scottland's picture

Posts: 3039

Date Joined: 10/05/10

nice feed there

Sat, 2012-05-12 21:45

 good work great feeling getting fish on artificials

____________________________________________________________________________

i support two teams eagles and whoever is playing the dockers

grayzeee's picture

Posts: 2283

Date Joined: 09/07/09

good workthey are a prick to

Sat, 2012-05-12 22:02

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's picture

Posts: 4657

Date Joined: 24/05/11

Yeah took me a while but

Sat, 2012-05-12 22:13

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's picture

Posts: 15002

Date Joined: 30/11/09

Nice work. I kept noticing

Sat, 2012-05-12 22:10

Nice work. I kept noticing the helicopter flying by but noticed it was actually a Dragonfly lol.

____________________________________________________________________________

Love the West!

tim-o's picture

Posts: 4657

Date Joined: 24/05/11

I pointed it out to me missus

Sat, 2012-05-12 22:15

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's picture

Posts: 15002

Date Joined: 30/11/09

Ha ha that's what happens

Sat, 2012-05-12 22:25

Ha ha that's what happens after I've had a few glasses of wine.

____________________________________________________________________________

Love the West!

Posts: 5981

Date Joined: 17/06/10

glad you pointed out it was a dragon fly

Sun, 2012-05-13 13:27

Without my glasses I was sure in was a blackhawk

Posts: 603

Date Joined: 02/01/11

With all those boats in the

Sat, 2012-05-12 22:19

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's picture

Posts: 4657

Date Joined: 24/05/11

You get the odd boat comin

Sat, 2012-05-12 22:35

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's picture

Posts: 2332

Date Joined: 20/07/09

 For the squid, concentrate

Sun, 2012-05-13 11:36

 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's picture

Posts: 18032

Date Joined: 11/03/08

gotta be stoked with them

Sat, 2012-05-12 23:22

gotta be stoked with them lizzards. well done. great tucker

____________________________________________________________________________

RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

ca11um's picture

Posts: 335

Date Joined: 25/12/11

 Great fish mate!! Flatties

Sun, 2012-05-13 11:23

 Great fish mate!! Flatties on plastics are a heap of fun!!

soupster51's picture

Posts: 2724

Date Joined: 29/11/06

Congrats

Sun, 2012-05-13 18:37

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's picture

Posts: 335

Date Joined: 25/12/11

 I think we are in agreement

Sun, 2012-05-13 21:40

 I think we are in agreement soupster :D

Posts: 43

Date Joined: 29/09/09

FIlletting Flatties

Mon, 2012-05-14 12:14

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's picture

Posts: 1354

Date Joined: 13/01/12

 Used to get a few duskies

Mon, 2012-05-14 13:57

 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's picture

Posts: 4657

Date Joined: 24/05/11

Yeh thats what I did, had a

Mon, 2012-05-14 19:07

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's picture

Posts: 182

Date Joined: 29/01/11

Wow, nice catch!. Always

Tue, 2012-05-15 19:51

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's picture

Posts: 4657

Date Joined: 24/05/11

Lucky (skilled!) enough to be

Sun, 2012-05-20 15:16

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.