So close yet so far...jumping mullets!

[Gengar]

Due to covid and other issues I haven't fished anywhere as much as I wanted to over summer and unfortunately I still haven't hit my objectives of trying to catch a kingfish on lures and whiting on surface lures. .

Anyway given the pouring rain in Sydney I ventured out over the weekend to the literally the closest body of water to master walking the dog with my sugapen. After flicking for about an hour and trying to do what @DerekD taught I think I finally cracked the "rhythm" as Derek puts it! The flick of the rod with the winding of the line. I don't have it 100% but probably at about 80% which i am stoked with! Now i need the whiting to turn up!

When I was there I saw these mullets just jumping out of the water! I reckon they would have been about 30 to 50cm long and presumably were feeding? Anyway my boys were fishing with me and so they started throwing out bread and squid on tiny hooks on a float. The bread didn't stick to the hook at all and nothing touched the squid. My boys also tried a twisty fast retrieve and actually hooked a couple but lost as he was reeling it in though he said it looked like a tailor rather than a mullet(?).

Anyway this got me interested in catching some (big) mullet!

I have caught poddy mullets before using bread as burley and squid but they are usually very close to shore. I did some research on these larger specimen and seems to be that bread is the bait to go? But how do you make it not break apart once it hits the water? Some people say make your own dough of flour and water? People also say burley with bread but i can't throw it that far or do you squish it with water first so its heavier?

Also I tried a variety of lures (eg sugapen, popper, grubz, slimswimz) but either my retrieve was wrong or mullets don't take lures?

Anyway hoping another raider more experienced can put me in the right direction of catching these larger mullets!

Cheers!

 

Edited March 1, 2022 by Gengar

[Bryant fish]

Squash the bread into a ball and try to leave a bit hanging off the side that's not squashed to act as a kind of berley and use wet bread as a berley as well

[Yowie]

They were most likely sea mullet, which rarely bite at bait or lures.

Quite often these mullet just jump out of the water for no particular reason. Some other mullet species also jump out of the water. If the mullet are being chased by predators, there will sometimes be a big splash around the mullet. 

Use fairly fresh white bread, place half a slice very briefly into the water, then squeeze out most of the water. The more water you squeeze out, the harder the bread will be, not enough water and the bread will be mushy and fall off the hook. Practice how to do it.

[big Neil]

5 hours ago, Gengar said:

Due to covid and other issues I haven't fished anywhere as much as I wanted to over summer and unfortunately I still haven't hit my objectives of trying to catch a kingfish on lures and whiting on surface lures. .

Anyway given the pouring rain in Sydney I ventured out over the weekend to the literally the closest body of water to master walking the dog with my sugapen. After flicking for about an hour and trying to do what @DerekD taught I think I finally cracked the "rhythm" as Derek puts it! The flick of the rod with the winding of the line. I don't have it 100% but probably at about 80% which i am stoked with! Now i need the whiting to turn up!

When I was there I saw these mullets just jumping out of the water! I reckon they would have been about 30 to 50cm long and presumably were feeding? Anyway my boys were fishing with me and so they started throwing out bread and squid on tiny hooks on a float. The bread didn't stick to the hook at all and nothing touched the squid. My boys also tried a twisty fast retrieve and actually hooked a couple but lost as he was reeling it in though he said it looked like a tailor rather than a mullet(?).

Anyway this got me interested in catching some (big) mullet!

I have caught poddy mullets before using bread as burley and squid but they are usually very close to shore. I did some research on these larger specimen and seems to be that bread is the bait to go? But how do you make it not break apart once it hits the water? Some people say make your own dough of flour and water? People also say burley with bread but i can't throw it that far or do you squish it with water first so its heavier?

Also I tried a variety of lures (eg sugapen, popper, grubz, slimswimz) but either my retrieve was wrong or mullets don't take lures?

Anyway hoping another raider more experienced can put me in the right direction of catching these larger mullets!

Cheers!

 

The secret to putting bread on a hook is as follows. I am assuming you will be using small hooks under a float. Not an issue if you have some other method of fishing for Mullet. Use FRESH bread. DO NOT use the crust part of the slice.

METHOD: Take a piece of soft bread (about the size of a 10 cent coin) from the centre of the slice. Place the hook in the centre of the bread and, using your fingers, mould the bread round the hook. Leave the point of the hook slightly exposed. The pre3ssing of the bread between the fingers is enough to make the bread quite firm around the bread. Try this and let us all know how you get on. It works on Carp too. bn

Edited March 1, 2022 by big Neil
spelling mistake

[campr]

I have caught mullet from poddies to well over a kilo using tiny cubes of chicken.   I burley with bread and use a small white Styrofoam bobby cork which often attracts the mullet as they think it's bread.  If they are up top I only suspend the hooks only 4 to 6 inches under the float.  Good luck they can be fussy feeders.   Ron

[Gengar]

6 hours ago, Yowie said:

They were most likely sea mullet, which rarely bite at bait or lures.

Quite often these mullet just jump out of the water for no particular reason. Some other mullet species also jump out of the water. If the mullet are being chased by predators, there will sometimes be a big splash around the mullet. 

Use fairly fresh white bread, place half a slice very briefly into the water, then squeeze out most of the water. The more water you squeeze out, the harder the bread will be, not enough water and the bread will be mushy and fall off the hook. Practice how to do it.

Mate thanks for replying. There were poddy around so I just assumed these larger specimen were usual mullets. Anyway will have a go next time to see if i can tempt them.

Do you mean I should squeeze as much water out as possible before putting it on the hook? Do you just wrap it around the hook then press it in against the hook?

[Gengar]

6 hours ago, big Neil said:

The secret to putting bread on a hook is as follows. I am assuming you will be using small hooks under a float. Not an issue if you have some other method of fishing for Mullet. Use FRESH bread. DO NOT use the crust part of the slice.

METHOD: Take a piece of soft bread (about the size of a 10 cent coin) from the centre of the slice. Place the hook in the centre of the bread and, using your fingers, mould the bread round the hook. Leave the point of the hook slightly exposed. The pre3ssing of the bread between the fingers is enough to make the bread quite firm around the bread. Try this and let us all know how you get on. It works on Carp too. bn

Thanks BN for sharing! I was using like a size 12 long shank hook I think, those are the smallest I have. When you mould it around the hook I presume you press it firmly right? Would I need to rebait every couple of minutes? Just wondering how long it would last on the hook that way. Will try yours and Yowie's method and see how i go.

[Gengar]

3 hours ago, campr said:

I have caught mullet from poddies to well over a kilo using tiny cubes of chicken.   I burley with bread and use a small white Styrofoam bobby cork which often attracts the mullet as they think it's bread.  If they are up top I only suspend the hooks only 4 to 6 inches under the float.  Good luck they can be fussy feeders.   Ron

Thanks for sharing! I didn't bring chicken last time but will try that as well. I was suspending my bait a good 50cm below the float which in hindsight might have been too deep.

I also didn't use much berley last time so maybe that makes a difference. I just saw them jumping all over the place i didnt think berley was required. Anyway guess its a bit of trial and error.

Will report back guys. Thanks!

[big Neil]

3 hours ago, Gengar said:

Thanks BN for sharing! I was using like a size 12 long shank hook I think, those are the smallest I have. When you mould it around the hook I presume you press it firmly right? Would I need to rebait every couple of minutes? Just wondering how long it would last on the hook that way. Will try yours and Yowie's method and see how i go.

You shouldn't have to rebait too regularly. Is it essential that you use a long shank hook for Mullet? If you can use a size 12 or 10 normal length hook you will likely catch Bream (also) with the same set-up. Yes press it firmly to dispel the air, just leave the tip of the hook exposed. Good luck. bn

[Yowie]

7 hours ago, Gengar said:

Mate thanks for replying. There were poddy around so I just assumed these larger specimen were usual mullets. Anyway will have a go next time to see if i can tempt them.

Do you mean I should squeeze as much water out as possible before putting it on the hook? Do you just wrap it around the hook then press it in against the hook?

If you squeeze too hard, there is very little water left in the bread and it becomes hard. Just leave a little bit of water in it and expose the tip of the hook as Big Neil suggested. Practice it a few times to see what you need to do retain the right amount of water in the bread.

[big Neil]

15 hours ago, big Neil said:

The secret to putting bread on a hook is as follows. I am assuming you will be using small hooks under a float. Not an issue if you have some other method of fishing for Mullet. Use FRESH bread. DO NOT use the crust part of the slice.

METHOD: Take a piece of soft bread (about the size of a 10 cent coin) from the centre of the slice. Place the hook in the centre of the bread and, using your fingers, mould the bread round the hook. Leave the point of the hook slightly exposed. The pre3ssing of the bread between the fingers is enough to make the bread quite firm around the bread. Try this and let us all know how you get on. It works on Carp too. bn

I thought I had edited this. Should read pressing...................quite firm around the hook          Derrr brain bn

[noelm]

I prefer just dry, fresh bread, take half the slice (no crust) and squeeze it really tight around the hook, it will be great to cast and will last for ages, great bait for Bream, Trevally and Blackfish,   avoid floating bread, it attracts Seagulls that will scare Mullet, so, any bread burley is soaked in a bucket first.

[Gengar]

21 hours ago, big Neil said:

You shouldn't have to rebait too regularly. Is it essential that you use a long shank hook for Mullet? If you can use a size 12 or 10 normal length hook you will likely catch Bream (also) with the same set-up. Yes press it firmly to dispel the air, just leave the tip of the hook exposed. Good luck. bn

Nah don't have to use long shank I have other regular small hooks about the same size. Will try.once the rain is gone!

[Gengar]

16 hours ago, Yowie said:

If you squeeze too hard, there is very little water left in the bread and it becomes hard. Just leave a little bit of water in it and expose the tip of the hook as Big Neil suggested. Practice it a few times to see what you need to do retain the right amount of water in the bread.

OK got it. Sounds more like an art than exact science. Cheers!

[Gengar]

6 hours ago, noelm said:

I prefer just dry, fresh bread, take half the slice (no crust) and squeeze it really tight around the hook, it will be great to cast and will last for ages, great bait for Bream, Trevally and Blackfish,   avoid floating bread, it attracts Seagulls that will scare Mullet, so, any bread burley is soaked in a bucket first.

Thanks mate but wouldn't the half a slice of bread be too big for my small size 10 or 12 hook? Or do you usually use a bigger hook?

[noelm]

Yes, if fishing specifically for Mullet or Garfish, then a smaller piece is used, my bread fishing is mostly Bream/Drummer plus the odd bycatch of Blackfish or Trevally