Mullet watch 2005

[WeymouthSean]

Thanks Andrew

 

I had a bad session yesterday missed bite after bite. I had one on for about a second before it bumped off so I knew it wasn't crabs!

 

Weather looks bad today so I will have to wait a bit longer for another fish.

 

Sean

[sam-cox]

fished burnham marina today for around 2 hours caught one fish of just over 2.5lb a had hundreds of bites that i could not hit.

[WeymouthSean]

What size hook does everyone generally use? I use a 12 or 10 but maybe if we are missing bites on a certain day we should try going down to smaller ones? Say a 14 or 16.

 

I do find with the mullet there always seems to be a mad feeding frenzey for about 20 mins where they feed crazy but then just disappear. This is the time when you can noramlly hook one or even two fish. But often have to wait an entire session for this to happen. I feel if they feed like this all the time we would all be catching alot more fish.

[Leon Roskilly]

I generally use size 8, or size 10 hooks. Short shanked and wide gape and prefer the stronger carp hooks.

 

As far as feeding patterns go, I've observed shoals of mullet moving along the banks, following the incoming tide, so if you are fishing from a static position, you'll only get bites as a shoal comes past. Some anglers follow the fish as the tide comes in, and have a number of marks that they use at different stages of the tide.

 

And of course, mullet are often not in 'feeding mode'.

 

Again I've observed a shoal of fish swimming in an area, patrolling in a meandering sort of way, completely ignoring groundbait, swimming over it.

 

Then it's like someone has thrown a switch and the whole shoal begins to feed, but doesn't remain in the baited area.

 

Their 'patrol' pattern may have them passing the same baited patch every 10 or 20 minutes or so, helping themselves to some of the offerings, then moving on to come back later.

 

So, either you have a series of bites from a passing shoal, before it moves along following the tide, or you have times when a feeding shoal is patterning your area, but only feeding in the locality of your bait for a short while, every so often.

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Leon Roskilly]

sam-cox:

fished burnham marina today for around 2 hours caught one fish of just over 2.5lb a had hundreds of bites that i could not hit.

Sometimes you bait is attacked by shoals of mini bass, with the occasional real mullet bite.

 

Other times the mullet may be in a finicky mood, 'bumping' your bait, but not taking it into their mouths, or sometimes gently taking just the edge of the bait between their lips and swimming off with it, producing an 'unmissable' bite as the float heads for the depths, but no contact on the strike.

 

I've seen them doing this so many times. I'm often left wondering whether they are just being cautious, or really have a sense of humour!

 

Of course when you are fishing deep and/or in coloured water, you can't see what's happening down there, and can only curse when the float disappears but there's nothing there on the strike.

 

Tight Lines - leon

[WeymouthSean]

Hi Leon. I agree with the fact that the mullet move around alot as the tide moves and for this reasons try lots of different marks during a session. I used to use wide-gape Kamazens until a couple of bigger fish managed to snap the fine wire! Always find barbless seems to get better hook holds and I tend to lose less fish on them. What Carp hook patterns do use then Leon? Size 8 just seems to big?

[Leon Roskilly]

Hi Sean,

 

I normally use ESP Raptor T-6 in size 10.

 

Having had a metal caged swim-feeder completely engulfed by a large mullet, who then played tug'o war until it let go at the surface, I'm not so worried about mullet detecting the hook.

 

Just so long as the hook is hidden when the bread is wrapped around it.

 

With such a powerful fish, I like to have a good strong hook.

 

However, at slack tide, or in sheltered water, I might change to a lighter hook to get a better presentation (In a strong current, the bait is getting buffeted about so much by the tidal turbulance, I don't think that the weight of the hidden hook makes such a difference).

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Norm B]

WeymouthSean:

What size hook does everyone generally use? I use a 12 or 10 but maybe if we are missing bites on a certain day we should try going down to smaller ones? Say a 14 or 16.

 

I do find with the mullet there always seems to be a mad feeding frenzey for about 20 mins where they feed crazy but then just disappear. This is the time when you can noramlly hook one or even two fish. But often have to wait an entire session for this to happen. I feel if they feed like this all the time we would all be catching alot more fish.

:cool: I use 4's, 6's or even 8's if they are shy.

[Andrew Boyd]

Sean

 

I use the ESP's like Leon, but the Raptor T-6 in size 10. A wonderful short shank which allows a small neat hook bait ( used to use the Sealey Speed barb untill they vanished years ago) Otherwise I'm a fan of the Owner Cutting point SSW size 8 also Nash Gata wide gape size 8. Pays to check out the Carp section of the local tackle shop. Some of the modern hook's are so sharp they draw your blood from inches away!.

 

Some Mullet'iers tipex their hooks to blend in with bread. Could be a good idea for your clear Weymouth waters, where as in the Medway it's not quite as important.

 

Fished the Medway Saturday AM. No fish but had three suckish bites which did not develop. So, just had to go Sunday and hit the fist suckish bite = 3lb 8oz. As normal spent the next 4 hours in abject anticipation before rushing back, a little late to spend the PM with the family.

 

Also keen to find the purfect bread hook bait. One that says fluffy while staying on the hook for a decent period. To date the cheapo sliced loaves have been hard to beat. By cheap - our local Waitrose do an economy loaf for 19p.

[WeymouthSean]

Ok i'm off down the tackle shop tomorrow to get some new hooks! Thanks for that.

 

Anyone caught a mullet on chum mixers before. I did try throwing a few in last year and a mullet did take one but never tried one on the hook. Worth a try maybe?