Flathead photos and information

Flathead (Platycephalus fuscus) Photographs and Information

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Scientific Name	Platycephalus fuscus
Location	Australia Wide
Season	All year round
Size	Average 30cm - 60cm
Australian Species Code	37 296004
Taste, Texture	Mild flavour, tender to firm and flakes easily.

Information about Flathead (Platycephalus fuscus):

There are more than 40 species of Flathead found in Australia. Most of these are found from southern QLD, south around the southern half of Australia to South West Western Australia.

Flathead are found in shallow estuaries and lakes and inhabit streams as far upstream as the tidal limits, but they often are found in freshwater. They are also found offshore on sandy or gravel bottoms and seagrass beds. Their range is from intertidal areas to depths of 10 metres. Sand Flathead have been found at depths of up to 100 metres.

Flathead are a lazy fish who lie partly covered in mud or sand and wait for their prey to be within a close distance, though occasionally they are scavenging feeders. Their diet consists of small fish, crabs, prawns and other small crustaceans, octopus, squid and worms.

Commercial fishing for Flathead is an important fishery in NSW with most capture being in late Autumn to early spring, and are mainly caught using gill nets and tunnel nets.

Sand Flathead catches of southern New South Wales and in eastern Bass Strait are controlled by the Commonwealth of Australia under regulations applying to the South East Fishery. Gear restrictions and legal minimum lengths apply in all States.

The maximum age of flathead is 9 years and the maximum size is 46 - 120 cm tail length. Weight maximums are 3 - 15 kg.

Flathead are also a popular recreational fish. Wire traces are recommended as they have sharp, powerful mouths. Live, small fish are a very successful bait. Fishing on the edge of sandbars and particularly on the edge of channels in marine lakes produces good catches.

The colour of raw Flathead fillet is white. When cooked, the flesh is tender to firm and flakes easily. They have a low fat content and has a distinct, mild flavour.