GREY MULLET
Tune up your skills for catching these notoriously wary feeders
THICK-LIPPED mullet are one of our hardest-fighting sea fish and often dubbed the UK bonefish, and on appropriate tackle, that’s not too far off the mark. Known as grey ghosts, they can be frustrating at times, showing interest, yet not taking the bait. Sometimes they certainly seem to be impossible to catch, but the rewards for perseverance are immense.
WHEN & WHERE
Mullet are found right up into the north of Scotland, but for numbers, the emphasis is on the southern half of the UK and around Ireland.
Mullet are lovers of warmer water and migrate back in from about early April in the far south, though some fish can overwinter in mild years, especially in the South West.
Further north, it’s usually late April or early
May before the fish appear, and in Scotland late May to mid-June, and they’ll be gone by the end of September, but linger in the mid and south sections of the UK through October and even November.
Mullet appear on all flood tides, big and small. You’ll find them in harbours, marinas, and anywhere where boats moor up. They move into estuaries and filter through the smaller creek channels, and access
the mudflats as the tide floods. The fish stay until the flow of the ebbing tide picks up, then quickly work their way back out to the main channel. With a fondness for saltwater lagoons, mullet will sometimes get landlocked there between tides.
Mullet are caught in daylight and can feed well in bright, sunny conditions, though more overcast weather is better. It can also pay to have a light breeze blowing so that the surface water is rippled slightly. This helps them to feed more confidently.
Mullet will work out when certain food sources become available and are quick to take advantage, such as taking bread more confidently if people regularly feed ducks and birds. If you watch carefully, they’ll also be about in bigger numbers when weekend sailors fill up the marinas than during the week due to the increased amount of food being thrown in the water.