Flatties

[andycornish]

Been looking around on forums but not seen any advice on where to look for flatties ? Unlike most other things which are 'where the weed meets the sand' the flatties from the vidoes i have watched seem to be in more open areas of sand ?

Also is it worth investing in a 'trident' spear ? As from what i have gathered to standard spear is not as effective ?

 

[spaghetti]

Old Man Dave is the expert of experts. He (and others) gave me some good advice in this thread:http://forums.deeperblue.com/beginner-hunting/83317-nothing-left-learn.html

(don't mind the leisurely jokes and off topics: some really fine info in the thread linked above)

 

[andycornish]

Thanks for the info looks like it all about getting your eye in a seeing them on the sand. Do you know what size the speargun was in the vid ?

 

[foxfish]

Andy, I have speared hundreds a flatfish in the last 30 odd years but only ever shot two or three! I would always recommend hand spearing.

 

[andycornish]

my 75 should not have a problem getting a decent distance through them and into the sand then.

When you say hand spearing is that just using the spear gun and 'poking' them ?

 

[Magpie]

Yes, just hold the bands and push the spear through the fish just behind the eyes. They don't swim away, there is no need to shoot them.

One tip passed on to me by the brother's Foxen is to push the spear through and then grab it on the other side of the fish before surfacing as sometimes when you push it into the fish and sand the other side the flopper does not flop as the sand keeps it straight and the fish can slide back off the spear.

Shooting flatties is not recommended as it could be sat on a rock!

 

[andycornish]

So the spear is still on the gun not separate ? Cheers for the tip on holding the spear on the otherside of the fish i can imagine its pretty frustrating if they escaped.

I have shot through a pollack once that was sitting in front of some weed, not seeing the rock behind in ended up with the spear through the pollack and stuff in the rock ! Was interesting getting the spear out, ruined the point on it as well !

 

[Magpie]

Yes, though if you are going out solely looking for flatties it'd be easier and safer just to take the spear.

 

[andycornish]

On a different note is there any recommendation about what angle to have the tip of the spear ? as currently its about 15deg for 1/2" then 60deg for a few mm ? Needs sharpening due to hitting the aforementioned rock last time i used it.

 

[daveduvet]

Shooting flatties is not recommended as it could be sat on a rock!

I have learnt this the hard way....

I‘d never caught a flattie and had always wanted to. Then a couple of week ago I spotted and speared my first ever one. It was pure chance that I saw him. I was lying still on the bottom waiting for bass and happened notice him lying next to me on the sand! I thought to myself…. ‘I’ll have you!’

I was so stoked by this that I though I’d spend my next trip just scouring the bottom looking for flatties. After a short while I found another! Unfortunately this time, I got so excited that from 6inchs away from him I unloaded my 90cm Snake, rigged with a brand new high quality 20mm rubber pulled to the last notch of my spear.


…He was sat on a rock covered in sand.

I can now shoot around corners with my speargun!:duh

 

[foxfish]

Yep been there too - 20 odd years ago i shot a plaice that snapped my spear in two!