# flathead, plastics and you.



## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

i'm a keen plastics fisherman, and i love targeting flathead on them, recently i've been using the gulp range and they've worked quite well, the Pogy mullet and baby shrimp in natural colours seem to bring me the most success, but i'm curious as to what other people use, does anyone else use the berkley gulp range? what do you think of them, and if not, what plastics are your "go to" lures.


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

I have a tackle box full of sps donated by dissillusioned visiting relatives so I don't buy many.

The ones I've got are mainly Berkley Powerbaits about 2"-3" long with forked tails (hate them but they work).

The few times I've gone out and bought extra plastics, because I've wanted something bigger, I've bought the Squidgy slick rigs and Tsunami pre-rigged shad tail thingies.

I can't say they are good or bad and I don't take particular notice of what colour they are but when the fish are biting I catch fish. Maybe I'd catch more of less if I experimented with other brands/styles/colours, don't know.


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## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

squidgie slick rigs look great, havn't actually got around to buying myself a packet yet though :lol:


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2010)

Squidgey fish on a 3/8 head are my go to at the moment. really enjoy flicking them around.


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## jokinna (Mar 2, 2010)

i been using softies, thanks to coatsey  .

85mm curl tail in silver, and blue. with 9gm 2/0 and 4/0 sqidgey jigheads. also been using 100mm squidgey fish sumthins in greys and blues.


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## geebz (Mar 24, 2009)

I like pearl watermelon minnow/flickbait in clear water and the good old pumkinseed or nuc chook in dirtier water.

A flathead would probably eat anything that goes past its nose though.


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## Samurai (May 6, 2010)

I have been a faithful Squidgy Pro man for a long time but lately I have had good catches using Atomic Ripperz 2" grub tails in Green Gord.


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## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

nice, and welcome to the forum, i noticed you only have one post, i'm pretty new as well.


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## adzy (Apr 26, 2010)

My goto plastic for the flat ones are squidgy fish in the grasshopper color, starting with a 5gram ball jig head


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## DylanBrady (Nov 25, 2010)

i use 5" shad luers in nuc chicken colour and they work a treat


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## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

5inch for flattys? you must chase the real stonkers :lol:


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## COATSEY1 (Jan 31, 2010)

80 mm -100mm squidgee fish silver fox gold and black,or drop bear in dirty water or low light
any 4/0 jig head
coatsey1 :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:


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## boydglin (Aug 12, 2010)

squidgy flickbaits about 5 inch i think :? or the smaller ones work fine too. these are my go to lure for flatties these days but my fallback will always be the trusty atomic jerkshad in 4inch or 5 inch once again im not sure of the exact size cause i dont really pay that much attention to the packet just buy the size that looks good. also its probably worth saying that u dont need to go big with your plastic to get the big flatties they wont turn down a well presented smaller lure. i usually dont fish with anything heavier than 1/24 jig heads either but then i dont usually have a lot of tidal flow where i fish either. i think the best rule is the lightest jig head that still gets u to the bottom


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

Squisgy Fish - Gold and Black
Gulp Sand Worms - Any colour


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## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

what size for the gulp sandworms and do you rig them with a normal jighed or one of the monged up looking worm hooks?


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## RackRaider (Nov 10, 2010)

I agree, The Squidgy fish is a dynamite lure for Flathead


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

Lachy said:


> what size for the gulp sandworms and do you rig them with a normal jighed or one of the monged up looking worm hooks?


Six inch worms, whole. Normal jig head, but heavy duty guage.


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## GregL (Jul 27, 2008)

I'll put another vote in for Black and Gold squidgies, and also the awesome Gary Glitter colour, which is my personal favourite. I'm not too fussy with the jig head - no stuffing around, just get the lure down to the bottom asap.
If your fishing over sandflats with moving water, then you'll be hard pressed to use anything more successful than a 2" banana prawn gulp shrimp.
If the water is a bit dirty then go for the peppered prawn.
If I'm specifically out and targetting big flatties (80cm plus), then my go to lure is a 3" peppered prawn, fished fairly slowly in deep water.
And use blades too - flatties love them more than sp's. Just use a decent strength, high abrasive resistant leader (ie Sunline FC Rock in 8lb or 10lb), and just go easy on the fish - as soon as you get colour on him, back your drag off and keep his head under water - that will help prevent the fish from doing the big splashing headshakes that nearly always result in a lost fish and lure.
Hope that helps,
Regards,
Greg


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## diver72 (Jan 2, 2010)

I use a bit of everything but my PB (93cm) has been on a gulp 2" shrimp so even the big girls find something that small worth going for. Considering the size of the mouth there is not much in a estuary that won't fit in the big ones mouth.


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## seajay69 (Nov 28, 2010)

I dont think there would be a plastic that a flathead wouldn,t eat,sqidgies,atomics and gulp in all colours they seem to like them all. Just be confident with your choice and you will do ok Good luck Carl


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## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

that's a STONKER 
Kudos to you diver! 
i didn't think a fish of that calibre would tyake interest in a 2" bait, so well done.


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## robsea (Apr 7, 2010)

2 inch baby prawns Gulp:new penny and natural. haven't tried 3 inch size as yet
2 inch sand worms camo Gulp: Like them because they are very species versatile and tend to be consistent performers in warmer months
3 inch minnows Gulp: watermelon pearl
4 inch nuclear chicken also good
smelts in Gulp
Silver fox squidgies: larger size deeper water

On occasion for me but for a mate regularly: Mr Twister double tailsumpkin pepper in 4 inch
Mr twister single tails: pumpkin pepper

All regularly catch flatties for me. Using 1/0 and smaller hooks to suit lure size on 1/8 and smaller jig heads. Make sure that you add some sort of attractant scent to your soft plastics if they are not Gulp. Refresh scent regularly. Change lure if nothing on the go. Sqidgie s factor is great.

cheers

rob


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## Tascore (Nov 22, 2010)

Took my yak out for the first time last night and was trying for flatties on sp. I got some squidgies in lava wriggler cos they had that s factor stuff in the pack and looked alright. Didn't have much luck to start with but I was also just getting a feel for my yak, ended up heading into the shallows and got 2 fish in 2 casts.was happy with that even if they were pushing legal size haha


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## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

Tascore said:


> Took my yak out for the first time last night and was trying for flatties on sp. I got some squidgies in lava wriggler cos they had that s factor stuff in the pack and looked alright. Didn't have much luck to start with but I was also just getting a feel for my yak, ended up heading into the shallows and got 2 fish in 2 casts.was happy with that even if they were pushing legal size haha


i've had people tell me plastics are useless at night? are they full of it? 
glad to hear you did alright


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## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

I got a sand flathead in pretty shallow waters today on a Squidgie Shad, in a semi transparent, light green/ yellow..


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## coopadupa (Oct 27, 2010)

liam8227 said:


> I find that in shallow waters I get the most flatties on plastics (It doesnt seem to matter too much which plastic so long as the tide is right). Usually under a meter of water on the runout tide. Does any one else have the same results?


^^^^ This is exactly my experience. Last of the run out tide in less then 1 metre.


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## pokeatyou2 (Mar 7, 2010)

squidgie wriggler in bloodworm flattie love them and so to the bream


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