Flathead ID please

[Bill_V]

Hi All,

I was just sorting out pictures on my phone and found these pics of a strange looking flatty I caught down the pin a few months ago. I was with my 9 yr old daughter and was untangling her line with my rod under my arm with a 75mm Squidgy fish in grasshopper dangling on the surface. Little bugger nailed it whilst my attention was elsewhere. We were in about 2m of water.

A bit under 30cm so no monster but I have never caught one like it. Note the pectoral fins. Have any of you guys any idea what type of flatty it is??

He was released unharmed to fight another day.

Cheers,

Bill

[Benno1]

great looking fish!!!...i think it looks like a juvenile mud flathead...just a guess tho...the shape of the head...the markings on the body.
Anyone else???

Mrs Benno1
Sunny

[chief]

I would say he's probably a fringed eyed flathead altho the picture on the blue carpet puts me in too minds. The thick body and chunkiness and head seemed to look like a fringe eyed. Did it have a growth like fringe above it's eyes like eyebrows?

[Freeeedom]

I'd call it for a fringe-eyed flathead (also called a rock flathead). They have a much stouter body than the usual flatheads (dusky, sand and bar-tailed) and a somehat spikier head. You can't see it clearly in the photos but they have a branching fleshy 'fringe' just above the eyes. They're not uncommon - I catch the odd one or two every year fishing the Bribie passage. Here's a pic that shows the fringe a bit better
Cheers Freeeedom

[Freeeedom]

Beat me by a whisker Chief
Cheers Freeeedom

[Bill_V]

Hi Chief and Freeeedom,

Thanks for that, actually you are right, it did have a fringy bit over it's eyes and it did look alot like Freeeedom's pic.

I had never seen one before and I have caught alot of Flatties (Sandies, Bar tail, duskies etc) down the pin in the last couple of years and never have they looked like that bloke.

I was surprised at how aggressively it took my plastic considering it was just tagging the surface of the water and he practically jumped out of the water to grab it. Must have been really hungry.

That was a really good day out with my daughter and the photo of that Fringe Eyed Flathead reminds me of it when I see it.

Anyhow, thanks for solving that mystery for me.

Cheers,

Bill

[Aquarius]

Yep the guys are correct its a fringe eyed or rock flathead for sure.
Ive caught a couple around Mud.
Cheers Brent

[slyman]

Yep fringe-eyed flathead. They are unregulated too, so there is no size or bag limit on them. According to Grants: "Although it grows up to only 15 inches (380mm), fillets taken from the chunky body are well worth preparing for the table". Never taken or eaten one though.

[Rainbowrunner]

Used to catch them in Gladstone Harbour and seen them alot when snorkeling the rocks around the mouth of the Boyne river. We used to call them a rock or prehistoric flathead, Ive seen them at least 80cm.

[Jurkyjj]

I too have caught some of these blokes down the Jumpinpin.
quite common actually.

Jason.