# Why Mullet?



## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Why Mullet? Well, when nothing is working very well for you and the mullet are cooperating that's where you will find me. Actually, I'm sort of tired of mullet fishing and most everybody is probably tired of reading about it, but it is what it is for now. *Nothing has been posted in this thread for 14 days and it needs a little life.*

For the past four or five weeks or so Choctawhatchee mullet over my way have been around in good numbers. Not every day of course, but plenty of days were good and that kept the mulleteers coming back to the holes.

Early last week the bite was exceptional day after day. My new gold hook technique learned from a friend became my only method of fishing. This was shared with others and some good folks from the Great State of Alabama who did extremely well over several days using a #8 gold hook. 100 limits were taken according to reports. Incidentally, the rowe season starts Sept 1st and the limit changes to 50 per boat per day. 

However, three days of rain this week changed the whole ball game. Yesterday the bite was zero where just a few days ago it was rapid fire. This morning it was the same, but I did get two and six very nice bream that were full of my chum feed. Caught the bream on crickets. This is the life of mullet fishing.....feast or famine. 

The Choctawhatchee River is on another fairly hefty rise but will be falling out in a few days. I want to get back on the river and look for catfish and bream. All this fresh water does impact both fresh and saltwater fishing in the east end of bay and the estuary system, and on up the river.


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## tiger297 (Jan 13, 2018)

I'm not tired of hearing about it...


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## olegator (Dec 6, 2014)

Appreciate the update/report.


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## shootnstarz (May 4, 2011)

Do the mules caught in fresh water taste the same as the salt water dwellers?


RH


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

shootnstarz said:


> Do the mules caught in fresh water taste the same as the salt water dwellers?
> 
> 
> RH


I assume you mean mullet? I don't have a clue if there is a difference in taste but would guess there probably is. All the fish I catch are pretty much in brackish water...leaning toward salt...until there is a big rain like we just had last week. 
I have read mullet along the south florida gulf coast have a pinkish stomach liner. The fish I catch have a black stomach liner. I would think there would be a difference in taste from south florida mullet to fish caught here in the panhandle. 

Here is a pretty good article on mullet. Just goes to show how the technique for fishing is different strokes for different folks. To me a #2 hook is huge.

http://www.floridasportsman.com/2015/08/13/mullet-fishing/


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## tiger297 (Jan 13, 2018)

Regarding the fresh vs brackish.

As an out of state person I only bought a saltwater license. Is there a generally accepted line on the rivers and such around here that FWC considers the boundary?


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## Murphy's Law (Sep 27, 2007)

tiger297 said:


> Regarding the fresh vs brackish.
> 
> As an out of state person I only bought a saltwater license. Is there a generally accepted line on the rivers and such around here that FWC considers the boundary?


No boundary lines. It goes off what type fish you catch and keep.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

tiger297 said:


> Regarding the fresh vs brackish.
> 
> As an out of state person I only bought a saltwater license. Is there a generally accepted line on the rivers and such around here that FWC considers the boundary?


There is no general accepted line of differentiation that I'm of. I checked on this with FWC for a Kansas friend that winters down here and we fish together a lot in brackish water areas. In these areas you can catch both freshwater and saltwater fish. With a saltwater license only , if you catch a bass, bream, and probably a blue, channel, or flathead incidental to your fishing trip you have to release them. Mullet are considered a saltwater fish although they are caught many miles up rivers. You should be safe on mullet even a few miles up a river. 

If anyone has a different take on this please chime in. 

If you want to be sure and have peace of mind you can call FWC at 850-265-3676 (Panama City office) during normal business hours and they will give you official information.


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## billyb (Aug 22, 2012)

Can't you catch mullet in the bay with a freshwater license?


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

billyb said:


> Can't you catch mullet in the bay with a freshwater license?


Good question, I think you can. Will clarify with FWC tomorrow.


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

Mullet have the lowest mercury count that is almost 0 and they are the only fish with a gizzard. Mullet is a dietary necessity fish if you are a true southerner. Just sayin, carry on men, as you were.


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## billyb (Aug 22, 2012)

This year I only bought a freshwater license, no saltwater. I just don't catch any redfish or trout like I once did. In the past I had a freshwater commercial license and it was legal. Last time we were at Broadmouth FWC pulled up in a big boat with a 300hp motor. He asked what we were fishing for. We told him mullet and he said in his 35 years with the FWC he had never seen anyone snatching mullet. To our surprise he wished us luck and sped off. Never checked anything.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Turns out Billyb's encounter with the action by FWC officers on the big boat was parallel to that of a local wildlife officer I contacted this evening. Here is his take on the matter of licenses when mullet fishing.

"Whether or not a fresh or saltwater license is required is determined NOT the body of water fishing but to the species of fish a person is targeting. So in a brackish bay type place if you are fishing for bass you would need a freshwater license, if you are in freshwater but are targeting mullet you would technically need a saltwater license because mullet are listed by FWC as a saltwater species. However, if I check someone mullet fishing in freshwater and they have only a valid freshwater license, I personally would not harp on it or write a citation, due to the complexity of it." 

There is always the exception in law enforcement, (spent 38 years in the game) but in grey areas these examples of common sense goes a long way in the credibility and public support of FWC that usually prevails across the board by law abiding folks. 

Now, let's go mullet fishing which I may do tomorrow if I can get these bones moving early enough. 

JB



From: JBH <[email protected]>


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

*Rags to riches*

Last friday - 0 Last Saturday - 2 This morning - around 50 + mullet.
Released 13 after my box was full


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## billyb (Aug 22, 2012)

You got an open seat anytime this week? I think all of the mullet in Milton have gone east to Choctaw.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

billyb said:


> You got an open seat anytime this week? I think all of the mullet in Milton have gone east to Choctaw.



PM sent


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

I was told mullet, having a gizzard technically makes them a “fowl” and hence you would need a hunting license to keep them


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## CurDog (Nov 14, 2010)

While at your mullet hole, what type of feed you tossing, dog food, rabbit pellets, both or something else? Whats the best dog food do you use? 

A fellow once said he uses sinking pond fish food (catfish pellets I think) and dog food, but I've forget what the name brand was, something cheap tho.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Try'n Hard said:


> I was told mullet, having a gizzard technically makes them a “fowl” and hence you would need a hunting license to keep them



:thumbsup: Good point....I love chicken gizzards and I eat mullet gizzards and backbones. Will see if I can get one to fly tomorrow.


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## tiger297 (Jan 13, 2018)

Great to hear I'm good to fish for mullet up the river a ways without getting another license!

I was already planning on buying a couple of fly rods to keep at the in-laws so I guess I'll plan to use them if I get out on the mullet.

Did you get to make any fly this morning


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

tiger297 said:


> Great to hear I'm good to fish for mullet up the river a ways without getting another license!
> 
> I was already planning on buying a couple of fly rods to keep at the in-laws so I guess I'll plan to use them if I get out on the mullet.
> 
> Did you get to make any fly this morning


y

My buddy and I did our best this morning but it took 5 hours to get only 16 to fly into the box. They would not budge after getting cooled off on the ice. :whistling:

Yesterday the bite was red hot and I alone was at the hole. This morning there were 4 boats, and one was sitting exactly on the spot I fished yesterday. Today he had about 25 when we left with our 16. Three boats caught fish but the first boat there did not catch a single mullet all morning long. Go figure !

Fly rods work very well fishing mullet but get a cheap composite rod if you plan to use the snatch method. My experience is 100% graphite rods will break when snatching, and it doesn't take long. The cheap fiberglass type with a little graphite will hold up. Personally I prefer using a cheap crappie rod. I don't like a fly rod due to the reel being on the butt of the handle.

Fishing with a gold hook I use 100% graphite crappie rods. You don't snatch using this method. Just set hook like bream fishing. Now that's a hoot trying to pull in a 2 pound mullet that's headed to China.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

CurDog said:


> While at your mullet hole, what type of feed you tossing, dog food, rabbit pellets, both or something else? Whats the best dog food do you use?
> 
> A fellow once said he uses sinking pond fish food (catfish pellets I think) and dog food, but I've forget what the name brand was, something cheap tho.


Right now I'm using chum 'n getit, all stock 12 pellets, and cowboys range pellets....all made by Harrell Milling Co., in Hartford, Al. Harrell also makes a high quality dog food, 'ruff & tuff', that is very popular. They have a 'lite duty' ruff and tuff which I have used with good success but it's been a while. 

Any sinking dog food, rabbit pellets, fish pond pellers, etc., will work. For me I have seen no difference in what is used, but some folks swear by a particular brand. I usually go for the cheapest stuff. Some brew special concoctions and use fermented corn, soybeans, milo, etc.. but I don't go to the trouble.


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## tiger297 (Jan 13, 2018)

So I won't snatch and just use the gold hook method so I can multi-purpose my rods. My father in law doesnt fish unless we are there and at some point he is going to get irritated at the amount of garage space we are taking up LOL.

Headed down tomorrow; hoping for the rain to hold for a few more days.


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## tiger297 (Jan 13, 2018)

fishwalton random question for you.

Were you at twice the ice in freeport on 20 about 5:30 this morning?


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

tiger297 said:


> fishwalton random question for you.
> 
> Were you at twice the ice in freeport on 20 about 5:30 this morning?


10-4, sure was....we forgot to get ice and I had to make a run to a nearby store.. Was that you with the 'ship' on the trailer getting ice. Very nice boat.


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## tiger297 (Jan 13, 2018)

Man that was for sure a nice boat. I don't have one yet so that was not me.

As I was pulling up I saw you and said hmmm he looks familiar. My wife was like what are you talking about and my 10 year old said, that's the guy from the video. 

You were gone before I got a chance to get close enough to say hello and you looked like me, chasing sunrise.

Hope you had a better time of catching than we did, nothing going on at Thomas Pilchard but it was a nice couple hours.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

tiger297 said:


> Man that was for sure a nice boat. I don't have one yet so that was not me.
> 
> As I was pulling up I saw you and said hmmm he looks familiar. My wife was like what are you talking about and my 10 year old said, that's the guy from the video.
> 
> ...



Dang, wish we had connected. I did see another vehicle pull up...and yes, I was in a rush. My partner was at the ramp guarding the boat....we had forgot the ice. We did get a nice box of mullet this morning, but two other boats beat us to the best spots.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

*Upgrade on gear*

After yesterday I plan to upgrade my gold hook mullet line to 10 or 12 lb. fluorocarbon. I have been using 6 and 8 with very good results but now and then it will break. Learned after we finished for the day some guys 2 boats up the line were using 15 lb. fluorocarbon and they slayed them big time. I'm still experimenting with this gold hook business.


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## tiger297 (Jan 13, 2018)

Yep sorry I missed you as well. We will be back towards the first of October.


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