SPECIES SPOTLIGHT
Our warming sea temperatures are pushing species usually associated with our south coast further and further north
Shore fishing for golden grey mullet.
IN PAST decades golden grey mullet have been confined to mainly some southern and south-west English beaches and estuaries, and a couple of specific venues in south-west Wales. Yet in the recent years a few vanguard fish have been caught from the south-east of England and some beaches in mid Wales.
In Ireland, they are found most frequently in the Cork area and westwards. Occasional fish are reported from Wexford and the Kerry beaches in perfect conditions, again indicating this shift into a wider area.
WHEN & WHERE
Golden greys, or GGs as they are commonly called, are a summer fish, with mid-June being the accepted time of their common arrival, although County Cork, in Ireland, can see mid-May fish in warmer springs.
In all areas they tend to peak in numbers in July and August, but the species is sensitive to sudden drops in air temperature. If the UK and Ireland gets a warm September with calmer conditions, these fish can linger through to the third week. If there is rough weather in late August and early September, they will move off and be gone for another year.
GGs love shallow sandy surf beaches. They come right into the shallow edge of the surf and rarely is a cast longer than 30 yards or so needed. They can often be seen in water just a few inches deep as they work through the inner surf tables, as a shoal, hunting for food. Tides are not overly important as they can be caught on both neaps and springs, but bigger tides tend to see the fish more active and quartering the surf more, and in larger numbers.
They are also found moving into our smaller shallow estuaries following the flooding tide. They use the main channels to access the upper estuary areas, such as shallow mudflats. They also work into saltwater lagoons and, if the depth is adequate, may even stay in these permanently for much of the summer.
Neap tides tend to see the fish more concentrated inside estuary channels and creeks. During spring tides, they move fast through the main channels and filter out on to the flooded mudflats and into the shallow lagoons. They like clear calmer seas, and in estuaries will not run if there is a hint of flood water acidity or suspended colour in the water. Be aware that they are only caught in daylight.
TACKLE & RIGS
Golden greys rarely exceed 3lb in weight, but fight well for their size. The best rod option is anything light with a fairly flexible tip, so look at either an 11ft freshwater medium feeder rod or a Shakespeare 9ft Tipster-type rod. Match these to a 3000 to 4000 sized fixed-spool reel and load with 15-20lb braid. These combinations are ideal for both light leger fishing and for casting bubble floats into the surf. Add a short 6ft section of 15lb fluorocarbon as a sight leader to the braid to minimise visual awareness.
GGs respond to baits suspended in mid water to near the surface. If you leger fish, use a two or three-hook rig with lighter 6-8lb fluorocarbon hooklengths about 12-18in long, but add a semi-fixed float bead about three or four inches above the bait to lift it. Keep hooks small, something like a Drennan Super Specialist size 8 to 10 is plenty big enough. This set-up works well in estuary channels.
Fishing the surf, you can fish with a sliding leger and flowing trace about 18in long and made from 10lb fluorocarbon but carrying two hooks spaced about 10in apart. Hooks should be a size 6 Aberdeen. This rig gives the baits plenty of movement, which will draw more bites, plus this fish can be wary of obvious tackle on the seabed.
The rig for fishing a calm surf and for fishing the lagoons is to slide on an oval bubble float, then a small swivel. To the swivel add 3-4ft of 6lb fluorocarbon. Slide on a small 2-3mm pearl bead, then a small silver plastic spoon blade, then three more pearl beads and tie on a size 8 to 10 Drennan Super Specialist hook. This is cast and slowly retrieved across the surface.
BEST BAITS
The best baits for both surf and estuary fishing are maddie ragworms. These should be just nicked in the head by the hook with the worm’s body left to wriggle enticingly in the water as the bait washes over the sand. Maddies also work well as a suspended bait in front of a float bead.
They can also be taken on freshwater maggots, and sometimes bread when in lagoons if people regularly feed ducks and swans. Small chunks of blow lug or tiny mackerel or squid strips can work, but are far less effective than the maddies.
TOP TACTICS
Best tactic in a light, clear surf, or when lagoon fishing, is to fish the bubble float rig. Add a little water to the bubble float and bait with a few small maddie rag. Cast this lightly out into the surf and begin a slow and steady retrieve. You’ll feel plucks on the rod tip as the fish bite, but wait until they pull the rod right over to securely hook them. Often, if you strike, you can pull the baits either out of the fish’s mouth, or they rip the worms off the hook.
Try adding a small plastic silver spoon and four to five pearl beads above the hook, then bait the hook with maddie rag hooked by just the head. This imitates a small fish getting away with the worm and seems to trigger otherwise shy-biting GGs to take the bait.
When leger fishing, keep the rod tip very low and the line absolutely tight to the lead weight. If you’re using a supple tip rod, as suggested, you’ll see the soft tip start to pull around before you feel the actual bite. Wait until you feel the lead weight slide
The fish will be up to 3lb on the sand as a fish comes up tight on the hooklength and then strike lightly to set the hook. If you’re not getting bites, twitch the lead weight back a couple of inches to give the bait more movement as this can induce more takes.
The shoals of GGs will tend to show a preference for a certain stretch of beach. They will swim up that stretch with the tide then disappear, but will return again for another pass through, so if you see fish in front of you and they disappear, be patient as they are likely to return.
In all cases when fishing at close quarters for golden greys, be stealthy. Do not just wade into the surf. Stand well back on dry sand if the fish are working very close in and keep the noise down. The same applies when fishing lagoons.
Fish in a semi-landlocked situation can become very skittish, so standing high up on bridges and banks should be avoided, as is excessive noise and even loud talking. This makes a big difference. ■
To first skin the fish, lay it belly side down and insert the point of the knife at the tail end between the skin and the white meat, then carefully cut back to the head.
Remove the head. Then use a serrated pair of scissors to trim off the fins and tail. Turn the fish over and, from the edge of the fish, cut between the meat and the bones to remove the entire fillet
Depending on the size of the fish and your personal taste, you can either skin the fillets or leave it on.
POCKETING EXPLAINED
An alternative method of filleting a flatfish, called ‘pocketing’, is one of the demonstrations required at filleting competitions. Pocketing involves leaving the entire fish intact, other than removing the guts, head and fins. This is achieved by removing the bones as shown in the images. The open cavity can then be stuffed with couscous, rice or other fillings.