Species
Dusky Flathead
Platycephalus fuscus
Also known as black flathead
Tier 1Eating9/10light tackleNSWVICQLDSAWATASNT
208 waypoints~35–60 cm typicalLast catch 4 days ago
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Recently caught
4 days ago
Active · catches logged in the last 14 days
Where to catch
Range & spots
Overview: about dusky flathead
The east-coast estuary staple from southern QLD to eastern VIC. Ambushes prey on sand and weed edges — targeted with soft plastics, vibes, hardbodies and live baits, walked slowly along drop-offs and flats. Big breeding females (over 70cm) should be released to keep the fishery healthy.
Biology: Dusky Flathead size, diet & habitat
- Habitat
- Beach, Estuary, Inshore
- Typical size
- 35–60 cm (max 120 cm)
- Weight
- 0.5–3 kg (max 15 kg)
- Depth range
- 0–100 m
- Diet
- prawns, small fish, squid
- Most active
- diurnal
- Global range
- Across Australia (multiple species — dusky, sand, bar-tail, etc.)
How to target: Dusky Flathead angling strategies
Generally fished with light tackle — match gear to the conditions and the size of fish you expect.
- soft plastics (curl-tails, paddletails) hopped along sand-mud transitions on the run-out tide
- live poddy mullet on a long-shank hook drifted with current
- trolling small bibbed minnows in 1-3m over weed-edged flats
- blade vibes worked along channel edges in deeper estuaries
Best season: when to catch dusky flathead in Australia
- NSW
- Sep-May (estuaries)
- QLD
- year-round
Seasons shift with water temperature and local conditions, so check recent reports before a trip.
Where to catch: dusky flathead fishing spots in Australia
208 mapped fishing spots, marks and waypoints for dusky flathead across Australia, covering land-based fishing, rock fishing, beach fishing, surf fishing, estuary fishing, jetty and wharf fishing, offshore and bluewater fishing, freshwater fishing and impoundment fishing. Each location below links through to access notes and coordinates.
Tasmania77
- Ansons BayEstuary · TAS-41.08°
- Arthur River MouthRiver Mouth · TAS-41.05°
- Bathurst Harbour Port DaveyEstuary · TAS-43.35°
- BeechfordBeach · TAS-41.02°
- Bellerive BeachBeach · TAS-42.87°
- Betsey IslandReef · TAS-43.03°
- Bicheno - Governors IslandReef · TAS-41.87°
- Binalong BayBeach · TAS-41.25°
- Boat Harbour BeachBeach · TAS-40.95°
- Bowen Bridge DerwentWharf · TAS-42.79°
- Bridport JettyJetty · TAS-41.00°
- Browns River KingstonEstuary · TAS-42.98°
- Bruny Island - Adventure BayBay · TAS-43.35°
- Carlton BeachBeach · TAS-42.88°
- Cloudy BayBeach · TAS-43.45°
- Cockle CreekEstuary · TAS-43.58°
- Coles Bay JettyJetty · TAS-42.12°
- Cornelian BayShoreline · TAS-42.86°
- Cosy Corner Bay of FiresBeach · TAS-41.25°
- Crescent BayBeach · TAS-43.17°
- Denison BeachBeach · TAS-41.78°
- Eaglehawk NeckHeadland · TAS-43.02°
- Falmouth BeachBeach · TAS-41.51°
- Forth River MouthRiver Mouth · TAS-41.18°
- Garden IslandReef · TAS-43.17°
- Geilston BayShoreline · TAS-42.83°
- Greens BeachBeach · TAS-41.08°
- Hippolyte RocksReef · TAS-43.05°
- Inglis River at WynyardEstuary · TAS-40.99°
- Iron PotReef · TAS-43.04°
- Kettering PierJetty · TAS-43.13°
- Lady BarronWharf · TAS-40.21°
- Lewisham BeachBeach · TAS-42.84°
- Lindisfarne BayShoreline · TAS-42.85°
- Low HeadHeadland · TAS-41.06°
- Lune RiverEstuary · TAS-43.46°
- Macquarie HarbourEstuary · TAS-42.30°
- Maria Island - Mercury PassageReef · TAS-42.65°
- Marrawah CoastRock Platform · TAS-40.91°
- Mersey River DevonportRiver · TAS-41.18°
- Mickeys BayBay · TAS-43.44°
- Musselroe BayBeach · TAS-40.85°
- Naracoopa Jetty King IslandJetty · TAS-39.92°
- Ninepin Point BoundaryHeadland · TAS-43.28°
- North West BayBay · TAS-43.02°
- North West Bay RiverEstuary · TAS-43.04°
- Park Beach Dodges FerryBeach · TAS-42.86°
- Penguin JettyJetty · TAS-41.12°
- Pierson's PointHeadland · TAS-43.05°
- Pine River Mouth Flinders IslandRiver Mouth · TAS-40.16°
- Pipe Clay LagoonEstuary · TAS-42.97°
- Pirates BayBay · TAS-43.02°
- Port Arthur BayBay · TAS-43.15°
- Port CygnetEstuary · TAS-43.16°
- Port EsperanceBay · TAS-43.31°
- Quarantine BayBay · TAS-43.27°
- Risdon CoveEstuary · TAS-42.81°
- Roaring BeachBeach · TAS-43.09°
- Rocky CapeHeadland · TAS-40.86°
- Sandy Bay BeachBeach · TAS-42.90°
- Scamander River MouthRiver Mouth · TAS-41.46°
- Sisters BeachBeach · TAS-40.92°
- Skeleton BayBay · TAS-41.21°
- Sloping IslandReef · TAS-42.98°
- Snug River MouthRiver Mouth · TAS-43.08°
- South Arm BeachBeach · TAS-42.98°
- Spiky BeachBeach · TAS-42.46°
- Spring Beach OrfordBeach · TAS-42.59°
- St HelensBay · TAS-41.32°
- Strahan WharfWharf · TAS-42.15°
- Swansea JettyJetty · TAS-42.12°
- Tamar River - Beauty PointEstuary · TAS-41.16°
- Tomahawk BeachBeach · TAS-40.86°
- Triabunna WharfWharf · TAS-42.51°
- Trumpeter Bay BrunyShoreline · TAS-43.24°
- Verona SandsBeach · TAS-43.24°
- Whitemark Jetty Flinders IslandJetty · TAS-40.12°
Victoria45
- Altona PierJetty · VIC-37.87°
- Anderson InletEstuary · VIC-38.63°
- Aspendale BeachBeach · VIC-38.03°
- Bass River MouthRiver Mouth · VIC-38.49°
- Beacon 18Reef · VIC-37.95°
- Bemm RiverEstuary · VIC-37.75°
- Bouchier ChannelEstuary · VIC-38.45°
- Bunga ArmEstuary · VIC-37.92°
- Carrum Artificial ReefReef · VIC-38.08°
- Carrum PierJetty · VIC-38.08°
- Corinella JettyJetty · VIC-38.42°
- Edithvale BeachBeach · VIC-38.04°
- Frankston Artificial ReefReef · VIC-38.16°
- Frankston DeepReef · VIC-38.16°
- Half Moon ReefReef · VIC-37.95°
- Hopkins RiverEstuary · VIC-38.40°
- Lake TyersEstuary · VIC-37.87°
- Lake WellingtonDam · VIC-38.12°
- Lakes EntranceEstuary · VIC-37.88°
- Lang Lang BeachBeach · VIC-38.29°
- Loch SportShoreline · VIC-38.05°
- Mallacoota InletEstuary · VIC-37.56°
- MarloEstuary · VIC-37.80°
- McLennan StraitEstuary · VIC-38.10°
- MetungJetty · VIC-37.89°
- Middle SpitShoal · VIC-38.37°
- Mitchell River Silt JettiesEstuary · VIC-37.89°
- Mordialloc PierJetty · VIC-38.00°
- Mornington PierJetty · VIC-38.22°
- Mount Martha BeachBeach · VIC-38.26°
- Mud IslandsShoal · VIC-38.27°
- Patterson River MouthRiver Mouth · VIC-38.07°
- PaynesvilleShoreline · VIC-37.92°
- Pinnace ChannelBait Ground · VIC-38.26°
- Queenscliff HarbourJetty · VIC-38.27°
- Reef IslandShoal · VIC-38.39°
- Reeves ChannelEstuary · VIC-37.93°
- San Remo JettyJetty · VIC-38.52°
- Sandy PointBeach · VIC-38.80°
- Seaford PierJetty · VIC-38.11°
- Shallow InletEstuary · VIC-38.82°
- Tambo River - Swan ReachEstuary · VIC-37.75°
- The ConesReef · VIC-38.19°
- Torquay Back BeachBeach · VIC-38.35°
- Western Port - TankertonShoreline · VIC-38.43°
New South Wales39
- Botany Bay - KurnellEstuary · NSW-34.01°
- Botany Bay Artificial ReefReef · NSW-33.98°
- Camden Haven BarRiver Mouth · NSW-31.65°
- Cowan CreekEstuary · NSW-33.63°
- Crookhaven HeadsBreakwall · NSW-34.91°
- Crowdy HeadHeadland · NSW-31.84°
- Empire Bay JettyJetty · NSW-33.48°
- Eraring Power Station OutletShoreline · NSW-33.08°
- Evans Head BarRiver Mouth · NSW-29.12°
- Forster-Tuncurry BreakwallBreakwall · NSW-32.17°
- Greenwell PointWharf · NSW-34.92°
- Hardys Bay JettyJetty · NSW-33.51°
- Hastings River EntranceRiver Mouth · NSW-31.43°
- Hawkesbury Brooklyn Bridge PylonsWharf · NSW-33.55°
- Hawkesbury River - BrooklynRiver · NSW-33.55°
- Iluka BreakwallBreakwall · NSW-29.41°
- Karuah BridgeWharf · NSW-32.65°
- Lake Cathie EntranceEstuary · NSW-31.55°
- Lake MacquarieLagoon · NSW-33.08°
- Long Reef WideReef · NSW-33.74°
- Macleay River EntranceRiver Mouth · NSW-30.88°
- Manning River PolesRiver · NSW-31.91°
- Narooma - Wagonga InletEstuary · NSW-36.22°
- Newcastle HarbourEstuary · NSW-32.93°
- Norah HeadHeadland · NSW-33.28°
- Patonga WharfWharf · NSW-33.55°
- PittwaterEstuary · NSW-33.61°
- Port Macquarie BreakwaterBreakwall · NSW-31.43°
- South West Rocks - Trial BayBay · NSW-30.88°
- Stockton BridgeWharf · NSW-32.87°
- Stuarts Point, Macleay ArmEstuary · NSW-30.85°
- Swansea ChannelEstuary · NSW-33.09°
- Sydney Harbour - The SoundEstuary · NSW-33.83°
- The Banks (12 Mile Reef)Reef · NSW-33.85°
- The EntranceRiver Mouth · NSW-33.34°
- Tweed BarRiver Mouth · NSW-28.17°
- Ulladulla HarbourBreakwall · NSW-35.36°
- Vales Point Hot Water CanalShoreline · NSW-33.15°
- Yamba - Clarence River MouthRiver Mouth · NSW-29.43°
Queensland27
- Albert River at LuscombeRiver · QLD-27.79°
- Boyne River BridgeWharf · QLD-23.95°
- Bundaberg Port PromenadeShoreline · QLD-24.76°
- Burnett HeadsRiver Mouth · QLD-24.76°
- Burrum HeadsRiver Mouth · QLD-25.18°
- Cleveland PointHeadland · QLD-27.48°
- Coomera River Marine PrecinctRiver Mouth · QLD-27.87°
- Coomera River MouthRiver Mouth · QLD-27.85°
- Currumbin AlleyEstuary · QLD-28.14°
- Elliott HeadsRiver Mouth · QLD-24.93°
- Jumpinpin BarRiver Mouth · QLD-27.73°
- Logan River MouthRiver Mouth · QLD-27.72°
- Manly Harbour MoleBreakwall · QLD-27.45°
- Mon Repos BeachBeach · QLD-24.80°
- Myora ReefReef · QLD-27.48°
- Pancake CreekEstuary · QLD-24.03°
- Pimpama RiverEstuary · QLD-27.78°
- Rainbow Beach GuttersBeach · QLD-25.90°
- River Heads Boat RampBoat Ramp · QLD-25.38°
- Round Hill Creek (1770)Estuary · QLD-24.17°
- SS Maheno WreckWreck · QLD-25.27°
- Tallebudgera CreekEstuary · QLD-28.09°
- Tallebudgera Creek MouthRiver Mouth · QLD-28.10°
- Tannum Sands BeachBeach · QLD-23.94°
- Tin Can Bay MarinaBoat Ramp · QLD-25.90°
- Toogoom ForeshoreBeach · QLD-25.25°
- Wynnum JettyJetty · QLD-27.44°
Western Australia15
- Bunbury Cut (The Plug)Estuary · WA-33.33°
- Collie RiverShoreline · WA-33.37°
- Como PoolShoreline · WA-31.99°
- Faure SillShoal · WA-25.83°
- Floreat Beach GroyneBreakwall · WA-31.94°
- Fremantle South MoleBreakwall · WA-32.06°
- Henri Freycinet HarbourBay · WA-26.08°
- Leschenault EstuaryEstuary · WA-33.27°
- Maylands ForeshoreShoreline · WA-31.93°
- Mosman Bay (Swan River)Shoreline · WA-32.01°
- Murchison River Mouth (Chinaman's Beach)River Mouth · WA-27.71°
- Murray River (Yunderup)River Mouth · WA-32.58°
- Oyster HarbourEstuary · WA-34.98°
- Success Boat HarbourBoat Ramp · WA-32.11°
- Useless LoopBay · WA-26.13°