Magic Mullet on Fly

[FishingFables]

I had a memorable little session yesterday evening at Narrabeen Lake chasing mullet with my fly rod. I think these fish are often overlooked as a target species for flyfishers but they are so much fun, they smash your fly on the surface and if you catch a decent one they go harder than trout!

The rig I used was a floating bread fly which I made out of foam and then a short dropper to a sinking bread fly I tied using white egg yarn on a small nymph hook.

People often say new flyfishers should target flathead because they eat everything, but I also think mullet are up there as a great target for people learning, as well as experienced anglers.

Here's a video of highlights if you're interested - including a sea eagle that caught more mullet than I did 😂

 

 

[DerekD]

Hi @FishingFables

Thanks for sharing this. I have bread flies but haven't managed to catch a mullet or bream on fly with them yet. Wasn't sure if and how much burley was required. This video helps point me in the right direction.

Hope to bump into you one day at the lakes.

Regards,

Derek

[bessell1955]

A great video.

[FishingFables]

5 minutes ago, DerekD said:

Hi @FishingFables

Thanks for sharing this. I have bread flies but haven't managed to catch a mullet or bream on fly with them yet. Wasn't sure if and how much burley was required. This video helps point me in the right direction.

Hope to bump into you one day at the lakes.

Regards,

Derek

Thanks for watching Derek - regarding burley, I usually take half a loaf with me with pieces cut into small squares. I use a few handfuls over the first 10 minutes to get the mullet feeding and then just a small piece every minute or so to keep them in the area. Most of my hits come when the mullet have eaten the bread and then find my fly close by. I've also found a slow retrieve can entice a bite when they are shy.

My final tip is that the best fishing is when the sun dips below the hills and the wind dies. I caught all of the mullet in the video between 6.30 and 7.30pm. That's the golden hour in my experience.

Hope that helps - would be great to see you out there one day.

Cheers

Jason

 

[DerekD]

Hi Jason,

Narrabeen lakes is an easy drive from my place in Lane Cove so I would very much like that.

Are you shore based or wading?

Regards,

Derek

[FishingFables]

5 minutes ago, bessell1955 said:

A great video.

Thanks mate - not the biggest fish but a lot of fun on fly

[FishingFables]

53 minutes ago, DerekD said:

Hi Jason,

Narrabeen lakes is an easy drive from my place in Lane Cove so I would very much like that.

Are you shore based or wading?

Regards,

Derek

Hi Derek,

I wade out to reach the bigger mullet - with the added bonus of avoiding trees on my backcast.

In the middle of summer I wet wade but at the moment I'm still wearing my cheap pair of pvc waders from BCF.

Cheers

Jason

 

[noelm]

When using bread for burley (great burley) wet it well first so it doesn’t float, Seagulls will get attracted and start feeding and put an end to the Mullet!

[FishingFables]

8 minutes ago, noelm said:

When using bread for burley (great burley) wet it well first so it doesn’t float, Seagulls will get attracted and start feeding and put an end to the Mullet!

Excellent advice - at the lake I fish there are two ducks that wait for you to throw bread and then harass you for the rest of the session and scare the fish. I'm trying to master the art of the secret side arm bread throw 😂

[noelm]

I just take the bread in a bucket, then put water in it when I get to my spot, then just kind of mush up the bread and just under arm “lob” it out, it sinks straight away, no ducks near me, but Seagulls scare the fish big time.

[Yowie]

Looks like a bit of fun.

I usually catch mullet with bread, handline, no sinker, lightly wet the bread then sqeeze out most water (the water in the bread gives it weight for casting) The bigger ones go hard on a light handline.

Do you ever keep any for a feed? Skin and bone the fillets, high in good omega oils, cook in a number of recipes.

[FishingFables]

3 minutes ago, Yowie said:

Looks like a bit of fun.

I usually catch mullet with bread, handline, no sinker, lightly wet the bread then sqeeze out most water (the water in the bread gives it weight for casting) The bigger ones go hard on a light handline.

Do you ever keep any for a feed? Skin and bone the fillets, high in good omega oils, cook in a number of recipes.

I hadn't thought of keeping mullet for a meal but maybe I should reconsider because I'm catching more of them at the moment than anything else

[noelm]

Most of the Mullet caught will be Flat Tails or Yellow Eye (commonly called Sand Mullet) and are quite good eating, not like the bigger “Bully Mullet” they feed on little worms and stuff like that, not sifting through the mud like Bullies (though they do at times) filleted and skinned (I leave the skin on) they are pretty good table fare.

[Little_Flatty]

Thanks for the video @FishingFables, just what I needed for the train ride home. Having tried bread flies before, I appreciate the skill it takes to be that consistent with hooking the mullet…I found it really hard to hook up! It was only after the more aggressive silver trevally rampaged in that I could manage a fish.

Do the fish mainly take the sinking fly? That’s what I observed. From my limited experience the fish seem to hit my floating (deer hair) fly but miss the hook.

+1 on the recommendation to eat some of the sand mullet. I’ve taken a few from Narrabeen on bait and they were great eating.

[FishingFables]

48 minutes ago, Little_Flatty said:

Thanks for the video @FishingFables, just what I needed for the train ride home. Having tried bread flies before, I appreciate the skill it takes to be that consistent with hooking the mullet…I found it really hard to hook up! It was only after the more aggressive silver trevally rampaged in that I could manage a fish.

Do the fish mainly take the sinking fly? That’s what I observed. From my limited experience the fish seem to hit my floating (deer hair) fly but miss the hook.

+1 on the recommendation to eat some of the sand mullet. I’ve taken a few from Narrabeen on bait and they were great eating.

In my experience the majority of mullet take the sinking fly. Some however take my floating fly which is made out of 2 mm white foam - whenI move this fly it entices a few mullet to strike, which is more than I achieved with a deer hair fly. I think this is because the hook is not obstructed by the foam, which sits on top the hook shank.

This is the pattern I tie for the floating fly - 

 

The sinking fly I tie with white egg yarn, keeping the material quite loose rather than tightly bound. I'm having success with this fly - and on small hooks #12 and #14 dry fly hooks.

Good luck with your fishing and reach out if you're planning to fish Narrabeen in the future - the mullet are good fun at the moment and as the weather warms it will be time to chase bream with surface flies around the wed beds.

Cheers

Jason

 

[Little_Flatty]

43 minutes ago, FishingFables said:

In my experience the majority of mullet take the sinking fly. Some however take my floating fly which is made out of 2 mm white foam - whenI move this fly it entices a few mullet to strike, which is more than I achieved with a deer hair fly. I think this is because the hook is not obstructed by the foam, which sits on top the hook shank.

This is the pattern I tie for the floating fly - 

 

The sinking fly I tie with white egg yarn, keeping the material quite loose rather than tightly bound. I'm having success with this fly - and on small hooks #12 and #14 dry fly hooks.

Good luck with your fishing and reach out if you're planning to fish Narrabeen in the future - the mullet are good fun at the moment and as the weather warms it will be time to chase bream with surface flies around the wed beds.

Cheers

Jason

 

The size 12 and 14 hooks must be the key! I'm using hooks around size 6-8. Thanks for the video on the pattern. I'll get to tying a few when I get over my obsession with the fuzzle shrimps 

[big Neil]

Well Jason, you've created quite a bit of interest in Mullet fly fishing. Maybe you should all hook up and have a day at the lake chasing them. Would make a good article.

What weight fly rod are you using and what leader do you use? Is it as simple as berleying up to bring the Mullet to you or are there specific areas where they hang out?

I need to get some bread flies for catching Carp on my 5/6 wt fly rod...they are good fun in the closed season for Murray Cod.

Cheers, bn

[FishingFables]

1 hour ago, big Neil said:

Well Jason, you've created quite a bit of interest in Mullet fly fishing. Maybe you should all hook up and have a day at the lake chasing them. Would make a good article.

What weight fly rod are you using and what leader do you use? Is it as simple as berleying up to bring the Mullet to you or are there specific areas where they hang out?

I need to get some bread flies for catching Carp on my 5/6 wt fly rod...they are good fun in the closed season for Murray Cod.

Cheers, bn

Thanks Neil - the humble mullet should not be underestimated 😉

If it is windy I'll use a 6 weight but my preference is a 4 weight if I can get away with it. I use a tippet of 4 pounds just in case a big bream takes the bread fly which has happened. I've found the mullet prefer to hold over the sand flats where I fish, often in water little more than a foot deep.

I think it would be an enjoyable outing to catch up with @DerekD and @Little_Flatty at some point to chase mullet at Narrabeen Lake. I'd be happy to take some photos and write a report for the forum.

I'm happy to hear you are chasing carp - I caught my first one on a 4 weight a few weeks ago and it put up an incredible fight.

Cheers, Jason

[DerekD]

33 minutes ago, FishingFables said:

I think it would be an enjoyable outing to catch up with @DerekD and @Little_Flatty at some point to chase mullet at Narrabeen Lake. I'd be happy to take some photos and write a report for the forum.

Hi @FishingFables

Yes please!! Now just have to sort out the when. My office closes on the 22nd of December till the 8th of January. This year I am planning on a fishing vacation for my summer - IN SYDNEY. Yes, it is a Staycation. Topwater bream and whiting. Kings and squid from the kayak. Shorebased jigging for pelagics. I also want to learn to catch beach worms on Sydney's northern beaches to say I've done it (I know the theory but just never bothered as it is easier for me to pump yabbies for sandflats fishing - I will be asking for help on this one on Fishraider).

My lightest fly rod is a 7 weight but should be fun.

D.

[Little_Flatty]

Yep, I’d be in as well! Let’s PM to tee up some dates. Thanks @FishingFables.

[jenno64]

The ultimate big flatty bait:) Great vid!

[FishingFables]

7 minutes ago, jenno64 said:

The ultimate big flatty bait:) Great vid!

Thanks Rob - I was thinking the same thing as I let all the mullet go! Might be an idea to bring a heavy spinning rod with me next time to put a mullet out as a livie for flathead - I've heard a few mulloway have been caught in the lake recently as well.

Edited November 17, 2023 by FishingFables

[big Neil]

Now that's what I like to see, Raiders getting together for the common good. I'm going to enjoy seeing the post relevant to the collaboration of you guys. Make it happen.    bn

[blaxland]

Thanks for this I was hesitant to try fly fishing but this gives me motivation

 

[FishingFables]

12 minutes ago, blaxland said:

Thanks for this I was hesitant to try fly fishing but this gives me motivation

 

I have found flyfishing easier than I thought it would be. Chasing species like mullet and flathead is a good way to get some runs on the board and build confidence.

Hope to see you out there one day.

Cheers,

Jason