The humble Dusky Flathead is a bread and butter species in many of eastern Australia’s estuarine systems between northern QLD and southern VIC.
But if you want to catch the big dusky girls on lures, it gets much more specialised.
If like me you enjoy chasing that magic metre flathead, understanding the behaviors of duskies can give us a clear advantage when targeting trophy sized fish.
Keep reading below to learn about the behaviour, habitat, lures, gear and techniques to increase your catch rate and size when lure fishing for big Dusky Flathead.
Table of Contents
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Quick Summary
Here are the quick notes if you’re running out for a fish and need to get some quick info for targeting big Dusky Flathead.
- Target high tide to fish over shallow sections of the river.
- Look for structure — weed, drops, holes, shade, timber, etc.
- Wade at low tide and look for lays and evidence of food sources.
- Pay attention to wind in the days leading up to your session.
- Approach quietly and get long casts into the shallows before moving in.
- Look for food signs like bait fish, birds, nippers etc in the area.
- Upgrade your lure hooks, big flathead have big head shakes.
- Match your rod to your lure for longer casting.
- Lure selection should be shallow water, top water or swimbaits.
- Low light is the best time of day, regardless of tides.
Time & Place
So you want to find some big flathead but aren’t sure where to start? Choosing the right time to fish, and where to go is always the hardest part.
You know Dusky Flathead are predatory, ambush feeders so it makes sense that their behaviour naturally limits the areas they can be found at their most active.
Thankfully, this helps also you narrow down our fishing zone to find the most productive 10% of water to fish in. Let’s start with the big one: tide.
1. High Tide
For big flathead, high tide is the most productive.
These large, flat headed monsters can sneak way up into the shallows with the tide or position themselves for when the high tide retreats — bringing smaller bait fish right to them.
It makes sense that as other fish feed on bait, nippers, crabs and move out along the flats at high tide the big Dusky Flathead will be moving in to ambush their prey.
It is common for fishos to catch flathead on the run out tide and in deeper water, but you will typically catch smaller sizes in larger numbers this way. The bigger fish are hunting the shallows.
2. Low Light
If you can time the higher tide with a period of low light — overcast, dawn or dusk — you’ll be in prime position for a good flathead session.
Low light allows both bait and predators to move into shallow water with a sense of safety. This is ideal for targeting flathead as they can lay hidden, undisturbed waiting to ambush.
Low light is also the perfect time to target flatties on surface lures.
3. Structure
Look for structure in and around the flats that can provide shelter, bait fish or ambush points for flathead to hunt from.
These can include weed beds that hold bait, changes in bottom colour or structure, drop offs, timber, small holes etc. Big Dusky Flathead will often be located buried in the sand or mud near these points.
If you aren’t sure where to start, walk around the flats at low tide to locate lays and pay attention to nearby structure that might provide safety or food.
4. Time Of Year
Flathead can be caught year round but I have found late summer and autumn to be most productive.
In recent years (in Northern NSW) water temps have been rising and the flats get too warm during the peak of summer for the big flathead to hunt during the day.
I theorize that during autumn there’s a drop in water temps and flathead go into a brumation stage over winter so will feed and hunt heavily before the cooler weather.
However, large Dusky Flathead can be caught year round if you observe your local conditions and some of my best fish have been caught on the flats over winter.
Daiwa Double Clutch
Shallow diving jerk baits and hard body lures are probably the best and easiest all round lure for targeting big Dusky Flathead.
A proven favourite of mine is the 95mm Daiwa Double Clutch, which works best in 1.5m to 3m of water. This is a great lure for deeper flats, working over edges and around structure. I like the Black & Gold and Lazer Ayu colours for dirty or clear water respectively.
- Weight: 8gm
- Length: 95mm
- Depth: 1-3m
- Retrieve: Twitch Twitch Pause
Black & Gold
Lazer Ayu
For big flathead you will need a sizable lure, anything around that 95mm or 120mm is ideal. You can find similar shallow hard bodies from other lure brands that will work just as well.
The reason the legendary Double Clutch is so popular is due to it’s casting system which makes long, silent casts across the flats easy so you aren’t spooking big fish.
I change the supplied treble hooks for larger, stronger singles. I’ve had many trebles snap or bend out from the powerful head shakes and large tough mouths of big flathead.
I usually swap them out for size 6 or size 4 single inline hooks.
Cast out as far as you can, try and bring your retrieve in either with or diagonally along the current. Give 2-3 short, sharp twitches and then pause as you slowly wind the slack of the line.
A pause of anywhere between 3 to 10 seconds will work and you will need to experiment each day. Repeat the twitch, twitch, pause all the way back to the rod.
You can fish these in shallower water also but will need to slow down your retrieve so the lure doesn’t dig in too much and get caught in the sand.
This short video demonstrates the twitch, twitch pause technique.
Leavey Lures Bent Freakn Minnow
These are the secret weapons of monster flathead!
Chasing big duskies on the surface allows you to get way up in the shallows, to fish around structure, and is extremely rewarding to see that big hit on the top from an ambush predator.
These lures are my personal favourite, designed by Mick Leavey in Yamba for targeting jewfish and big flathead. The Leavey Lures Bent Freakn Minnow range are unmatched.
- Weight: 24gm
- Length: 130mm
- Depth: Surface
- Retrieve: Walk The Dog or Slow Roll
Red Head
Pilchard
I change out the strong trebles for inline singles or trailer hooks at the rear, but this is personal preference.
Unlike similar bent minnow lures, these have a much thicker profile and slower action which I prefer, and they come in between many other lure weight/size classes of this type.
The profile size, action and presentation of a large surface lure is irresistable to a large flathead hunting in the shallows and along the flats.
Launch out as far as you can towards some type of structure or where there is bait activity.
You can do a walk the dog retrieve with regular long pauses, or give 3-5 quick twitches and then a pause. You will often be hit on the pause, so let it rest often.
The other retrieve that works with these particular lure is a slow roll all the way back to the rod. These lures will have a sub surface action with a gentle, continuous side to side roll similar to a swim bait which also works a treat when retrieved this way.
Zman 4" Soft Plastics
If you prefer soft plastics fishing, you will want something with some size and action. I like the Zman range due to their durability — you can get a single plastic to last a whole session.
My pick would be any of the DieZel MinnowZ or Trick SwimZ range in a 3.5″ to 7″ size using a jig head weight just enough to get to the bottom with a slow fall.
These can be worked back with a slow roll just above the bottom, or a short twitch and fall before pausing. Repeat this all the way until you get that hit.
The benefit with soft plastic is burying the top of the hook just inside the plastic, so you can fish weedless around the edges of weed beds and under structure where nearby flathead will be stalking. The large mouth of the dusky will push that hook through for an easy hook up.
These are ideal when fishing from the flats over the edges in deeper water, or deeper flats that other hard bodies may struggle to reach.
My Lure Box Soft Glides
If you want a big flathead, you need a big lure and this is the one.
Designed by Aussie fisherman and teacher John Costello for targeting big Dusky Flathead on the flats, this is a unique and specialist flatty lure for the metre hunter.
I’ve personally yet to land a 70cm+ flathead with this setup, but have seen it working and deserves a place in this flathead guide.
Rods & Reels
For Soft Plastics & Double Clutches
You won’t need special high end gear to catch trophy sized flathead. If you’re planning to use soft plastics or the Daiwa Double Clutch lures all you need is a decent 2-4kg rod and a 2500 reel.
I run 8lb to 10lb braid with a 10lb to 15lb mono leader for this lighter style of fishing.
For Big Surface Lures
Throwing larger surface lures like the Leavey Lures Bent Freakn Minnow requires a stronger rod, but you can still use your standard 2500 reel with this setup.
I run a 3-6kg rod, just ensure your rod can handle the heaver lure weight for these.
I also step up my main braid line to 15lb and my leader to 20lb to prevent my line breaking on the cast.
Handling Big Flathead
You’re bound to land a trophy fish eventually, and when you do please be mindful of handling these big girls so they can be safely released.
Large flathead should be released as they are significant breeding stock, essential for future fish stocks.
- Do use a large rubber landing net
- Do support the belly
- Do give them time to settle in the water
- Do take your photo and release quickly
- Don't lift them by their jaw
- Don't put them on the hot boat deck/floor
- Don't land them before you are ready
- Don't use lip grips if you can avoid them
Enjoy your fishing and share your thoughts below, do you have a better method or lure for targeting big Dusky Flathead?
