Tiger Flathead
The tiger flathead is the offshore cousin of the estuary duskies, living out on the open sand and gravel country off the Sydney coast. Drift-fished in numbers over the right ground, they are a fun, easy target and their firm white fillets are hard to beat.
About the tiger flathead
Tiger flathead take their name from the rusty, tiger-like blotches across their backs. Unlike the estuary flathead, they live out on the open coastal sand and gravel bottom in deeper water, where they lie in wait for a passing meal. They are often caught in good numbers on the drift, which makes them a favourite for a fun, productive day out wide.
They are not huge, but they pull in solid little bursts and they bite freely, so everyone on board stays busy. Best of all, they are superb on the plate, clean, firm white fillets that pan-fry beautifully, which is why the tiger flathead is one of the most popular offshore eating fish in NSW.
Tiger Flathead at a glance
| Name | Tiger Flathead |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Platycephalus richardsoni |
| Best season in NSW | Oct–Mar |
| Habitat | Offshore sand |
| Where found in NSW | Coastal NSW |
| Size and bag limits | 36cm min, bag 10 |
| Average size | 50–80cm |
| Max size | 1.2m |
| Fishing method | Drift fishing |
| Best bait / lure | Pilchards, Lures |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Eating quality | Very Good |
| Taste | Firm white |
| Recipe ideas | Pan fry |
Drift fishing the offshore sand
Tiger flathead are all about covering ground on the drift and keeping a bait or plastic working the bottom.
The proven methods
The classic approach is a slow drift across the open sand and gravel country with a bait rig on the bottom, pilchard, squid or fresh fish strips do the job, bumping the sinker along to find the fish. Soft plastics and blade lures worked with a lift-and-drop also account for plenty of flatties. Because they sit on the bottom in patches, drifting lets you keep covering new ground until you find a school. All the gear is on board and ready to go.
How Wahoo puts you on them
The key is knowing which patches of offshore sand and gravel are holding fish and setting up the drift to cover them. George Aslanian has spent more than 30 years learning the coastal grounds off Sydney and how the drift and current line up over the flathead country. We put you on the right ground, set the drift, and keep you working baits or plastics along the bottom for a steady day and a good feed. Ready to go? Book a dedicated Sydney reef charter.
Other Reef & offshore fish
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Snapper
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Keen on a feed of flathead?
Tell us your dates and crew and we will get you drifting Sydney's offshore sand for tiger flathead, all gear supplied, every level welcome. Browse the full species guide, or head wider on our reef and deep sea charters.