Bluespotted Flathead
The bluespotted flathead is the common flathead of Sydney Harbour, Botany Bay and the coastal shallows, named for the vivid blue spots on its fins. Easy to catch and superb eating, it is a favourite target for a relaxed day drifting the sand flats.
About the bluespotted flathead
Bluespotted flathead are a smaller, more numerous cousin of the dusky, easily told apart by the bright blue spots on their tail and fins. They live over the sand flats, estuary channels and coastal shallows in and around Sydney, lying camouflaged on the bottom and ambushing prawns and baitfish as they drift past.
They are one of the easiest fish to target on the harbour, which makes them perfect for a fun, productive session, and they bite freely on both bait and lures. What they lack in size they make up for on the plate, with clean, mild, white flaky flesh that is excellent eating.
Bluespotted Flathead at a glance
| Name | Bluespotted Flathead |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Blue-spotted Flathead |
| Scientific name | Platycephalus caeruleopunctatus |
| Best season in NSW | Oct–Apr |
| Habitat | Sand flats, estuaries, coastal shallows |
| Where found in NSW | Sydney Harbour, Botany Bay, NSW estuaries |
| Size and bag limits | 36cm min, bag 10 (flathead aggregate limits may apply) |
| Average size | 35–60cm |
| Max size | 80cm+ |
| Fishing method | Drift fishing, casting soft plastics, bait fishing |
| Best bait / lure | Soft plastics, pilchards, prawns, squid strips |
| Difficulty | Easy to Medium |
| Eating quality | Excellent |
| Taste | Mild, white, flaky flesh |
| Recipe ideas | Battered, grilled, pan fried |
Drifting the harbour sand flats
Bluespotted flathead are an easy, obliging target, ideal for a fun light-tackle day on the harbour.
The proven methods
Drift the sand flats and channel edges and work a soft plastic or a lightly weighted bait, prawn, pilchard or squid strip, along the bottom. Like all flathead they ambush from the sand, so the bite usually comes on the drop or the pause. Keep drifting to cover ground until you find a patch of fish, then keep working it. Blades and small plastics hopped back to the boat are deadly, and everyone from first-timers to seasoned anglers can get among them. All the gear is on board and ready to go.
How Wahoo puts you on them
Getting among the flatties is about reading the flats and setting a drift that covers the productive sand on the right tide. George Aslanian has spent more than 30 years fishing Sydney Harbour and Botany Bay and knows where the fish stack up. On a light-tackle harbour session we set the drift, rig you with plastics or bait, and keep you covering ground so the whole crew stays busy. Keen to get among them? Ask us about a Sydney sport fishing charter.
Other Estuary fish
Australian Bass
Australian Bass (Macquaria novemaculeata): an iconic native NSW sportfish. Season, size, methods and eating quality, plus where to find them in NSW rivers and estuaries.
Dusky Flathead
Dusky Flathead (Platycephalus fuscus): the Sydney estuary staple. Season, size, bag limits, methods and eating quality, plus how to catch them around Sydney Harbour.
Flounder
Flounder (Bothidae spp.): a well-camouflaged NSW estuary flatfish. Season, size, bag limits, methods and eating quality, plus how to catch them around Sydney.
Yellowfin Bream
Yellowfin Bream (Acanthopagrus australis): a cagey Sydney harbour and estuary favourite. Season, size, bag limits, methods and eating quality off Sydney.
Keen on a feed of flathead?
Tell us your dates and crew and we will get you drifting Sydney Harbour's sand flats for bluespotted flathead, all gear supplied, every level welcome. Browse the full species guide, or get among them on our sport and reef charters.