Rigging Livies.

[Guest rzep]

I am heading down the South Coast in a couple of weeks time and I will be fishing a creek that holds some big flatties and alot of mullet.

I was just wondering if someone could give me some advice on how I would be best of rigging these mullet up as live bait for the flatties.

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

[Anti-Carp]

It really depends on the size of the mullet you are using. The average mullet I would use would be around 10 cm the way I would rig em would be by using a running sinker rig to a 60 cm trace then to a size size 1/0 suicide hook (If your using larger poddies you will have to use bigger hook's)and hook them around the mouth with the hook facing up. That way there your mullet will usually swim head down (I find this makes a huge difference with flatties)

If you catch any hardy head's while you are after the poddies dont' dis-regard them I find they are a much better bait then the poddies and the bream will often get on the act as well with them.

[Guest IFishSick.]

Just use a snelled rig, I prefer circle hooks anywhere from 4/0 to 6/0 depending on how big the bait is. Put one hook behind the head of the mullet in the shoulder and another lightly pinned near the tail.

[Davemmm]

Larger poddies will still get fish but I seem to do better with poddies that are around 5-6cm with simply a 2/0 or 3/0 through the shoulder.

One hook allows them to swim better than if you add a stinger and they then last longer if nothing is on the bite.

[Guest rzep]

Thanks for the replies guys,

I have seen some people cut off the tail fin on their livies, what do you think about doing this?

Is it a waste of time??

[kingpig]

The way you hook poddy mullet realy depends on the way you are fishing.

If you are drifting or making the fish move a lot hooking the live fish through the side will mean that you are pulling him sideways and the bait will die. If you intend to move the bait along the bottom then hook it through the mouth from bottom to top (hook pointing up). If you want, you can use a snelled second hook just behing the anal fin. Do not put it in too deep. Make sure the snell is long enough to be loose. You want to move the bait by the hook through the mouth.

If the bait is not going to move along the bottom much then one hook just under the skin in front the dorsel fin is ok.

Good luck

Kingpig