The 5-point Flathead Plan by Jamie Robley

As we move into the warmer months, our estuaries start to come out of the doldrums and fish activity slowly, but surely, increases.

One of the best fish to target at this time of year is the good old flathead. They are fun fish to catch, grow to a frightening size and if fish 'n' chips are on your preferred menu, it's hard to go fast fresh flattie fillets lightly pan fried with a squeeze of lemon!

Flathead may not be the hardest fish in the world to catch but, as with any type of fishing, a simple formula can be applied which will certainly help hook more fish. Here's my a five-point plan.

1. SELECT AN AREA

Flathead may be encountered anywhere from offshore reef systems to estuaries, bays and small creeks. They even penetrate right up into the freshwater and it's not unheard of to catch a flathead while bass fishing.

There are, however, certain places that are far more likely to attract and hold flathead. By concentrating your efforts in likely flathead hot spots, the chances of catching a few increase dramatically.

Through the Winter flathead tend to move upstream into creeks or hug some of the deeper parts of an estuary. Just as long as food like small baitfish, shrimp or prawns are present, flathead will stay put.

As the water starts to warm a few degrees through September and October, the fish move out of their hidey-holes and spread themselves around the fringes of an estuary.

Sandy areas adjacent to large weed beds, long river rock walls, creek junctions, sandy beaches, rock bars and bridges or wharves with overhead lighting are all places where flathead may congregate.

In most cases, the bigger fish will be found within a kilometre or so of the mouth of an estuary.

Water depth isn't much of an issue when it comes to flathead and, overall, they do seem to like quite shallow water. If there is a deeper channel or drop-off right near a shallow spot, so much the better.

Another thing to keep an eye out for is the presence of flattie food. That may come in the form of small poddy mullet swimming in the shallows, whitebait hugging a rock wall, prawns hanging around weed beds or the mud flats where pink nippers or soldier crabs live.

An area that appears to be lifeless may not be worth fishing, even if it looks good at first glance.