Mullet Virgin...

[LeicesterCarl]

Hello all... new user here. 2 of you know me (via email anyway!) Chippy in Jersey and Phil the Fish.

 

I'm off to Jersey in a couple of days for just over two weeks, ostensibly on a family holiday, but with a fair amount of fishing to be done as well!

 

Chippy has kindly offered to show me the ropes to allow me to (hopefully) land one of the legendary grey beasts and I also hope to meet up with Phil when he arrives on the island.

 

Most of my experience is in chub & carp stalking (I'm very much against the 'sit in a bivvy with 3 rods out on bite indicators waiting for a fish to hook itself' method of fishing, preferring instead to apply a bit of nous to winkle out some nice fish with the necessary tactics (I often freeline baits, so I'll be interested to see if this can be adapted to mulleteering...!)

 

Thoroughly enjoy reading about the exploits of the regulars on here (and in other places) and looking forward to trying to join in. I'll have my laptop with me in Jersey, so *hopefully* I'll be able to post as things happen!

[Grant]

Maybe Chippy can take me out as a Mullet virgin as well!!?

 

Would be much appreciated, and will try and show you some new marks, although unsure as to whether they will be new to you.

 

I have the week of the 28 July off of work as changing job, but am fairly flexible.

[LeicesterCarl]

Hi Grant. I've seen some of your other posts on here. You do some spinning/plugging from the South coast of Jersey too, don't you?

 

I've just bought a new spinning rod & reel for this year - do you have any opinions on whether it is worth my while spinning off any areas around St. Helier (where I'm staying) for Bass? Maybe the rocks off the end of the harbour area? Or is this too recently filled with rocks for the reclamation work to be worthwhile?

 

Also, was wondering about the back end of Elizabeth Castle... only any good at high tide or will low tide work too? Presumably if I get stuck out there after the Ducks stop running then I'm stuffed until the tide goes down?

[Grant]

More than happy to take you out to the castle and a few other areas.

 

Bass are caught in the harbour, but not by me! Float fishing live pouting seems to be the favoured approach for large bass, with a friend of mine (and Chippy) having caught a 15lb bass from Victoria Pier a couple of years ago!

 

When are you over?

[LeicesterCarl]

blimey... 15lb... I remember my dad catching an 11-pounder from a beach in Gibraltar when I was about 6 years old. It was flipping huge... to a 6-year old anyway... so a 15-pounder... monster!

 

As to when I'm over - I land this Friday lunchtime (should be tackled up and fishing by about 12:30 then... )

 

Whereas I intend to do as much fishing as I can - I am meant to be on a family holiday... I get the feeling that much of my fishing will be early morning & late night! However, I do intend to spend a lot of time on the beach with my daughters so maybe I'll still get the chance for mulleting during daylight hours!

 

Chippy - (or Phil) Where's the best place for cheap bread supplies then? (Around St. Helier!)

[Grant]

Am away from Sunday morning, but feel free to give me a call on 07797 726530.

 

may be able to sneak out on either Friday or Saturday night, when it is high tide in the late evening!

[Phil the Fish]

LeicesterCarl:

 

Chippy - (or Phil) Where's the best place for cheap bread supplies then? (Around St. Helier!)

I tend to grab the bread from one of the stampers stores --- all the bread on the Island is made by the Island Bakery so cost doesn't really come into it ... except that it costs more than the Mainland ... but I rather like the meduim sliced loaf (orange or blue wrapper, forget which), I'd rather have it than the Kingsmill stuff I use here!!!!!

 

Looks like a mini-anglersnet fishin down Jersey then as of the last week of July .... I shall be fishing Tuesday (29th) onwards .... should be fun....

 

Phil

[LeicesterCarl]

Cheers Phil. How many loaves do you recommend for a session? Presumably any that I don't use can be kept and mashed up as groundbait for the next session?

 

Oh, another thing - have you ever experimented with this marine crustacean extract stuff that (I think) Leon mentions using?

[LeicesterCarl]

Grant:

Am away from Sunday morning, but feel free to give me a call on 07797 726530.

 

may be able to sneak out on either Friday or Saturday night, when it is high tide in the late evening!

Cheers Grant. Will see how the land lies when I arrive. (More to do with 'er indoors than anything else!) but she's a lovely lass so I should hopefully be ok for one of those. Once I'm on the island and installed in the apartment I'll give you a bell.

[Phil the Fish]

LeicesterCarl:

Cheers Phil. How many loaves do you recommend for a session? Presumably any that I don't use can be kept and mashed up as groundbait for the next session?

 

Oh, another thing - have you ever experimented with this marine crustacean extract stuff that (I think) Leon mentions using?

Rough Guide:

2 loaves crumbed up (I do it with my finger nails, but a blender would be easier -- uuumm chrimbo prezzie).. into a bucket, to be thrown out with a long handled spoon as ground bait.... SOAK OVER NIGHT ..... IF YOU DON'T THE SEAGULLS WILL BE DOING A SCENE OUT OF "HITCHCOCKS" THE BIRDS ..... just ask Chippy about the first time he tried using it with out overnight soaking!!!!!!

Plus one loaf of medium Island Pride to use as hook bait......

 

I've not really tried additives, and over in Jersey the fishy mix "Chum" which many use will also bring in garfish etc ... depends what sort of fishing you intend .... but I tend to just use bread!!!!

Paul... you using any secret formulas in the groundbait???

 

Phil