Dartmouth Angling and Boating Association

Mullet fishing is not for the fainthearted, or anyone with a nervous disposition. The mullet will allure you,and will then drive you totally mad!

On a hot summers day you can see the mullet gently swimming in a foot of water, without a care in the world, and you may think they look easy to catch; they don't look like they could swim very fast. I thought that many years ago, until I hooked one. Once hooked, look out and hold on because this fish can explode with the speed of a rocket. The mullet has to be the most hard fighting explosive fish you will ever encounter. This fish never knows when to give up and can explode into life even when you think that it's beaten.

You may well ask "Why do you fish for mullet"? Challenges! We all need them, and the mullet is most certainly a challenge, but worthy of the challenge.

The mullet can be caught, and there are ways of catching them; sometimes easily, sometimes with great difficulty, it depends upon how the fish are feeding. Here are some tips you may follow to give you the best chance of catching the mullet. If you have a background in fresh water fishing with light tackle, then you are half way there:

Equipment: 11 to 12 foot fresh water rod, fixed spool reel, 6lb to 8lb spool line, size 8 hook - chemically sharpened, waggler, leger.

Baits: Bread flake, fish baits, mackerel, worms, maggot, sweet corn: bread flake is common and is used everywhere.

Where to fish for Mullet: Harbour walls, inner harbours, pontoons, marinas 9make sure that you get permission if you fish from pontoons or in marinas) You can also fish the kelp beds on the rocks, but take care as the rocks do get slippery. It is sensible to always fish in pairs, and if you climb rocks take a rope with you.

Enjoy your fishing but be responsible, stay safe and respect your surroundings, and take home disregarded tackle.

I hope this has been of interest to you, and should you require more information, call at the Club, or give me a ring on my mobile (see Contact Us page)

Just to let you know that you can catch grey mullet. Below is a picture of one I caught earlier; a specimen mullet weighing 4lbs 15.75 ozs.

David Drury 21st August 2008