56.45cm Flathead with several photo,ID SAND or DUSKY?

[Spark.wu]

Caught in the early morning today, in the inner harbour of Wollongong!Is my best record on Flattie! Is it SAND? Or DUSKY?
Cheers!
8-)

[Spark.wu]

Nice Weekend~

[rogersto]

nice one :)

what I get him on? Bait or SP's ?

[bushbeachboy]

You sure it's a flathead mate? Looks more like a crocodile to me.;D

[snakecatcher]

Nice fish mate - looks like a dusky to me. Sand flatties have a distinctive tail fin. According to my fish id book "It has a large black blotch surrounded by white on the lower rear portion of the fin. The blotch is often broken up by white lines along the fin rays."

[RCG008]

I was going to back Sand Flathead. Thats nearly as big as they get too. Have seen em a bit bigger, up round the 65cm mark but not often. We used to get them of Coffs on the Flathead grounds offshore. Right time of year it is not uncommon to land good numbers of 45-55cm specimines in short time. I think you'll find Duskies are a lot darker and the little blue spots/white in your photos are marks of a Sandy.

Nice fish!

[wrip109]

I got my PB as well, last Friday, in the Logan river. 90cms from end to end. If anybody wants it, it is still in the river - just go and catch it ::)

This is by far the biggest fish I have ever landed and my heart is still pumping. 2 Kilo line using a small Ugly Stick

Phil

[gruntahunta]

I,m betting duskie.......the colour means nothing, it changes from their enviroment.

The dusky is the only one that has a big black spot on its tail every time

cheers pete

[Spark.wu]

I got it on pilchard. I'm sure it is an dusky now.
Only one big black spot on the tail.
90cm must be exciting on a light tackle.U must got a lot of fun on it, Wrip109.
THX for ID, BUDDIES.
Cheers.

[Why-ting]

I got my PB as well, last Friday, in the Logan river. 90cms from end to end. If anybody wants it, it is still in the river - just go and catch it ::)

This is by far the biggest fish I have ever landed and my heart is still pumping. 2 Kilo line using a small Ugly Stick

Phil

That fish doesnt look like he'll be swimmin anywhere after been bent up in that esky. Should of been released >:(and probably shouldnt have posted that picture

Nice fish sparky hard to tell if it is a sand or dusky flathead as they can change the colour to suit their enviroment you need to post a pic of his tail for a certain id

[Spark.wu]

I check th tail already. Photo is like below.It is a Dusky with sandy clouth...:)

[BLOOEY]

Have to agree with why-ting that big flatty is dead man.

[Kleyny]

I've never seen a flatty bend like that before. (in the perect bend of the esky)

[Noelm]

that is a Dusky (or a varience) NOT a Sand Flathead.

[Nowhere Bob]

Very interesting Spark Wu. http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/attachment.php?attachmentid=4933&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1177229265 (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/attachment.php?attachmentid=4933&d=1177229265)
The tail not the bend - that's just a little suss, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say the photo caught the fish mid thrash, and it is a coincidence the bend fits the esky so well.

Any way. I'd like to see lots of photos of lots of flatheads tails. (I know I'm a very sick man.)
This photo seems to show a big variation in dusky tail patterns. I have fished most of SEQ for flathead and had thought there was some difference between Jumpin Pin Duskies and Tin can bay fish. But this photo just leapt off the page at me - yes it's a dusky -but It's completely different to the thumbprint sized dot ringed with blue on a mottled background - that I see.

So I propose everyone catching Flatties start taking photos of the spread tails and lets get a bit of "I'll show you mine if.." going, that way well start to see if it's size, location, moon or whatever creating the differences.

Does anyone know where a regional variation becomes a new species? Do you have to breed two generations and check for fertility? Can genotyping be used?
Ideas?

[marty_z]

That fish doesnt look like he'll be swimmin anywhere after been bent up in that esky. Should of been released >:(and probably shouldnt have posted that picture

I'm with Whyting - too many factors to indicate that fish may be dead - curl to fit the esky, dark colouring, etc. :-[ I hope I am wrong, as a 90cm Flathead is too important to be taken from a waterway.

Marty