Some Flattie Facts

[Gloomy Samurai]

Just read a great article by Steve Starling dispelling some of the more common myths about flat head and including some interesting stats. Link is below. Article is published in a magazine called Fish Life.

Some Dusky facts:

They do not change sex as they grow.

They grow quickly initially with both sexes reaching about 30cm by the end of their first year of life. Females will then grow considerably quicker and live longer.

The oldest scientifically recorded female was 16 years old measuring 88.5cm.

The largest scientifically recorded male was 61.5cm (1.58kgs) aged 11 years. So, just about any fish over 60cm will be a female.

Male duskies mature and breed for the first time aged 1 - 2 years at about 25 - 32 cm.

Female duskies mature and breed for the first time aged 4 - 5 years at 40 to 55cm (contrast this with the 40cm legal limit)

A mature female will produce between 300,000 and 4,000,000 eggs per year. The bigger the fish, the more eggs.

/>http://issuu.com/fishlife/docs/flathead_lies/10?e=0

Cheers, Andrew

[Kiwi_pete]

Wheres the bit in the article on how to find/catch them when they are hiding like they are at the moment? haha

[fifis101]

I'd just be happy to catch one that I legally have to release.

On the higher end of the scale of course.

[Kiwi_pete]

we will work on it