How to Catch Big Mullet on the Float - A Complete Guide to Float Fishing for Thick Lipped Mullet
Hookpoint's Ben Conway gives you a thorough breakdown of everything you need to know about float fishing for thick lipped mullet. Covering everything from tackle and technique to baiting up and choosing the best conditions to fish, this video provides all the fundamentals you need to get started in your pursuit of this magnificent, sporting species.
Featuring guest appearances from Laurence Hanger, Roy Moore and Mark Reed, special thanks goes to Laurence Hanger for talking us through his approach to groundbait.
If you enjoy this video, please give it a like and don't forget to subscribe to the channel for regular high quality sea angling content!
0:00 Intro
1:41 Tackle for mullet fishing
4:58 An afternoon's fishing with Mark and Roy
6:14 Rigging up the float
8:23 Baiting up with bread
10:05 Fishing with Roy and the importance of polaroid glasses
11:21 Groundbait with Laurence
13:37 A session with Laurence
15:08 Fighting and handling mullet
16:55 Why fish the float?
18:15 Mullet bites
19:23 Water and weather conditions
20:02 Final words
That has to be THE definitive mullet fishing video on KZhead! Excellent footage and presentation, well done Ben.
Thanks Jansen! That’s what I was going for, at least as far as float fishing goes. Well pleased you enjoyed it mate! Ben
As an avid fly and sea fisherman here in NZ, I have to applaud you for this excellent video. Well produced, excellent sensible advice and covered all the possible questions anyone could have. Extremely good. Well done!
Thanks for the feedback Tom! Much appreciated mate! 🙏
Excellent and very professionally made. Good job.
Thanks Peter, I’m glad you enjoyed the video!
Thank you so much for sharing with us, I have to say one of the best how to fishing videos I've had the pleasure of watching and learning from 👍😃👍
Thanks for the feedback Bob, great stuff mate! 😁
Brilliant Ben. Never landed a mullet. Will be giving these tips a go🐟🎣
Awesome mate, I hope they serve you well! 😁🎣
Enjoyed this very much. Remember failing to catch mullet as a kid, they seemed to hustle the bread off the hook managing to avoid it. Unfinished business with this species haha!
Echo everything already said - a great video for anyone wanting to target mullet : Great stuff guys
Thanks! 🙏
My experience of catching mullet on the float in tidal estuaries over the years has taught me one main thing - A lot of the time they're all but uncatchable but there will come a window of opportunity at some point during the rise or fall of the tide where they suddenly switch on and become catchable. Those fish that had been aimlessly wandering around for hours not taking the slightest bit of interest in your bait will become catchable and you've just got to be ready to take full advantage of the opportunity. You can buy little tubs of peeled prawns in brine at aldi, they're a really convenient bait that can often buy a bite when bread is failing. Just use a little section of a prawn just big enough to bury the hook
That’s a really good point and that’s definitely something I’ve encountered at other venues! Persistence really can pay off 👌 Thanks for the tip there! I’ve never tried those prawns, I’m definitely going to give that a go! 😁
absolutely spot on as to the feeding window, and i've realised its pretty well consecutive in each specific area I fish, you could set your watch in some places and the window may only last 10 to 20 mins, being ready for that is what brings success, I find this mostly applicable to brackish estuaries rather than open water though, excellent video by the way, and as an add on, the adding a mix to the bread feed is definitely a physchological thing, I've yet to find one that is the magic bullet, in brackish waters i just make mine as milky as possible and they do happily swim through it and tend to hand around a bit more
Great guide, Ben you're videos are getting better and better. Very informative, relaxed and inspiring presentation 👏
Thanks Varian, it’s great to hear that I’m going in the right direction with the vids!
Fantastic summary ..We in Australia sometimes use a tiny bit of chicken fillet as well as bread as it works and stays on better for a longer cast .
Now that is an awesome vlog, well done lads, I'll be giving some of these tips a try soon 🎣🎣
Thanks! I hope they do the business for you! 😁
Great video mate! Well put together and great information. Looking forward to when they arrive in the north to give this tactic a go🙌🏼
Thanks! I hope the information does the business for you 😁
Great video, thanks for putting it up.
Cheers Ben, glad you enjoyed it!
Awesome guys, another great production Ben! Not a species I have great experience with. Thanks for sharing your approach, always enjoy watching you fish and always seem to learn something new!
Thanks Will! Glad you enjoyed the video 😄
Use castnet for sure catch...😊
Really fantastic informative vid … definitely inspired me to have a go alongside my regular bass fishing ….
That’s brilliant Larry! Do you find that mullet often mix with the bass where you are? That would the best of both worlds then! 😁
Excellent piece. Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it Mark!
Fantastic video, some excellent info there, many thanks.
Thanks Maurizio! I’m glad you found it interesting 😁
great video ben i'll definately be having a go for the mullet this year.many thanks
Thanks John, I hope you get among them!
Thank you for your great 1:43 videos and guidance! Today I caught my first mullet (thick lipped about 5lbs) in Hayle Harbour using all your tips and techniques! Thanks for sharing the great instructions and advice.
That’s fantastic to hear Steven, well done - what a beauty for your first mullet! Im delighted that the videos helped you catch, that’s what it’s all about! 😄
Thank you so much for the video and for all the informations you give to us. From Morocco
You’re welcome Hamdoune, I hope it helps 🙏
Fantastic video keep them coming.
Thanks Scott! We will!
Thank you for the tips from France
You’re welcome, I hope they help 😁
Excellent and informative video, thanks
Glad you enjoyed it Kevin!
Bloody amazing photography buddy 👌 well done
Thanks Neil!
Your content is great, keep posting
Thank you! We will! 😁
Fab video mate. Subbed
Thank you! 😁
Fantastic video. Really inspiring.
Thanks Paul, I’m glad you enjoyed it! 👍
Great video, it's giving me ideas for next year, which weight are the loafer floats?
Thanks Andy! The main floats I use take 6.4 and 4.4 grams 👍
Going to give it a go after that cheers Ben.
Brilliant stuff David, hope you get among em! 😁 Ben
I'm hooked on this mate love it
Thanks Paul! Good to hear you’re finding it interesting mate! 😁
Nice video possibly the best one I have seen No scratch that it is the best one I have seen you have covered all aspects
Thanks David, I’m glad you enjoyed the vid! That’s definitely what I was going for, trying to provide a good set of fundamentals that will hopefully get people straight into fish 😁 Ben
Absolutely love this video top shizz 😎💚
Thanks mate! 👍
Great video, I learnt a lot! Subscribed immediately!
That's excellent, so glad you could learn something from the video and thank you for the sub!
Some great tips there thank you, I've had a go in the past but had total frustration with fish practically at my feet and no bites, the cone hook tip makes me want to go out and try again, cheers
That’s brilliant that the video has inspired you to give them another go! I hope that they play ball for you and the tips help 😁
Great info thanks 🙏
You’re welcome Stephen! I hope it helps!
Great video. Love watching how others fish for them. Cracking fish. Such powerful fish
Thanks! It’s fascinating watching how other mullet anglers fish isn’t it, so many little variations of things that make a big difference to the angler, their confidence and catches. Totally agree, they’re awesome fish, one of our finest sporting species I reckon!
@@HookpointFishingMagazine at first wasn’t sure about that shorting pattern but can definitely see the benefit of it in the conditions your fishing. Anything less and the bread would be all over the place.
I don’t mind having no shot in shallow water but, like you say, that particular place the bulk shot really suits it. It favours spotting the lift bite too which probably the majority of my bites are so it’s what works for me there. Definitely up for everybody to experiment with and find their own solutions though! I’ll talk a bit about that in the follow up vid and just clear that up I think 👍
Really lovely relaxed and informative presentation guys. I'd love to have a stab at these fish the next time I'm down in Cornwall. Tight lines.
Thank you! The winter is the time for the fish on the open coast down here. Once it warms up a bit, you’ll find the harbours and rivers at probably a better bet 😁
class video mate. got myself a new road and reel for it and tested it on the carp last night, it worked a treat. mullet next 🤞 cheers 👌
Lovely job! Hope your new outfit does you proud on the mullet 😄
Great video there ben brilliant' informative and easy follow never fished for mullet must give it a go 👍 regards craig.
Thanks Craig, you’ve got to give it a go - great sport! 😁
really enjoyed watching the video
Thanks Alain!
Thanks so much for this video. I was under the impression that mullet were so finicky that it was more of a chore targeting them than other species. Having watched your video I am really keen to give mulleting a go. I have caught golden grey mullet before but that was on ragworm and only by chance whilst bottom fishing. Fingers crossed I can now bag a thick lipped mullet by following your tips!😀🎣👍
You’re welcome Angela, I hope these tips help you get into some big fish! Mullet can be finicky for sure but so can just about every other species, the difference with mullet is that often you tend to see them and you can watch them ignoring your bait. The trick to mullet fishing is stacking the odds in your favour as much as possible with favourable conditions and good opportunities. Recognising when fish are susceptible to being caught is something that you will quickly pick up and makes a huge difference. Sometimes it might only be a few minutes in a couple of hour session but that’s part of the fun sometimes - the anticipation.
Hey mate. So I’m a keen fisho in Australia and born here. Targeted most fish here. My dad was a Londoner. So good to see keen fishos over there. Mullet here are “third world fish” but amazing bait and in salt not bad eating. Fight bloody hard. Such a good watch seeing you nail some big ones. Well done. Plan on coming there one day soon and would be awesome to have a fish with you. Tight lines pal 👍
Hi Peter! Pleased you enjoyed the video mate! That’s definitely a big part of the appeal of fishing for em I think - they can be tough to tempt but when you get one on they go hard for their size! 💪😁
Top video boys. I've spent quite sometime fly fishing for them on the North Devon coast. Crazy really as very specific little flies are used that represent the natural life really well but sooo tricky to hook and catch. Lost x2 big girls and that was almost my experience of it. I've fished pretty much every fishing displine and know bread is largely the better way to go. This has given me the amp to get back out there and give them a go again this season.. amongst lure fishing for bass and wrasse. Looking forward to watching the rest of this and your other films cheers Jon P.s we don't quiet get them in the consistent numbers here more hit and miss to you boys in kernow
Hi Jon, glad you enjoyed the vid! You’re a brave man getting into the fly fishing side of mullet angling, tough discipline by all accounts. Brilliant to hear that the vid has inspired you for this season mate, hopefully you will have better luck and those big girls will stay on! 😁👍
Thank you for a great video. I am more of a fly fisherman, but I found your tutorial very enlightening, and I may have flies that imitate your bread bait in shape. Also your use of floats was helpful with regards to indicators. I caught my first mullet on fly a few weeks ago- nothing compared to the size you caught, but definitely a fighter 💪.
Hi Darrel, I’m glad you found the video helpful! Good to hear you’re finding the mullet on fly - that’s a challenge I’ve yet to take on 😁 all mullet fight regardless of size I find - the 2-3 pound thick lips can often be the most energetic fighters and have ridiculous stamina for relatively small fish! Talking of flies and indicators, check out a guy on instagram and KZhead who goes by Flyfishing Londoner - he has some really interesting content about fishing static flies for thin lips using an indicator 👍
@@HookpointFishingMagazine Thank you for the feedback 🙏 😊. And yes, I actually started following the London flyfisher and watching their tutorials. I think that is how I came across your page. But I have subscribed to both channels, so looking forward to following your adventures 😀
Fantastic, cheers Darrel! Plenty more mullety stuff to come in the future I’m sure 😁
great vid watching from Australia
Thanks! Great fishing you guys have over there! 😁
Great video and thankyou. I have only fished for mullet in estuaries and would love to target them on the open coast. Big question for me is how do you pick a mark? Where and what tide etc? Also how do you manage fishing the loft method when the float is drifting at spear in current? Doesn’t the shot need to be anchored to ground?
Fantastic video! I learnt a lot from that one! The float caps are completely new to me. Far more seamless than adjusting shot by the looks of it! I was wondering a bit about tides, have you found any difference in behaviour between larger and smaller tides?
Thanks Callum! It’s a brilliant method, it saves so much time if you’re used to fixing your float with shot! That’s a great question and I would have to say that I’ve found that it varies from place to place. Some spots are better on small tides because the fish don’t pass through as quickly whereas others are better on big tides simply because there’s more water there. Most of the places I fish, however, I don’t feel like the size of the tide has much bearing on whether the fish are likely to bite well or not - that is more down to conditions such as water clarity and weather. Some better anglers than me believe strongly in moon phase having a lot to do with the feeding cycles of mullet so that’s definitely worth investigating if you’re really serious about it. Me, I generally just fish by conditions with the tide dictating which venue or spot I feel gives me the best shout on the day. Ben
Great informative video, and e good beanie hat!!
Thanks Julian! They’re cracking beanies! 😄
@@HookpointFishingMagazine which would you say is best for winter-spring Mullet, Porth or Salt cove?
Tough choice that! I think the gannel is more fun to fish but it’s rare to catch more than a couple of fish in a session and pretty normal to blank, especially the last couple of years. You can fish for longer at porth and if you hit it right you can catch a good few mullet in a trip. You don’t want too much swell for porth though which limits your opportunities to fish it so most of the time I’m on the Gannel. The appeal of both is that they are nice venues to fish the float and there’s always the chance of a nice fish😁 Both very patchy in the last couple of years though, hopefully just a cycle thing and maybe next winter they’ll come back on form. When I first started fishing them with Laurence, we caught a lot more fish, although we didn’t get too many over 5. The 5-6lb fish seem to be more common to catch now if anything! The smaller 3-4 ones much less so! 🤯
@@HookpointFishingMagazine Thanks for the heads up. Don’t think I will be out for a while as I’ve busted my foot at work , got another eight weeks in plaster. Thanks for the videos as they are keeping me sane.🎣🎣
You’re welcome mate! Hope you heal up quick and get back out in the fish asap! 🎣
Great video, very informative. Do you ever find standing spooks them and you get more or more confident bites by keeping a lower profile?
Great question Simon! I’ll answer in the follow up vid 😁
Thanks for the simple tips to get these coastal mullet, ive fished for them for years but never with bread on rhe coast, brilliant. have you tried them on the fly ? may be another video ? the video's are an excellent unrestricted guide to enjoying our great sport, well done.
Thanks Ian, I’m glad you enjoyed the video! I haven’t tried fly fishing for them yet, although I’d like to at sone point. I’ll hopefully cover that fascinating aspect of mullet angling at some point in the future😁
Thank you so much for this, love the video, you’ve motivated me to try in Maldon Essex tomorrow. I see lots of mullet when bass fishing in the Blackwater estuary but thought they were uncatchable 😮
You’re welcome Tony! I was hoping that this video would reach some people who previously thought mullet were uncatchable so I’m delighted it’s reached you! No more missing out on great sport! 😁
@@HookpointFishingMagazine I’m totally motivated now, thank you again👏👍
What you have said about hooking mullet is so true i used to float fish for them at my local cockle sheds for many years.Dont ask me why but on several occasions i would strike but there would be no indication but i would be into a fish,Glad to see i am not the only one that has experienced this somewhat strange situation.
It’s funny isn’t it, the only way I can explain it is like a sixth sense that there’s one on the bait, if that doesn’t sound too mystical 😅 one of the cool little quirks of mullet fishing I reckon 😁 Ben
Ben that is a truly awesome video again, some cracking info to catch the Grey Ghost. Do you find the less you touch the bread on the hook spooks the fish less as they can smell our sent on it??
Thanks Pete! That’s an awesome question, definitely a candidate for the competition! Short answer for me is I can’t call that as I don’t avoid touching the bait but I know people who do and I will talk about what they do if I answer the question on video :) Ben
an interesting sharing sir, the way you deliver and the combination of videos is so great, I feel like I want to try your way of producing videos. greetings from me from Malaysia🤝😊🙏🇲🇾
Go for it! It's always nice to be able to share info that will encourage the uptake of our sport.
What a great video Ben, very informative and well put. I hear Ragworm is also a good bait for targeting these stunning fish, do you ever target them using other baits, and what would be their natural food source if Laurence wasn’t there keeping them fed ? Good work everyone
Great question Ross, another one for the follow up vid for sure! 👍
Cracking video Ben, and a fish I rarely target as locally in the Bristol Channel our sea is basically chocolate! Now if you were to target them up here, would you change your tactics at all as visibility is zero....and the fish are feeding on the green slime over mud flats? I've also heard that if the mullet can see the hook, they won't take the bait...have you noticed this , and if so have you tried painting the hooks to match the colour of your bait? I'm interested to hear your reply, as I'll try your recommendation when the fish start to appear. Cheers Si 👍
Really excellent questions Simon! I’ll answer those as best as I can in the follow up vid! 😁 Ben
Great video!!! In shallow water with weed under the surface would you consider using braid as it floats on the surface and doesn’t sink link normal mono? Obliviously you would loose the give that mono has fighting a mullet?
Thanks James! I'll cover that question in the follow up video mate
Cracking Video Ben, I loved watching it, i'm already looking forward to getting out targeting thick lips.. My questions too you would be, when setting up a float, do you find the need to fine tune the shoting to get greater sensitivity with lift bites ? And also Do you find different coloured lenses on polarised glasses make a difference with different light levels ?
Thanks Luke, excellent questions mate! I'll answer them in the follow up video :)
Great information, question I have is do you find the fish feed as well on the ebbing tide as they do on the flooding tide when they are following the rising water?
Hi Cliff, it depends on the day, sometimes fish will feed really well on the ebb, especially if the spot is only losing water depth slowly. Of course, in many estuary environments, the ebb tide can be really strong and tough to fish with float tactics but persistence can pay off! Often in these situations, however, the fish will pass really quickly and are not catchable. Overall, I think it’s fair to say that the flood is generally a lot more reliable on the majority of marks that I’ve fished but I would never rule out the ebb as it can produce good chances, especially on those venues where the ebb tide doesn’t run really strongly 👍
Great video. I see lots of mullet in my local estuary when bass fishing with lures. Do you struggle to keep the ground bait in a certain area when fishing estuaries and if so how do you get around it?
Great question Ed! I’ll answer that in the follow up video 👍
Brilliant video , do you find once you've hooked a fish, the shoal will spook and not return ? Or how do you get them to return ?
Great question, I’ll answer that one in the follow up video! 😄
Fantastic video Ben. Thanks for posting. I was interested to see that you like the bait right on the bottom. Would you ever “shot up” to get the bait falling more naturally through the water column? Do you think that’s worth a try if there’s no action on the bottom? Cheers.
That’s a brilliant question Justin and definitely one I’d like to answer in detail when I do the video for the competition! Ben
That was a very comprehensive tutorial about the elusive grey finned spirits of the shores ...They are a true game fish in my book....do you find thick lips will go for a baited spinner...in your experience?
Thank you! Yes, I catch a lot of thick lips when I’m spinning for thin lips and golden greys. It’s funny with them though, some days they will be really keen for it and others they won’t even look. And on some marks you don’t seem to catch them on it at all even though you can catch them on the more usual methods 🤔 I think the reactions from thins and goldens are more consistent, they like to chase a bit more. But yes, I’ve had plenty of sessions where I’ve caught far more thicks than the thins i was actually targeting! 😆
Very good video as was your other mullet uploads ,float fishing for mullet is my favourite way to fish for them , here in Spain I would put it at 90% of my thick lip and flat head fishing,I’ve done alot of mullet fishing this winter and I’ve noticed putting tins of tuna in the ground bait really helps bring them in, plus there’s days there on raw chicken and will out fish bread in winter .also if your targeting large mullet 6lb upwards always add a micro swivel that’s super strong in dull colour below the float as it stops a big one breaking you off,id love them floats you have in the video ,can’t get them anywhere in this country. I look forward to to your next uploads tightlines 🐟😎🇪🇸
Thanks for commenting Darren, that’s really interesting! It sounds like you have some mega mullet fishing there! Are you fishing more harbour type environments for them? I’ve used fish in groundbait and as hookbait in harbours and marinas before but those aren’t my usual kinds of haunts. They like raw chicken over there? 😅 Are you close to a poultry processing plant or something like that? Definitely take your point about the swivel, is that because the bigger ones twist the line when they gyrate and weaken it? Fascinating stuff mate! Ben
@@HookpointFishingMagazine Thanks for the your reply,yes the mullet grow very big over here,I do fish harbour,(river in summer)and main sea here , lol raw chicken is really good bait over here for many fish fresh water and sea,I’ve caught bass on it in winter as well,funny enough one of best mullet swims on A major river over here is on poultry plant waste pipe.with regards to the line breaking it’s just from the power of them really big ones much more control with A swivel ,I like to get them in the net as fast as I can, but yes they will rub your line in fights under boats etc. I love mullet fishing pound for pound there’s not much better fight wise and they make your work for it lol. Great chatting you, Looking forward to seeing your next uploads, Good luck with your mullet season. Tightlines 🐟🇪🇸😎
Awesome Darren, cheers for replying! Sounds like fascinating fishing over there! I went to Fuerteventura recently and I was expecting to see big mullet over there but they were all small strangely. I was hoping to catch a flathead but I never got one 😕 really interesting about the raw chicken, that’s got to be worth a try over here in the harbours!
Thanks for your reply,Fuertevetura is great spot for many types of sea fishing and is quality fishing in winter with its high water temperatures .There’s much better places all over main land Spain for big mullet,Mediterranean Sea seems to have the big flatheads here,I’ve caught afew nice ones over the years,there very hard to catch much worse than thick lips and are really easy to spook,they feed mostly top water for bread,so free line or tiny float or small bubble float fished high up in the water,night time is best for them as they will see even the best fluorocarbon in day light unless the water is muddy,also they fight much harder than thicklips they definitely will test your line and knots,I lost a sicking large one last year at night that was much larger than the 88cm wide net I had and the hook got caught in the net, so now Iam using xl carp nets.they mostly feed on weed that’s on rocks, rivers and ports are the best areas for flatheads, I Also love the thicklip fishing we have here they grow larger than uk. Chicken forsure it’s a good bait for them cut thin strips also chicken liver is good but comes off easy. Really nice chatting you ,Good luck with the mullet fishing tightlines 🐟🇪🇸😎
That’s brilliant Darren, I definitely want to try for one of those big flatheads one day - they sound like incredible fish to catch! Thanks for the information mate, I will hopefully put it to good use one day! 😁 all the best with your fishing mate, Ben
Cracking vid as always Ben. I am certainly more enlightened on float fishing for mullet on the open coast and crantock looks stunning. I have a couple of questions, if like me you are skint and would like to give it a go but don't have all the gear necessary. In my case a landing net, is it still possible to fish for mullet and hand line them up the rocks or do I just wait til I can afford a landing net. Secondly I am not a fan of ground baiting, just reminds me to much of freshwater fishing, wasn't overly keen on it then preferred to move around and find fish and that very much is how I sea fish tbh, in your opinion is it still worth doing without ground bait. Cheers Ralph
Those are a couple of really good questions there Ralph! I’ll answer those in the competition video if you’re happy to wait a day or two mate 😁
Excellent video. Well presented and informative. I've not targeted mullet for many years now and this has definitely given me the urge to do so, I'm lucky to have some excellent marks local to me. Any thoughts on using small circle hooks for mullet? Would you avoid using braided mainline or do you think it would be suitable? (Obviously using an ample length of suitable leader)
Thanks! Excellent questions there, I’ll answer those in the follow up video 😁
Great video, been trying around Sussex for a couple of years, but been a struggle so far…
Thanks Jon! What kind of venues are you fishing?
Great video! 👏What leader length and size do you use/recommend? Sorry if you mentioned and I missed it. Fantastic work!
Thank you! I don’t use a leader for this style of fishing mate, it’s 8lb Daiwa Sensor line straight through 👍
@@HookpointFishingMagazine Excellent, thank you very much !
Excellent video m8 if you try again for them this winter got s little tip for you try a very sweet liquid in your ground bait and dip your hook bait in it as I’ve found in winter months they love sweet things especially when sea temperature is very low 😎👍
Thanks Martin and that is a belter of a tip! I will definitely give that a whirl next time I’m out 😁 Ben
Great vid, do you think that the rain water makes much difference in the estuary spots and its better to try more open water??
Great question Tom! I’ll answer that in the follow up video 😁
Great video the tactics pretty much mirror my Chub fishing in rivers. Tip for using polarized glasses is to wear a baseball cap under your wooly hat to shade your eyes makes the glasses work better.
Thanks Pat, I don’t get on with baseball caps as a rule but I’ll give that a try! 👍
Great video on the mullet,some good tips and tactics for sure, regarding the liquidised bread I’ve found when I’ve trotting with a centrepin I put a tin of tuna in the bucket and some cheap fish sauce from a Chinese shop,the oils seen to help,you could also use sardines in brine,anchovies,pink salmon,choice is up to you but I does make a difference. All the best
Great tips John! Thanks! Are you fishing rivers, harbours or on the open coast?
Mainly harbours but you’ve inspired my to try the rocky coastlines now 👍
That’s brilliant John, I hope you find them productive! 🎣
Great video mate enjoyed that. Used to go down on my dads boat and stay the night on it at what was Westwick marina on the crouch, think it’s called Essex Yacht Haven now…anyway, we’d get a takeaway in the evening and the next morning use left over chapati and naan bread just freelining to try and catch the mullet, we never succeeded, they would eat every piece apart from the one with the hook in it 😂
That sounds familiar John! 🤣 Mullet in those kinds of places can be tough customers, fishing the more coastal environments you generally tend to find them a little less tricky
Where I’m at ( Hawaii) we use wooden floats usually handcrafted by individual fishermen basically like a ball (1 1/4” ) and stick type , balanced to stick up indicating a bite…with certain size lead shot to enhance float sensitivity…also tied to mainline with a short piece of string to mainline with a special knot that’s easy to tie and remove to adjust depth….we usually use 10’ carbon ( graphite)poles for fast reaction to bites and lightweight spinning reels around the 3000-4000 size loaded with around 10lb test…leaders usually 8 lb and up……mullet fishing with a float is great fun!!👍🏼
Sounds a really interesting setup Barry! What species of mullet do you have over there?
Brilliant video and very informative! I see that you like to tie your hook direct to the mainline, do you ever use a fluorocarbon hooklength if the mullet are being particularly finicky or the water is clear?
Thanks Ollie! I’ll talk about that in the follow up video but the short answer is that I don’t. I do use fluoro when I’m legering sometimes and almost always when fishing baited spinner though! Thanks for the question mate 🙏 Ben
Thanks for the reply Ben. Looking forward to the next video! I am interested to learn more about fishing for them with the baited spinner method.
Ah, that’s such a fun way of fishing I absolutely love it! If you watch the video on thin lips on the channel, that has some fantastic tips from Olie Passmore! The golden grey video also features the baited spinner method although theres no explanation in that. We may well did a more involved video on mullet spinning at some point in the near future 😁
IMO I there is little difference in the amount of bites you might get with flourocarbon or mono, but mono has the advantage of being more supple and flouro may give you an edge if fish 'rub' against stone and reef to try and get rid of a hook. I used to do a lot of thick-lip fishing in Alderney, both from the breakwater there and the open rock marks, and tended to favour the flouro for the bigger fish. 4lb or 6lb hook-lengths of about 6' long were good on a standard 13' or 15' match rod.
Great video, by the way!
Love Crantock and the Gannel you seem to be on Pentire.
Yes, that’s the place! Lovely bit of coast there 🥰
Amazing video and great scenery Ben! My question to you is..do you feel it's worth wearing dull clothing when fishing for mullet? Much like carp fishing , the carp can often see an angler or feel them through vibrations in the ground and can spook quite easily. Will mullet spook if they see someone wearing a high Vis jacket close to the edge?
Hi Sam, ace question mate! Somebody else has already asked a very similar question - I’ll answer both of you in the follow up video soon 😁 congrats again on your big stinger mate! 💪 Ben
Excellent video. I haven't had the chance to target mullet in the UK, looks like fun! Do you ever catch other species (other species of mullet or other fish) using these tactics? If so, anything surprising? If not, how could you adjust tactics to find a different species on a slow day? Cheers!
Great questions Jamie! I’ll answer them in the follow up vid 😁 Ben
You can get small Bass when Mullet fishing with bread.
Great video , what line goes to your hook .
Hi Joanne! I just fish 8lb Daiwa Sensor straight through, I don’t use a trace 👍 Ben
Great video Ben. Will thick lips go for a mullet spinner? I've had occasions where they won't feed on bread on surface, sinking and on the bottom matter what I try even after mashing oily bread to tiny particles to try get them going.
Hi Tim, yes, they will go for the baited spinner really well at times, at least that has been my experience. It does vary from area to area and venue to venue however. Thick lips apparently refusing to feed on bread is pretty common though, especially in dead water venues like harbours. Sometimes it can take a long time for the fish to switch onto food. If you’re fishing a venue where this is happening to you most of the time, it might be worth trying at night instead - sometimes mullet will feed at a location much better in the dark.
@@HookpointFishingMagazine great advice thank you.
Really enjoyed it !!! Love fishing for mullet in the Adriatic sea when I go on vacatio. However, since it is summertime, I tend to get pested by small fish when fishing bread. Any other bait options to recommend for this style of fishing?
Glad you liked the video! Are you sure there are bigger fish there that you are not catching? Can you see big ones feeding on your groundbait? Are the bigger fish laying deeper than the smaller ones? I’ve never fished anywhere in the Adriatic so I’m not sure what species of mullet you are dealing with too.
@@HookpointFishingMagazine Hey! Thanks for the response!
No problem! Have you tried a baited spinner? Can be effective on all species of mullet on the right day!
Hi Ben, do you have methods to fish for mullet in a tide, or do they hang about in slack water areas?
Great question Dan! I’ll answer that in the follow up vid 👍
Awsome video have you ever managed to hook one out of Hayle Carnsew ive fished regularly for 2 years and there’s some bewty’s in there but no joy brilliant video sir
Thanks! I’ve only fished there twice and once was for bream. I think the first time I fished with Laurence he had a mullet but I’m not sure. I know there’s some cracking fish in there like you say!
@@HookpointFishingMagazine thanks for replying I’ve spent most of the last 12 months fish LRF partly due to not being great on rocks after a serious motorcycle accident but also just to get back to basics I’m A active member of the big lerf but I’m absolutely obsessed with Mullet I’ve had them on bread, lure isome and fly but none from Hayle yet but I’ll definitely keep trying tight lines and thanks again
Sorry to hear about your accident mate, hope you’re making a full recovery! I’ve not spent any real time fishing for the mullet there but I would imagine legering on the bottom would be more productive than float fishing in Carnsew pool. It’s easy to get distracted by mullet you can see up in the water and spend time going after fish that are unlikely to take your bait. I remember seeing a lot of mullet just drifting around when I’ve been to Hayle - these are not feeding fish and you can waste an awful lot of time trying to tempt them. You may get one or two to bite eventually but you would almost certainly do better targeting fish that are actively looking for food on the bottom. I remember the fish outside the pool looking a bit more game than the ones inside so it might be worth spending a bit of effort fishing in the canal section when the tide is flooding? I would imagine that the mullet in the pool would switch on when the water is flooding into it too so maybe aim to concentrate your sessions at that time. I hope that helps, don’t be shy of talking to the locals there and watching how they are fishing. Chances are that you’ll find somebody who is knowledgable and happy to help 😁
Best decision is to go for N.Kernow Coast-line grey mullet, if possible. Lovely clean fish, that are fit as fitchers. Proper job!
Cheers Tim, they are fantastic fish!
Cool vid mate, have you ever tried liquidized bread, basically just blend bread without the crust and it fluffs up and holds moisture, really good to put on the hook and it stays on really well. Another good tip is to add a bit of milk if you are using it to feed, it creates a cloud in the water and attracts more fish.
Excellent points there mate! I’ll talk about the bread in the follow up vid 😁 Ben
@@HookpointFishingMagazine awesome always good to share knowledge, even if most already know. I went seafishing today, caught a few plaice 🙂
Awesome mate, love a bit of spotty fishing! 👌
Many thanks i spotted mullet in the creeks where i dig worms and fancy having a go at them I'm very sure they never seen a slice of bread in their life's but it was going to be my first choice but they must take worm both small lug and wrag any advice on that there's also bass in with them possibly a bait that would take either would be good
That sounds like a tasty angling proposition! It would be interesting to know which species they are, if they are thick lips then bread will be your best bet. In some estuaries, bass love the bread too so don’t be surprised if you catch them on it! If they are thin lips, then they are unlikely to look at bread. You can fish with a baited spinner for these, here’s another video that shows you how to do this - kzhead.info/sun/Za9xcbasmamGiH0/bejne.html . If you’re really lucky, the fish will be a mix of thicks and thins and you can choose which species and which method to fish. If you’re even luckier, they will be a mix of thicks and thins and both will have a taste for the baited spinner! Fantastic sport guaranteed then! :)
@Hookpoint Fishing Magazine thanks have only seen them racing up the creeks and i have been heading for the beds so haven't had time to sit back close enough long to identify them but it's a wonderful place to be so i will go on a spotting mission they come into just enough water to cover them right tight to the mud banks and that's towards the end of the ebb and in all the years I've gone there by the time waters pushing back I'm getting out for safety reasons but summer time?? I need to go look when I'm not digging
That sounds like an interesting puzzle to unravel! 😄 If they are moving fast, they may prove very difficult, if not impossible to interest. The flood may be a better proposition as they are coming into the creek to feed.
I’ve seen mullet before at different location. I’d there an easy way of identifying if they are thick or thin lipped so I can either float fish bread or spin with a mepps accordingly?
In the water thins often look lighter in appearance next to thicks and their pectoral fins are shorter. It’s hard to explain but once you catch a few of each and get familiar with them, you’ll be able to look at a mullet in the water and have a good idea whether it’s a thick or thin if you’ve got a good enough view. If I wasn’t sure, I’d go for the baited Mepps first. A good few of the places I’ve fished, thicks will go for it as well so you can double your chances. It’s a fact that in some areas thins will take bread too.
Superb stuff as always with Ben, I will take a lot from this and use👍. Anybody new take a look at his Golden Grey video One of Bens “Instrumentals” I could watch on loop all day.. big screen high volume
Thanks Martin, I’m glad you enjoy this vid and the golden grey one! I had a great time making that one 😁 Ben
Went out on the coast today to find an elusive march bass, yet found hoardes of mullet,made me wish I had a loaf of bread and some floats, next time I guess, was good to see in the video how you attach the bread to the hook, I've found to my cost the dearer doughy bread is better for the hook than the drier cheaper bread that's perfect for the ground bait
I was thinking about that yesterday, how often it is you come across good mulleting opportunities when you’re out fishing for other species! Definitely with you on the quality bread for the hookbait, nothing worse than dry, stale bread for moulding on the hook 😩 Ben
How does that rod hold up to rusting, in sea water, i have one for chub trotting.
I’ve had it a year now and not had any issues with it. I haven’t been careful with it either, it rarely gets washed off and lives in my car for long periods! 😆
What are the float rubber band things called and where can I get some?
They’re Drennan Float Caps Jamie. They come assorted in a packet, you’ll find them in shops that stock Drennan freshwater stuff 👍
Beautiful river sea where it is exactly?
It’s the mouth of the river Gannel near Newquay, Cornwall, UK 👍
Trout angler mainly here but I have been trying to target mullet for a few weeks now in my local estuary with no luck, how do you get rid of the birds and ducks 😂 and could the mullet be more spooky being closer to the river? Im at a loss
What part of the country are you in @zer0sword? One could tip to alleviate the duck problem is to use liquidised bread as your groundbait as this disperses into tiny particles that the birds can’t get to and keeps them from eating all your free offerings 😁 alternatively, you could go onto legering with a swim feeder and that will make sure your bait is on the bottom where the birds (hopefully) can’t get it. Estuary mullet can be very spooky, to the point where they will flee at the flash of a rod or the casting of a shadow. You might need to be either very stealthy or try and find fish in other spots that are actively feeding and likely to be more tolerant. Are you sure that the fish you are seeing are thick lipped mullet? If they are thin lips, they are unlikely to take bread and a baited spinner will be a better tactic.
@@HookpointFishingMagazine thanks for the tips! They are thin lipped mullet i think, im from Dublin, ireland. Usually in our bays and harbor areas there are so many mullet, and people here dont catch them for sport or eating, so i would love to get a competition going between my friends on who can catch one 😂 thanks a million! :)
You’re welcome! If they are thin lipped mullet, the baited spinner should serve you well. I’m currently working on a video about this method so watch this space! 😁 Ben
Here in Hawaii I noticed the big mullet tend to stay low and to the outside of the pile
If you had to compare mullet to a fresh water species fight wise, what would it be?
That’s a tough question for me Alan as I’ve not done an awful lot of freshwater fishing, at least not for a long time! My mate Laurence does though and he says mullet fight better than any of the other fish he goes after like chub, barbel and carp 👌
@@HookpointFishingMagazine I look forward to targeting them this year 💪🏼🎣
Fight like Rainbow Trout, without splashing around at the surface.
ماشاء الله فديو رائع جداً
Thank you!
Love this mate but why use the eye in the float - use rubbers top and bottom only and you can change floats easier Good work though
That’s a fantastic tip Mark, I’m using that next time out! I think I’ve always done it just as I used to be worried about losing the float and it became a habit but you’re totally right, the float never comes off the caps so it’s all good 👍
@@HookpointFishingMagazine coarse fishing tip that - the Olivettes lined with rubber are good to as swan shot will damage your line
100% - I used the olivettes all last year but I haven’t this year for some reason. I find if I just pinch my shot on and don’t squeeze too hard they don’t crimp the line too badly. But yes, the olivettes are a better method for sure 👍
Bit different from the way I float fish for thick lips but then I fish harbour and estuary in summer but very very good and informative video
Thanks Pete, what would you say are the main differences in your approach?
As I'm usually fishing in shallow water I tend to use floating bait also the mullet tend not to feed as well in heavy coloured water so with clear water not casting shadows on the water is important. Trace wise I use flouro leader with all shot directly under float or a self cocking float.If sea birds become a problem I sometimes use dust shot close to the bait to give it neutral bouyancy just below the surface.hook wise I use a single 8 hook with a second sliding 10 above which helps hook ups with fish mouthing the bread flake.Thats the basics slightly different method but principals are very similar to yours in most ways.
Forgot to mention watch the bait not the float and strike by only lifting the rod tip when bait is taken don't strike fast or hard lol
Great video, very informative. Interesting choice of line, we were always told that mullet are the smartest sea fish, you are clearly an experienced angler who thinks a lot about catching the target species, why not use fluorocarbon for the snood please?
Really good question that! I’ll answer it in the follow up video 😁 Ben
Many thanks, always keen to learn new things. Out of curiosity, when using groundbait like Laurence mixed up abroad, we often have other species move in, even bream. Given you are primarily fishing open coast, do you find other species gate crashing the swim pls?
Another good point! No, not at this time of year and these venues. The only other species I catch are blended and the odd sand smelt early season 😅 in the summer though it can be a different story, the guys that fish in Hayle catch as many giltheads as they do mullet sone days apparently and my mate Laurence has awful trouble getting pestered by 7-8lb bass when he’s mulleting the estuaries his way! 😆
Gilts and bass, what a bycatch🥳😂 Many thanks for the reply.
The kind of bycatch I could definitely live with for sure! 😄
no one surfing ? looks like a nice beach brake :)
I think there was one or two out these few days we filmed - the camera must have missed em! 😆 it’s a decent wave all in all, pretty heavy at low and long and fat at high