SPEARFISHING FLATHEAD | How to guide: Part 1 - skip to half way if you just want the action!
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
- SPEARFISHING FLATHEAD | How to guide: Part 1 - skip to half way if you just want the action! - South Australia
Spearfishing Southern Bluespotted Flathead is a favourite of mine in South Australia as they are great to eat and in sustainable numbers. One of the best places to get them is on the shallow, sand flats right under the noses of beachcombers. I have pulled out National record sized fish from these types of areas, and I had held the Australian National and SA State Spearfishing Records for heaviest Southern Bluespot Flathead. Since filming this “how to” video, my National Record was smashed by a Victorian spearo in 2020, and the SA State Record beaten in 2022... Congrats spearo’s!). No surprise since VIC and SA produces some great spearos.
I've trained a few friends on how to get them, but many seem to find it hard to get into the groove. It's all about stealth and patience. So I thought I'd save time and make a "how to" video on it.
All the footage is from a 2hr 30min session on the one day, and I tried to give a real account of this day. No doubt it was a good day, and a bit of luck is always a spearfisher’s friend. However, I can’t stress enough on how important it is to go slow (float with the current, don’t kick), be quiet and don’t look directly at them after you spot them and only when you are finally aiming at them. You’ll see me do this in the video, spot them and then quickly look slightly off to the side of them. Then when I come back in for the kill shot, I’m focused on my target and don’t hesitate when I’ve got the shot. If you can relax your body and mind, and just float around with the currents, you’ll wreak the rewards.
Naturally there’s a bit more to it, so ask a question if you need as I couldn’t fit everything in the video. I spear them in rocky reef areas to the shallow, sandy flats of SA.
Watch Part 2: Stealth & Patience for an example of how close you can get and how to find that one that got away.
Hope the video helps those who want to learn how to get a good feed.
(In SA: minimum size is 30cm and bag limit is 10 per person. Boat limit is 30.)
Music: www.bensound.com 
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Really interesting and useful topic. I'm a former Sydney spearo living in NZ. Wish we had flathead here. Lovely and sweet. I made handspwears for my kids that would be perfect for this. Simply five foot fibreglass electric fence rods with a pranger head epoxyed on the end and a handspear rubber attached through an aluminium tube ferrul on the end. It would be lethal with thoses flathead as they are relatively light and very fast. Another alternative would be to freespear them using a simple Hawaiin sling made from a piece of dowel or broomhandle and a franger on one of your existing spears.
Thanks for the compliment, and great input. I love the handspears, I still have a couple and don’t use them near enough. Like many I cut my teeth on them here in SA. Only got to spearfish a couple of times in Sydney when I lived there. Wish I had done more there when I had the chance. Kiwi’s are missing out not having the flatties, but they make up for it with the snapper, kingies, lobsters, etc.
Didn’t know kiwis don’t have flatties.. gd idea diy a hand spear and save some coin
Hats off to you man. Sustainable fishing👏👏👏
Oh geez no, I wouldn’t call this sustainable at all. It is a how to spearfishing method guide. Sustainability comes when you know when to stop… e.g. I don’t spearfish this area anymore as I just got too good at it. I feel I took too many this video in hindsight. I should have taken one and stuck to more numerous species in the area like yellowfin whiting. Haven’t been spearing here this spot for near 2 years. Hopefully the flathead will appreciate it. Living and learning as I go like all of us.
Super video, thank you.
A great watch, informative and interesting for sure.
Appreciate the effort
Thanks Ian. I hope it helps.
If you do get caught with a Flathead spine in handling it (without gloves) then it will sting. If you rub some of the slime off it's belly on the sting then it will ease off straight away. Nice session and some solid fish. Good advice about not stringing fish on you as once I was followed by a shark which came up right behind me after fish I was carrying. Last time I carried fish like that!
Good advice. I’ve heard that a few times regarding what to do when spiked.
Where did you get followed?
Well offshore at Wreck Beach Inverloch in Victoria.@@hanoitripper1809
excellent. I've learnt something here. I will certainly try this method. Thank you.
Thanks Carlton! Sounds silly, but it’s the hardest thing to just not stare, totally relax and stay still, goes against every natural urge when hunting. But, totally pays off when you get it down. My strike rate went up a lot for sure.
@@SpearfishingSouthAustralia yes I bet trying to ignore the fish is difficult 😂 trial and error I guess!
Flathead have spines, but they aren’t poisonous.
Hold them by the bottom lip of you have gloves. If no gloves, hold them in a pinch position on the under side where the Gill slits meet on the head.
Also if you use a 450-750 gun ( I use double rubbers ),
You won’t have to back away from the fish and you can use a bullet head spear.
Good comments. Yep, that’s exactly where I hold them on the bottom lip. And I’ve made the mistake a few times of doing it without gloves, lol. I have 3 guns sadly, so not keen on getting a new one, lol. But yep, would help having a shorter gun and I have mates who have exactly that. But where we go we also get yellowfin and the longer gun allows us to shoot them easily too on the same dives (they tend to sit a couple of meters away from the diver in the areas we get them).
The other thing about backing away once I spot the flathead that I didn’t get to tell in the video is, when shooting flathead, especially the ones over 50cm, we find they have a bad habit of ripping themselves off if the shot isn’t a good hold shot. So moving away lets us come back at the optimum angle to get a good head or shoulder shot. I prefer to come in so I’m facing or behind the flathead, as this seems to give me the most accuracy and chance of having a shot they can’t rip themselves off the spear from. We find if you shoot them side on, which is sometimes unavoidable, you might get a gut or side of the head jaw spear placement. When I was doing this originally I would lose a few fish as they would tear themselves apart and dive headfirst into a grass meadow and disappear. Once I started backing off and coming back in at the best angle I could, the number of big flathead lost was far less.
Not too sure about the spines not being poisonous. My flathead spike wounds don’t seem to heal as quick as a regular spike. But in saying that, there is no extra pain I feel when I get spiked like I do when a catfish (cobbler) spikes me. That last 60+cm one in the footage actually spiked me right through the Kevlar gloves, lol.
Great comments though, you can tell you catch them too.
@@SpearfishingSouthAustraliayeah your right about getting the good shot, through the head on on a slight angle. It’s the best shot. A 90 degree shot, if it’s close, grab the spear and hold it to the bottom. They can’t go anywhere. I always head shot these.
I understand there’s a lot of guys with bigger gun for different species but if one of your guns are old it could be cut down if your just chasing flathead and estuary fish.
Those spines, like most fish have a slime with gets into the cuts/ holes. They do take longer to heal because of this and saltwater. Cleaning the cut is the go. Even if it’s small.
It was great to see how you guys do it Down south.
Yep, agree. Wish I could post the photos of today of the 65cm that ripped its head to bits and almost came off my mates pranger. That’s where the placement comes into its own, so coming back around and getting the perfect angle is a big plus. I go for the kill shot right where the otoliths are at the top of the spine, half are an instant kill shot which is handy. Best hold shot too as it’ll go straight through the shoulders if you come in from the front or behind. But, can’t always get the perfect angle. If you ever come down south, hit me up for a spear.
@@SpearfishingSouthAustraliaYeah, your the same as me mate. I was just cruising the sanctuary today watching 90+ size flathead and trying to creep along the bottom from behind. You’d be surprised how good they can still see you at that angle. To be honest I was heart broken I couldn’t take the gun and shoot them. 😂
Same goes for you my friend, if your ever up in nsw, hit me up. 👏
Keep them videos coming
Wow! Sounds fun, and frustrating, lol.
Will do. I used to live up there in Sydney. Only ever caught one dusky in my life, and using a fishing rod. Wish we had those dusky’s down here.
Good catch , they’re getting expensive now, $75 a kg at the local shops! smart about reducing the risk by going low tide. I started in port Phillip bay and I’m always looking around for those noahs.. do you sometimes use a shark shield?
Geez, that’s expensive!
When it’s open water I usually use a shark shield. When the water gets higher with the tide the sharks can swim over the seagrass. Small 1m-1.5m bronzies come it to these shallows 1-5 at a time. Only ankle biters, but they can still tax your fish or take a finger or two.
@@SpearfishingSouthAustralia yep way too much! Eastern burbs fishmonger in melbs.. I’ve never bought anything from him just walked past his shop on way to Coles 🤣
summer is back!
Imma be that bloke( venomous spines)
Love the video, very informative and a good watch. Currently travelling through south Australia on a road trip, I’ve never managed to find a flathead. I was wondering if you could give me a couple spots to try. Thanks mate, keep the videos coming !!
Sure Mel. Where are you heading through?
@@SpearfishingSouthAustralia we are currently in Ardrossan, but will be doing a complete lap of Yorke peninsular, so any spots along the way would be awesome. Thanks for the reply !
@@melcoinu6639 do you have Messenger? If you do I’ll PM you.
@@SpearfishingSouthAustralia yes I sure do, my name is Mel Coinu
@@melcoinu6639 I’ve PM’d you
Nice video my friend...
Spearfishing in the salt water.
I m from indonesia
Thanks Hosea! You call the “flathead” as “crocodile fish” don’t you over there in Indonesia?
@@SpearfishingSouthAustralia why?
@@kayongadventure just curious as I find it interesting.
Hi where is Aus is this and is just a teen is a pole speer from bcf good for this
This is South Australia. I started with a pole spear (Hawaiian sling) once upon a time. Yes, you can use one for flathead. But, with the bigger flathead (50+cm) you have to push them into the ground as otherwise they will rip themselves off. You need to make sure your spear is very sharp to get through their bony heads, and you definitely want a head shot right near their shoulders.
Starting with a pole spear taught me how to stalk fish as you need to get closer then with a speargun. If you can master it, you will find a speargun easy. Good luck!
@@SpearfishingSouthAustralia thank you so much! Would you know any good spots in south aus
@@eliachanias2054 I know loads of good spots, basically all over the entire SA coastline (not joking). I won’t give out secret spots sorry. Best thing to do is watch as many RUclips vids on flathead in South Australia and Victoria, get tips on possible locations and the structures you find the flathead (sand, seagrass, rocks, etc.), and also check out the satellite maps for good locations based on what you have learnt. Even in some of my videos I give out generic locations, but people do catch them everywhere. The fact is, the flathead are everywhere, and it is more important to know where they would hang out at that targetted location. It isn’t hard once you know what you are looking for underwater. There is no easy spot you will definitely get a flathead though, even the spots I have filmed many get none where I’ll walk away with a few on the very same day. That’s why I made the videos to help train people. You’ll be good at it if you keep trying.
Good flatty
Thanks mate. It was a fun day.
Looks too shallow to be legal (depending where you are in Aus.)
In South Australia this is completely legal. But I’m fascinated to find out where it would be illegal in Australia. Where is it illegal to spear fish in shallow water?
@@SpearfishingSouthAustralia Think he’s still trying to find somewhere lol