Mullet on fly

[nakes]

Ok so I haven't been successful at catching Galjoen on fly, yet... but just for the record, on the day that I tried, even the bait fisherman were unsuccessful... so conditions just weren't right... oh well, I'll try again later in the Galjoen season... when I know conditions are perfect...

Now, the bay was full of Mullet on the day that I tried to catch Galjoen, so I tried to hook a few mullet.. but they just wouldn't take the fly.... they followed it.. but no strikes..

Any of you catch mullet on fly? Care to share your technique and fly choice?

[Pierre]

Hi Nakes

We have an article on the site about Mullet on Fly

http://www.flytalk.co.za/readArticle.php?p_id=5

Cheers

[nakes]

Thanks Pierre

[phly]

i've seen them caught in pushing tide on sandbanks using very small white flies. They give a heck of a fight..kinda like little milkfish. Very strong for their size. I've caught freshwater mullet on a dirty egg-immitation fly fished dead drift through a bunch of them.

Hi Nakes

We have an article on the site about Mullet on Fly

http://www.flytalk.co.za/readArticle.php?p_id=5

Cheers

[phly]

awesome article Pierre, thanks man.

Hi Nakes

We have an article on the site about Mullet on Fly

http://www.flytalk.co.za/readArticle.php?p_id=5

Cheers

[Brin Kushner]

fantastic article. I tried bread on a HUGE school of Southern Mullet recently, but they ignored the bread completely. A number of fish chased my "mullet fly", but wouldnt take. Have caught stiped mullet on 14# tan crazy charlies in the Keurbooms lagoon.

[FishWhisperer]

They give a heck of a fight..kinda like little milkfish.

My thoughts exactly. What about trying the "Milky Dream" on them??? Has anyone got the recipe. Been trying to find one for ages.

[Nepptune]

My thoughts exactly. What about trying the "Milky Dream" on them??? Has anyone got the recipe. Been trying to find one for ages.

FW - Ja I've got it somewhere... pretty easy fly to tie.. I tied a bunch for my Sey trip....

I'll see if I can find it for you.... TCFF did a piece on it when they first printed that article on Arno cracking the code..

[chris williams]

Yup, they're great fish to catch but oh, so exasperating at most times!
I used to fish a lot for them in estuaries and in shallow protected beaches/bays in Vic./South Aussie during my time there, with a reasonable amount of success - at times! I've only fished for them here in Durban harbour where often there are large shoals in the shallows like off Victoria Embankment.
Berleying with fly-sized cubes of bread, also having lots of bread bits in a sack and left to let bits drift out with the tide/current often assists, but don't go overboard! The smaller fish seem to react first, with the larger guys often only coming along a bit later, guess they're a bit more wary. And STEALTH is the only way to go!!!
I know you can use seaweed, small shrimp, hopper/lice, maggot type imitations, but I reckon the best for visibility for us fishers are white bread type imitations (not so much the brown).
I used to use usually a floating line with longish leader with usually size 10/16 flies in the following general types (added bonus they're so easy to tie):
Deer hair bread cube fly - self-explanatory
White trout egg fly - ditto, you can buy the 'eggs' loose in the fly shops but I prefer the other flies - they're cheaper to tie and I feel a bit more comfortable using them for some old man's reason...
White bread cube foam fly (floating) - closed-cell foam from packaging
White Antron 'dissolving bread' fly tied fluffy - often called a "Yeastie Beastie'

I guess small white deaths and salty buggers could work as well. I know there is a white bread wooly bugger, but I've never tied or tried such an animal.

In protected waters like an estuary mouth or bay I like using a floating bread cube fly to double up as an indicator, with e.g. a sinking Antron fly about a foot below NZ style as a 'dissolving' slow-sinking fly.

Whilst this may not be purist fishing IMHO it's possible the best way to get these wily guys.

Ultra-smalll Crazy Charlies can also work well in light surf - I'd only need cast out about 10/15 metres, but that was only my Aussie experience I don't know if that'd work on the different mullet species here.

[bluegill]

Hi Nakes

I recently caught one in Durban Bay on a bloodworm imitation. The thing with Mullet is that you need to target them when they are actively feeding or else I feel your chances diminish. They give a real good account of themselves. You need to be very patient. If you search this site for bloodworm fly's you will get a link to Illawarra Fly Tiers, I used this fly & landed a beauty, see my latest photo in the gallery. Let me know if you find the link to the bloodworm fly.

Cheers

Alan