Scientific Name: Platycephalus endrachtensis

The Flathead is a popular sport and table fish found in all parts of Australia. It inhabits estuaries and the open ocean. There are many species, including the dusky flathead (Platycephalus fuscus), the sand flathead, and the tiger flathead.

The Dusky Flathead are found in estuaries and coastal bays, from Cairns in Queensland to the Gippsland Lakes in Victoria. They occur over sand, mud, gravel and seagrass and can inhabit estuarine waters up to the tidal limit. They have a maximum size of 15 kg and maximum length of 1.5 m.

Ocean Flathead (Sand Flathead, Tiger Flathead, Bar-tailed Flathead) are, as named, generally located more offshore than the Dusky Flathead. Frequenting the sandy zones around and between coastal reefs. They are sometimes called lizards or lizard fish due to their reptilian appearance.

Fishing methods
Casting little bibbed lures around the shallows and along the dropoffs of an estuary is a great way to explore a large patch of fishing territory in a session. My spinning outfit these days comprises a 2m light graphite spin stick, 4kg braid and a short 10kg mono trace. This gear is very sensitive, a delight to use and allows me to feel just about every bump and knock from fish. I tend to look for slightly darker coloured areas, which mostly indicate drop-offs and holes where flathead could hide to ambush baitfish and prawns on a falling tide. It may seem surprising but there are areas of estuaries that consistently seem to produce flatties for knowledgable anglers.