Trolling for flathead seems to be losing popularity amongst many anglers these days, yet it can often be the most effective technique to get amongst the fish.
Roderick Walmsley explains.
Flathead would have to be one of the most popular target species in Australia’s estuaries. This could be attributed to the vast array of techniques that can be employed to target them. From dead baits to lures, trolling to casting; they are keen to eat just about anything we throw at them… as long as it is presented in the correct manner of course.
There will always be a debate as to the most effective technique to catch flathead in estuaries: trolling lures or casting lures? This debate can even get rather heated at times but the answer to it probably lies more so in the fact that on the right day, at the right time, one technique will often outperform the other and vice-versa. Thus it pays to have a reasonable knowledge of both trolling and casting techniques. When I first moved to Australia I advocated the casting technique and would very seldom resort to trolling unless the conditions made it too difficult to work my lure on a cast.
This was all well and good but I was out fished quite substantially on several occasions by guys on the troll. When this happens you can do one of two things: look the other way or learn from the experiences. I decided to learn so I observed and spoke to other fishermen that were good at trolling for flathead. I did so until I could confidently say that I could target flathead on the troll with a degree of proficiency.
It was important to pick up on the subtle signs that would dictate whether it was time to drop the electric in the water to start casting or alternately crank up the big donk and start trolling to get the lures into the strikezone.
Always try to release the big breeding females and be gentle when handling them.
Find the fish
As with most predatory species, flathead ambush their prey. They will constantly move around in estuaries until they find themselves within striking distance of baitfish or other food sources. Water clarity and current flow are both things that will ultimately influence where the fish will be at any given time. Keeping an eye out for these little changes will help you to keep your lures in the strikezone for longer periods of time.
When it comes to luring flathead, don’t be shy to move around until you find good water or good bait concentrations. If you find both then you could be on the verge of a good bite. Systems with larger current flow will be affected more and ultimately change more than systems will little flow thus the flathead will often hold in more predictable areas. Here on the Gold Coast and Northern NSW river systems we are at the mercy of a fair bit of tidal flow and when you add strong wind and waterways affected by heavy rainfall then it can well and truly complicate things.
The one thing you need to get your head around is that flathead have the capacity to move around a fair bit and will do so until they find food. They will then stay in the surrounding area unless something changes, which is not unlike many other predatory fish. There whereabouts in a system is also strongly affected by there need to breed. As this urge becomes stronger they gravitate towards the river mouths of the systems and proceed to hopefully expand their populations.
When trolling for flathead it is important to keep an eye on your sounder for structure and baitfish.
Choose your lure
Once you have narrowed down the area and have found some reasonably clear water it’s time to get your lures out there. You don’t need a big lure to catch flatties, just one that swims consistently straight and can handle a bit of weed and some rough treatment. Probably the most used lure for flathead trolling on the Gold Coast is the Lively Lures Micro Mullet. It dives to a reasonable depth, has a tight wobble when swimming, is robust and allows you to crack the weed off it when it begins to build up on the line. This last trait is probably the most important and a lot of flathead are found around weed patches as these are veritable hot spots for baitfish. Weed provides extra nutrients and a place to hide for the bait as well as the flathead.
Hardbodied lures are not the only lures that will catch flathead on the troll. More and more anglers are resorting to trolling with soft plastics for great results. Soft plastics can also be a bit more weed resistant at times which helps.
Motors don’t seem to spook flathead as easily as other fish and lures that are trolled close behind will often produce the best results. On some days it is almost as if the fish gravitate towards the prop wash as it seems to stir up the baitfish as you drive along. Let the first lure out approximately 10 to 15 m behind the boat and then the others a few metres further back. It pays to stagger your lure’s distances as some days the fish may prefer the lure closer while on other days they may prefer it a fair way back.
Look for weed beds, slight changes in water depth or even bits of timber or rock that the fish can use as some form of camouflage when awaiting prey. Water around 2 to 6 ft deep is a good area to start. The lures will hit the bottom fairly hard in the shallower water and this will often evoke a reaction bite from a fish. The lures also stir up the bottom which attracts the attention of flathead and helps them to find your lure.
A good trick is to keep the lure moving by jerking it a few inches forward and then allowing it to drop back slightly by dropping the rod tip back. This is when most of the bites occur and a lure that is simply dragged behind the boat will not get as many hits as one that is constantly worked. If you’re working your lure, you’ll also be aware of when it’s fouled with weed. You can clear this if using braid by giving the rod a few short sharp strikes before allowing the lure to swim again. If the lure doesn’t begin to vibrate through the line, reel it in as the weed hasn’t cleared off yet.
Trolling is often neglected when it comes to targeting flathead. With the right lures it can be a highly productive technique.
Trolling speed
Speed is a big issue when trolling for flathead and the slower you go – the better. In saying this though, you need to be trolling at a speed that makes your lure ‘work’ and if you can’t feel it vibrating then you may need to go a bit quicker. Factors like tide or wind can affect your troll speed significantly. An example of this is when you’re trolling with the tide. You may need to adjust your speed just enough to get your lure working as the water will be moving in the same direction as your boat and offer your lure less resistance in the water.
I have just upgraded the motor on my boat and fitted it out with a 50HP Yamaha four stroke. Motor choice can be a big plus here with four stroke motors definitely ruling the roost. Some of today’s four stroke motors have even gone as far as offering the user a variable trolling speed setting. This was one of the deciding factors when I was looking for the new motor as my 50HP Yamaha four stroke features variable trolling speed (VTS) on the tiller arm. This enables me to slow my speed right down or even speed it up when trolling against a strong current with the push of a button.
This troll function is controlled by the engine management system and can be adjusted from 500 rpm (below idle speed) to 900 rpm, by operating the two buttons (up/down) on top of the tiller arm. The range of rpm makes it easy to get just the right troll speed for the prevailing conditions, either with the tide or against. This feature is sure to increase hook up rate and is something to consider when upgrading your old outboard. It has made a huge difference to the amount of fish that I catch while trolling, not to mention the difference in fuel savings.
Having a Variable Trolling Speed function on an outboard motor makes it easy to maintain a constant trolling speed.
Keep or release?
Flathead are a great eating fish and once you become adept at catching them on the troll you can rack up some good numbers of fish in a fairly limited tim. Looking after your catch is well worth the effort if you do intend to take a few for the table. There are strict limitations on what you can take and these regulations are obviously there for a very good reason. Release the larger fish for future stocks and keep the mid-range models for the table. By doing so, we can look forward to catching these great fish for years to come.
