Fine Tuning for Flathead by Christine Hunt

As the days get longer and warmer we all know it's time to turn our fishing attention to catching flathead. I love chasing lizards, they are easily my favourite estuary target and it is this love that has got me into fishing with plastics and completely changed the way I fished.

I am currently in training for the Flathead Classic and no that doesn't mean I am running around the block (although that wouldn't go astray!) What it does mean is that I am fine tuning my approach and increasing my time on the water to specifically target lizards. I have found that getting good results with flathead fishing is all about getting the balance right. We'll start with the best tackle to use.

The correct outfit is very important and the combination of the right rod and line can make all the difference. The major reason soft plastic anglers use graphite rods is to help get the action all the way to the lure. This is something that is often lost in the wobble of fiberglass rods.

When casting plastics you need a rod that you can cast all day long, so length and weight are important factors. In the search for optimal performance and balance, my teammate Tracey decided to go custom and had noted rod builder Brad Job built her a custom outfit. Tracey has used this rod in the ABT BREAM comps and is extremely happy with it, and she is confident it will also serve her well as a light flathead stick.