# Mullet on a fly?



## Adsorbable

Hey guys  so first let me say that I know that most people catch mullet with a net, but i've been reading a lot (mostly from the UK) that says that mullet can be caught on a fly.

Has anybody ever tried with a small fly? I am still very new to fly fishing so its really just an easy species (more for fun) to target while I am trying to practice my fly cast 

The easiest way I've read so far is to use a 'bread fly'. You basically chum the water with bread flakes to attract the mullet and then toss the 'fly' close to imitate a piece of floating bread. Figure this might be more fun than practice casting in the backyard lol.

Any input would be appreciated


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## stevenattsu

That will work there’s a mullet group for the boys across the pond on Facebook that fish like that


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## Adsorbable

I will definitely give it a try this weekend when the flies arrive and the weather works out. I am originally from europe and fishing/chumming with bread or a thick flavored dough is a norm, but I've never seen anybody around here do it. I have talked to a couple of fishing buddies, but they just shook their head at me lol. 

These are the flies that I ordered if anybody is curious https://www.amazon.com/Henrys-Lunch-Fly-Henry-Fishing/dp/B00XUN22QE


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## kanaka

I've tied the flies using a cream dubbing. Tried the crumbled bread, stupid seagulls showed up. 
Eons ago in Okinawa, we would just toss out a slice of bread and watch it get pounded by mullet. Used the local flour and jack mackerel to make dough balls and caught em.


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## Adsorbable

Haha Kanaka you brought up the exact point that I am a bit worried about... I am afraid that my fishing trip will turn into an amateur air show, because a seagull/duck decided to pick up the bread fly. Obviously going to look out for that, but its still a concern.


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## captken

*Birds put up an interesting fight but--*

Some folks frown on bird fishing. 

Good Mullet chums are English peas, Nibblet corn and laying mash (best). Crumbled crackers work pretty good too.

I'll attach an article I wrote for one of the fishing magazines that details how I do it.


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## wtbfishin'

I've caught a few on some small cold water trout flies with a thingamabobber when they're feeding on that floating what ever it is. You better be ready to set the hook on the slightest movement of the bobber or they're gone. Great fighters they are :yes:.


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## Adsorbable

I've actually read a lot that mullet is a good fighting fish pound for pound. The flies that I ordered are coming on a size 6 hook, but I am thinking that those hooks might still be too big for mullet? I am thinking about maybe purchasing a pack of size 10 or 12 hooks and then sacrificing a bought fly or two to retie them on to smaller hooks.


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## wtbfishin'

a pack of size 10 or 12 hooks and then sacrificing a bought fly or two to retie them on to smaller hooks.[/QUOTE]

Maybe even down to 14 or 16 that is what a lot of my trout flies are, not sure what I caught them on other than small. :shifty:


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## Adsorbable

I figured that they would have to be that small lol. We used to fish with maggots back in Europe for fish similar like mullet, but A) they seem to be tough to find around here B) I hate it when you don't hook them right and they 'pop' lol


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## Burnt Drag

Many years ago, we'd pile onto the neighbor's party barge and run 1.5 miles from our home to Gulfport Lake... This neighbor knew exactly the time of year to do this (fall) and we'd catch 30 or so on black jig heads with bread balls... then we'd go back to the house and fry them up like a boss!


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## kanaka

Adsorbable said:


> Haha Kanaka you brought up the exact point that I am a bit worried about... I am afraid that my fishing trip will turn into an amateur air show, because a seagull/duck decided to pick up the bread fly. Obviously going to look out for that, but its still a concern.


When their schooled up, I see them slurping the surface for something.

Food for thought, back in Hawaii when the limu seaweed comes floating into the bays, the mullet follow them and you can catch them with little balls of seaweed. That being said, maybe a green "bread" fly? 

Hell, just get out there and see if they'll eat the fly without chumming. I can't get close enough to try it, hull slap keeps them just out of my casting range unless I switch to the 10 wt.


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## kanaka

Burnt Drag said:


> Many years ago, we'd pile onto the neighbor's party barge and run 1.5 miles from our home to Gulfport Lake... This neighbor knew exactly the time of year to do this (fall) and we'd catch 30 or so on black jig heads with bread balls... then we'd go back to the house and fry them up like a boss!


We were using the red/white plastic bobbers with a 3 way swivel under them. 2 different length leaders and hooks. It was a tussle when you had a double on.
Fresh mullet on the hibachi minutes later.


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## Adsorbable

kanaka said:


> When their schooled up, I see them slurping the surface for something.
> 
> Food for thought, back in Hawaii when the limu seaweed comes floating into the bays, the mullet follow them and you can catch them with little balls of seaweed. That being said, maybe a green "bread" fly?


I think that should work. We used to use corn back in germany and caught plenty of fish, so I dont see why seaweed would work. That is another fly that I've read that works called a 'greenie' fly. I have some green dubbing and thread laying around so I figured I would try to make a couple of seaweed 'flies' too :shifty:

In the end its really just an experiment, but at least now I have something decent to cast at while trying to improve my fly cast. I figured this way I can try to reach the mullet that out of range of the net, but still close enough for me to aim/cast at lol


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## kanaka

If you can see em, when in doubt, double haul that 6/0 treble hook.


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## Adsorbable

Bread fly = horrible idea. We tried it, we failed, we won't repeat it lol. We got to a dock and found a few mullet that seemed to be feeding but they were too far out, so we started to chum with some bread that we had.. Well... the sea gulls had a great breakfast and scared away the fish.

Went out on a boat with a buddy after and went back to catching them with the net.


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## kanaka

Did you crumble the bread up really small or about crouton size?

I might try it run in a food processor one day. Maybe the flying rats won't notice it.......


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## Adsorbable

I actually did both. Small crumbs to let them sink to the bottom and then another piece of bread in bigger chunks to fit in with the fly. I definitely do not recommend this, unless you plan on catching a sea gull/duck. We actually had to unhook a unfortunate sea gull that got way to greedy and tried to steal some kids bait (they used squid so figured its safe and we were at the beginning of the dock while they were at the end). I am planning on recycling my bread flies into sandflea flies (just going to dye them brown and add a shell lol)


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## kanaka

Ah, things haven't changed with them buggers. Maybe in the summer when they have something else to eat.
But, think I'll let you give that a shot since you have a dock. :yes:


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## FleaBag

have caught them on the st. johns river near welaka. bream hook and a small piece of Blounstown earthworm.


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## jigslinger

Years ago I read an article where they chummed the mullet with oatmeal and used a thin slice of white plastic worm on a tiny hook. They said it worked, but I've never tried it.


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## softbutchharley

I have caught hundreds of mullet with a small piece of salt pork and #6 sized hook, Small(pinky fingernail sized) white part of salt pork. Small split shot appx 10" or so above hook. 6-8 test floro and lite rod/reel combo. Spinning gear. small float appx 2' above hook. Chum area to fish ( no or very slow current, canals seemed best) with 4-5 loaves of cheapest white bread available. Soak bread in bucket till it "mash" consistency, then wad in fist and toss in area to fish. The salt pork looks like bread, but stays on hook. They bite like pin fish or bream. I have done this in Tampa as a kid with grandma and have yet to try it up here (Navarre) . But I was wanting to revisit sweet times in life and am now searching for the mullets close to me to give it a shot again. HTH


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