Swan flathead
Submitted by lachieH on Fri, 2014-02-14 19:20
I am targeting flathead on the swan river. I will be using atomic hardz. Probably fishing the flats. Will get there for low tide. I am using a 2m leader of 6lb fluorocarbon and the mainline is very old and guesstimate about 15-20lb. Any suggestions of good spots? Or if I should change my tackle (cannot change mainline). Thanks.
P.S. I have already used the search bar.
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Fishing the swan for bream, it's just an obsession
lachieH
Posts: 1126
Date Joined: 02/03/13
By the way the hardz are
By the way the hardz are breamshad40
Fishing the swan for bream, it's just an obsession
Fish or Die
Posts: 123
Date Joined: 12/04/10
The biggest tip I can give
The biggest tip I can give you for flats fishing is you have to keep mobile and cover ground with long casts I can't imagine you would be able to cast much further than 10m with a 5-10 gram bream lure with 15-20 pound line. If you can't change the main line your better off bait fishing with a paternoster rig using the sinker for casting distance
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Shimka
Posts: 465
Date Joined: 06/02/14
Not sure what you want to
Not sure what you want to hear? You say you can't change the mainline (why not?) & don't supply any info about the tackle other than mainline, leader & lure but then ask if you should change your tackle. I wouldn't even bother trying it if that mainline is mono, it'll be stiff & full of memory coils. Your not going to cast the 3.4g atomic (from memory, could be lighter) more than a few meters with that. If it's old braid then you might get 10m out of a cast, only just enough to make it worth trying. If that rod your using is rated more than 3-5kg, I wouldn't bother trying, no whip to get a cast out with the light lure. Either change your mainline or go spend $20 on a cheapo 2-4kg kids combo (should have 6-8lb line on it already) & go flick around with that instead.
thefishwrangler
Posts: 83
Date Joined: 28/01/14
+1
with you there mate
lachieH
Posts: 1126
Date Joined: 02/03/13
Sorry for the confusion. I
Sorry for the confusion. I am looking for good flathead spots to fish
Fishing the swan for bream, it's just an obsession
Super peg
Posts: 760
Date Joined: 02/09/12
They are in most places
They are in most places mate, just gotta try, but I agree with the above comments man, the line need to be 12lb max, mono is fine but casting will not be as great, I would use things like marabou jigs n soft plastics because you just won't get the distance from hardbodies unless u change to braid, the spots you are trying, there are flathead there but you not gettin the lure in the water long enough per cast with the old mono and the 3-5g lures for you to bring it past one's nose, persistence mate and a slight align in tackle tactics will see you land a flathead in no time
The art of fishing consists of casting, winding, trolling and jigging
while freezing, sweating, swatting and swearing.
Super peg
Posts: 760
Date Joined: 02/09/12
Another thing, because those
Another thing, because those lures are so small n light, if your joining your leader to the mainline via a swivel, the weight of the swivel may be effecting the swim action of the lure
The art of fishing consists of casting, winding, trolling and jigging
while freezing, sweating, swatting and swearing.
rex rider
Posts: 5
Date Joined: 22/01/14
I went down to Bicton Baths
I went down to Bicton Baths yesterday morning just after low tide which has always been pretty reliable but there was nothing to be seen. Spoke with a couple of other blokes who go there regularly and they reckon its been about 3 weeks since there's been a reasonable number of fish down there.
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Shimka
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Date Joined: 06/02/14
That's what happens when
That's what happens when people post maps on here telling people where to fish. Best way to stuff a spot up for a good while.
Versus
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Date Joined: 06/03/09
-1
-1
Shimka
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Date Joined: 06/02/14
Geez your a sook.
Geez your a sook.
Cardinal
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Date Joined: 28/05/12
bhahahahaha!
well said graeme
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lachieH
Posts: 1126
Date Joined: 02/03/13
I have got a new line
From tackleworld. Was getting 6lb braid but the man says 4lb will hold up fine. Will be heading down there on the weekend and using their machine to put on the new mainline. Now I will not use a swivel, have a 4lb braided mainline, fluorocarbon 2m leader and my atomic hardz breamshad40 on the end. Will head down on low tide in three weeks.
Fishing the swan for bream, it's just an obsession
Shimka
Posts: 465
Date Joined: 06/02/14
That's the ticket mate, your
That's the ticket mate, your in business now. Yep that 4lb braid will be fine, braid breaks well above the stated breaking strain unless it's IGFA rated. I use 2 or 3lb braid myself & have never lost a flatty from braid breaking. No need for a swivel, I've never used one for this style of fishing & have never had line twist problems. Those that have had problems have an issue with thier set up or with thier line management.
lachieH
Posts: 1126
Date Joined: 02/03/13
Using a new 4lb braided line
Using a new 4lb braided line from bcf. Will have a new mainline soon! Hopefully creates some opportunities. May stay away from bicton because of the lack of fish.
Fishing the swan for bream, it's just an obsession
Shimka
Posts: 465
Date Joined: 06/02/14
Your braid is your mainline
Your braid is your mainline Lachie. You can use some of your old mono as backing, tie your braid to that & spool it all onto the reel. You will have to work out how much backing you need so that you can put all the braid on but don't end up with an under filled or over filled spool. Tie your flouro leader to the braid & your lure to the end of the flouro. So starting with an empty reel spool you will have mono backing, then braid & finally your flouro leader.
brg
Posts: 666
Date Joined: 31/12/09
Windan bridge Burswood side
Windan bridge Burswood side ,big drain coming out of the golf course and a flat infront.Dont just focus on the flat though walk and cast,good area for giant herring to.
Geoff78
Posts: 324
Date Joined: 05/03/13
hey Lachie, which knot are
hey Lachie, which knot are you going to use to join your fluro to your braid? If you're not confident, maybe use the time between now and getting your reel spooled to practice your joining knots, with some of your old mono. Also, are you good at loop knots? You're going to need to tie lots of those on the water. Good luck mate.
lachieH
Posts: 1126
Date Joined: 02/03/13
Knots
With the mono and the fluoro I use a blood knot. Will I have to change my knots for braid?
Fishing the swan for bream, it's just an obsession
Geoff78
Posts: 324
Date Joined: 05/03/13
You'll need a joining knot
You'll need a joining knot to join your braid to your fluro leader and it's ideal to tie your lure on with a loop knot. Everyone will have a different opinion on which knots are best.
In my experience, back-to-back (aka double) uni-knots are a good joining knot to start with. They are simple to tie and will do the job in light line.
To join the leader to the lure, I use the Lefty's loop. I originally learnt it for bream fishing but it comes in handy in heaps of other types of fishing.
Get on youtube and check them out. Practice tying them and then test them to failure (pull them til they break), you'll be amazed how much effort it takes to break 4lb, if all your knots are good.
Shimka
Posts: 465
Date Joined: 06/02/14
Good advice, you will need
Good advice, you will need to tie those knots in waist deep water while your holding your rod at times so practice practice practice, Personally I use the improved albright because it flows through the guides of my rod better. There are several joining knot options though, most of them pretty good (including the mentioned back to back uni) so try a few out & see which one works for you.
sideshow
Posts: 92
Date Joined: 21/01/13
I hope this works I have
I hope this works I have never posted a link but this is a good on for learning a heap of good knots
www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/
All work and no fishing makes me a dull boy!!!!!!!!
lachieH
Posts: 1126
Date Joined: 02/03/13
Went to tackleworld and
Went to tackleworld and bought a 2500 bream reel and had 4lb braid put onto the spool. Used a 2m leader of fluorocarbon with the atomic hardz. Went to the canning bridge this morning and had something on the line but took the lure with it. This was at about 5.40am. Spooked a 50-60cm monster about 3m from the shore that swam into me!
apart from that only a few occasional bites but the hooks did not seem to stick. Blowies were not an issue at all. Left the canning bridge at 7.30 with nothing. Will definitely try that again! Any preferred lures, vibes or soft plastics for the canning bridge to apple cross jetty?
Fishing the swan for bream, it's just an obsession
MandurahMatt
Posts: 613
Date Joined: 18/09/13
Haven't fished the swan for
Haven't fished the swan for over a decade but best Flathead lure I ever used was a long shank hook with a split shot sinker crimped on, with a bit of feather duster tied onto it and a small pink rubber squid thingy over the top of that. Casting out over drop offs and working it back over onto the flats was killer.
Bewdey Fellaz