The Dusky Flathead is one of the most beloved fish in Australia and as far as the East Coast is concerned, probably the most commonly fished for. It is an interesting bottom feeder that buries itself in sand or mud to conceal itself from unsuspecting prey. It uses incredible propulsion to launch out from its hiding place and devour prawns, crabs, nippers and other fish.
Flat on the bottom, the favourite haunt of the Dusky Flathead
The Dusky Flathead is considered one of the bread and butter species of Australian fishing, alongside the likes of Sand Whiting and Bream. They are an excellent beginner species to angle and fall victim to the soft plastic lure in almost tragic fashion. It seems to be a case of putting a plastic near a Flathead and get a hook up most of the time. They are one of the tastiest fish you can catch anywhere, and it is for this reason and their aforementioned propensity for jumping on lures that the fishing community is vigilant about their protection. While numbers of Dusky Flathead have not declined due to overfishing, the technological advancements in luring has fisherman holding grave concerns for the effect weekend fishers will have on stocks. General practice is to release larger fish with a minimum of handling because these are always breeding females. While you can legally take these fish, they lack the flavour of smaller fish and it is concerned generally bad form. For best practice consider fish over 65cm as catch, photograph and release and throw back those under 40cm. These are stricter limits than those enforced by fisheries authorities but if you follow them you will be doing yourself, your children and these fantastic fish a huge service.
