Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Saltwater-Estuary » Flathead Fishing Tips - Low Tide Edge Bite

Flathead Fishing Tips - Low Tide Edge Bite

By Bo Sawyer

Multiple flathead tournament winner Bo Sawyer runs through the hot bite action that the low tide edge bite produces, along with the gear and techniques that he uses for targeting flathead in this scenario.

Edge fishing has provided me with the best flatty action I’ve ever experienced. I’ve had sessions where 50-70 fish have been boated in just a few hours. Flathead feed so aggressively along bank edges and it is great fun watching them chase bait in the shallows. In this article we are going to dive into some tips and techniques to help transform your edge bite fishing.

Where to Fish

Flats that are covered with water on high tide are perfect candidates for low tide edge fishing. Generally, the larger the flat, the more potential there is for larger numbers of fish, because a higher surface area can accommodate more flathead. As water drains off the flats, the fish must come off as well and that’s going to concentrate them in a much smaller area. This is great news for two reasons.

Firstly, we have a higher fish count per square metre because the fish are no longer spread out over the flats. Secondly, we can concentrate our casting efforts in a much smaller area, which increases the ground we can cover and ultimately how many fish we can catch. Banks that have weed along the low tide edge are my preferred areas as the added structure attracts more fish. We also want to find areas where bait is holding and it’s very common to see flathead actively chasing them around.

Technique

Get that plastic hard up against the edge! Casting accuracy isn’t something that’s heavily associated with flathead fishing, however, I can tell you with certainty, if you’re not landing your lure on the right line then you’re going to miss out on a lot of fish. Flathead will quite often hug the structure very tightly, so it’s important we get our offering right in their faces. You’ll be surprised how shallow they will sit as well. My last 90cm fish was in less than a foot off the bank in only 20 centimetres of water.

So, it’s very important that we land the cast right at the edge. Vary your retrieves to see what’s working the best and don’t be afraid to work different retrieves on the same cast. I’ll quite often flick at the start of my retrieve, especially if it’s too shallow to hop, then, once the water level gets deeper, I can start hopping the plastic. Again, keep changing it up until you find what the flathead are responding to. Flathead can also hit your plastic and head straight for the deep, so it’s important to stay in contact and keep pressure on the fish.

Time and Tides

I like targeting edges on the last of the outgoing tide as flathead will feed on baitfish that are making their way off the flats. The start of the incoming can be just as productive, as flathead will still feed aggressively as they start making their way back onto the flats. On the dead low, when the water stops flowing, you will quite often see the bite die down. You can either wait for the current to start running again or change spots.

It’s also important to know what the tide levels are doing. A low tide can be a lower low or a high low (check your tide charts). Some banks will fish better on lower lows, whereas others can fish poorly. Some spots can also fish way better on the incoming when there’s a lower low and have very little feeding activity on the last of the outgoing tide. This is something that takes time to figure out. Start taking note of how big (or small) the tides are and how the fishing was at your spots.

If you can have these tides that we’ve talked about lining up with a dawn or dusk period, with low wind, then even better! This will definitely increase your chances of nailing those fish. In saying that, I’ve still had some unbelievable sessions in the middle of the day. I believe that the best chance of getting that mind blowing session is just time on the water.

Gear

My favourite combo to use is the TT Black Mamba 7’, 3-6kg spin rod, paired with the Okuma ITX 2500H reel. I like the fast action of the TT rod as it gives me a good hook set on my fish and the higher speed reel allows me to retrieve line fast when bigger fish run back at me.

In the plastics department, it’s hard for me to go past the ZMan 4” Diezel MinnowZ, which is my absolute go-to flathead plastic. The ZMan 3.5” Trick SwimZ can be a better option if the bait in the area is quite small. My favourite colours in murkier water are Pearl, Motor Oil, Calico Candy, and Gold Rush. When the water is clean, I like Pearl and Green Lantern. Chuck these on a TT HeadlockZ HD jighead in a 1/4oz weight with a 3/0 or 4/0 hook size.

I tend to fish on the heavier side in the line department. I use Platypus Pulse X8 Braid in 15lb and 15lb Platypus Stealth FC Leader. You could certainly fish lighter, with 8-10lb braid and 10-12lb leader, however you may lose the occasional larger fish. I like using heavy hook sets and keeping good pressure on my fish, which is why I prefer fishing heavier line.

All that’s left for you to do now is to get out there and start catching those fish! Don’t be afraid to explore new ground and you can even jump on Google Maps to find more flats in the system that you fish. Make sure you are always scanning the areas you’re in and looking out for feeding fish or unsettled bait.

Good luck and tight lines.

Gearing Up:

TT Black Mamba Spin Rods – BMS701M, 7’, 3-6kg.
Okuma ITX Carbon Spin Reels – ITX-2500H
Platypus Pulse X8 Braid – 15lb
Platypus Stealth FC Fluorocarbon Leader – 15lb
ZMan 3.5” Trick SwimZ
ZMan 4” DieZel MinnowZ
TT HeadlockZ HD Jigheads – 1/4oz 3/0 or 4/0