Any tips for luring small flatties??

[fishwifus]

Gday everyone
i was wondering if anyone could give me a few tips on luring flathead from shallow water. You see i know these flatties are there because i am always catching them on dead and live baits but i just cant seem to catch them on lures. tips such as lure size, type, colour and features in the water i should look for would be greatly appreciated.

[Touchy - R.I.P.]

What area do you fish fishwifus?,my last couple of trips to the pin I have had a play with some soft plastics,not a lot of fish but tho' a couple 'round the 60cm,on one sandbank pulled three med size flatties from one small area on a white "grub"the ones with the single curved tail,tho'if you find any with the triple tail they would be great I reckon,I'm thinking if you tried similar along the sandflats,slow retrieve/stop/lift rod tip/let jig flutter to the bottom/3 winds/repeat & I try to work the tide so it is coming toward you as it helps push the jig back down,watch your line & when you get the "bow"in your line from the jig hitting the bottom wind in the slack,lift the rod tip & start the above action again, you may be supprised with what you get,I have found the smaller jigs & plastics are working better than the heavier/bigger/ones. Hope this helps a bit.Cheers Touchy.><>.

[Benno]

Fishwifus,
You can't go past the Mann's 5+ and 10+. The best flathead lure I have found by a country mile. Good luck

Cheers Benno

[bugman]

I'd have to agree with Benno,

Not being a rubber man myself - but I think I might take it up soon - the mann's range has definitely outshone anything else in my tackle box.

Bugman

[J_Large]

try using a small 10g Wonder Wobbler. I've caught a few on this.

also a small minnow shaped soft plastic (5cm) pink in colour... i've snagged a few on this too.

[Touchy - R.I.P.]

Fisho,The advice from the posts re Manns is spot on but let me tell ya fella's I was using them 10 years ago with a lot of top results but I reckon anyone not moving UP to soft frangers is gunna be left behind,learn to work 'em properly while the flattie are in their winter mode(& I can pull 5 or 6 easy,60cm to undersize)without spending all day doing it & by spring you will all be sick of catching them,this is NOT a cash for comment ect.ect.but check out this web site by a couple of fisho's for fisho's regarding top plastics & price.www.houseolures.tripod.com Cheers Touchy.><>.

[Flynny]

Hi fishwivus
Last weekend at the Bream comp in Caloundra SEQ, the guys were screaming because they were struggling for bream but hooking flatties one after the other on small soft plastic shads,1/16--1/8 lead heads. One guy got 60!!
Trolling these same waters for flathead the lure of choice is a lively lure mini-micro or micro,pink on chrome works a treat.
regards Pete

[LYNDO]

Have to agree with pete

The lively lure micro mullets are very reliable & constant produces of flatties rangeing in size from 8cm-68cm. (my largest so far)

The deadliest colour has been for me pink with silver on sides and the purple/pink ones.

Cheers Lyndo

[team_mongo]

Luring for flatties can be a lot of fun.

My favourite is the legendary 'grey ghost' Manns 5+. I have a lot faith in the 5+, and its come through for me time and time again from flatties to golden trevally.

Any lure that kicks up sand works, from plastics to flies, so you can probably catch them on anything. Other ones to try are micro mullet, tilsans bass for slightly deeper water.

I usually fish shallow banks (under 4 feet) on the outgoing tide. Look for yabbie holes, and small bait fish, this will be your best guide. Its best to wade if you can to cover more ground. Cast upcurrent, and fan your casts. Check out Gordo's QFM article on luring for flatties.

Other places to fish is drains of basins and flats, or the deep edge of gutters. This is where I have caught my biggest flatties, again in water that is under 6 feet.

Hope this helps

George

[Benno]

Touchy,
I will take you up on the plastics. I am going up on the inside of Fraser next week so will try them then. It will be hard to leave the Manns in the lure box, but I'll see which catches the most...

Cheers Benno

[Touchy - R.I.P.]

Beano,Look forward to hearing the results,good fishin',I just have a gut feeling that if the franger use continues the way it is now a couple of years down the track will be interesting as to the % of hardbodies & frangers,Mate if I can catch flattie on the softies they must be alright (& pretty easy to use .Cheers Touchy.><> ><>.