Bridle Rigging For Mullies

[fullysikwog 6]

Having a bit of trouble with live baits surviving, and theyve been hard to come by, so was wondering if bridle riging is worth trying?i know it works with kingies but would it effect the hook up rate with mulliescheers FSW

[__matt__ 0]

I'm amazed at how long bridle rigged baits last. Definitely worth doing. Only new to bridle rigging baits myself and yet to bridle baits for mullies, but mates have gone real well rigging small circles on shitties. Main things to keep in mind from my limited knowledge is to use the right length rubber band (not hanging ages from the head, and not pinned that hard that the hook rolls) and to use circles so they find the corner of the mouth once the baits engulfed.If your after a needle definitely go the ones from sport fishing scene. Can't remember the brand name but they are the best I've seen, hold their shape and the eye of the needle is offset so its level with the needle shaft and slides through the bait without damaging it. Others I've seen aren't offset like this and rely a piece of rubber tubing to slide over the eye.Hope this helps. Cheers.

[Nikhum 16]

Hey FSW what livies are you using?

[wogboi 0]

heard squid are the best live bait if use them and put in the effort u should get a nice mully especially at ardrossanthe cold weather might not help

[Ranger 48]

Bridle rigging was designed for trolling, to prevent the bait rolling in the water.I cant see why it couldn't be applied to Mulloway or livebaiting when not trolling.You dont need a special needle to bridle rig. Just use a thin piece of tie wire about 8-10" long, bend it into a U shape, then start twisting it around itself so that you are left with a long twisted handle with a small loop at the top. This small loop will easily push through the orbital sinus.The hardest part I've found is actually handling the baitfish while bridle rigging them. Lay them onto a wet towel and also make sure your hands are wet when rigging them.

[afishyfish 4]

Just wondering if it's worth using a stinger when doing this

[Jack. 10]

Any live baiting for Mulloway or Snapper when I'm stationary is done with hooks snelled and pointing left and right I'll have the first hook toward the tail and the other just forward of midway along the back. I do this so the line isn't in the way of the fish taking the bait head first. Even if a Mulloway hits it side on, I'm pretty sure they'll try turn the fish to go down head first. I would say the bridle might result in a lot of fish fumbling then dropping the bait without a hook up. Just my thoughts, but I find that a couple hooks in a st will not really effect it too much, they are a sturdy live bait, as are the slimeys for snapper. The worst thing you can do is cast em too much cos I find that reduces their lifespan quick smart.Good luck with it anyway

[brenton 637]

I've never bridled a livie but i reckon it would be good in the port when the tide starts to run to eliminate the bait spinning,at these times i just hook them through the gob but bridle rigging might even be better. cheers brenton

[fullysikwog 6]

thanks for that fellas, was thinking it would work, il go into SFS and sus those riging needles out.ive only been able to get my hands on shittes and the odd ST for live bait.can anyone suggest a good brand of circle hooks? havent really used them much.Cheeers FSW

[plankton 725]

can anyone suggest a good brand of circle hooks? havent really used them much.Cheeers FSW

Gamakatsu

[afishyfish 4]

can anyone suggest a good brand of circle hooks? havent really used them much.Cheeers FSW

Gamakatsu

Just wish I could find some for whiting and carp :whistle:

[jimbojames 285]

Has any one got a photo of a bridle rig ? Not exactly sure what your talking about but am interested in this . If this is possible it would be greatly appreciated . Cheers .

[Ranger 48]

[plankton 725]

Here you go, the rubber band in passed through the eye sockect just in front on the eye itself and both ends looped over the hook.

[plankton 725]

whoa, image came up as a negative for some reason, anyway, Ranger beat me to it and included a video as well.

[Ranger 48]

Ranger beat me to it and included a video as well.

But do note in the image I posted, the line is shown behind the eye rather than in front as it should be. Cant expect too much from google images though!

[plankton 725]

Just wish I could find some for whiting and carp :whistle:

The octopus circle hooks are available down to #8 in the US, but for some reason here 1/0 is the smallest they sell.

[jimbojames 285]

You fellas are legends . Thanks for the photos . Now i know i have never tried this . Cheers Ranger and Plankton!

[Jack. 10]

:S There's not much I strongly disagree with when it comes to fishing.... I guess some habits and techniques I'll defend to the death for some reason. I can't help but shake my head at the idea of bridle rigging for Mulloway.Bridle rigging is good for trolling, especially at speed as it allows the fish to still get enough oxygen because the hook is clear of the jaw. It's also used pretty extensively at anchor for sharks and kings, both fish that just smash stuff.For Mulloway, if you have the bridle set up your leader is just going to get in the way. They are a fish that prefer to take a bait head first. You should be pinning your hook behind it's head at least, like I said I use two hooks, but I do the same for snapper two, if you use one hook, further behind the shoulder depending on depth current and tide to have your bait facing up or down.... ...I thought this would be fishing 101... :S Those mully teeth are for holding food, not chomping, they will grab it and if the leaders in the way just spit it :S That is all.

[smokeykebab 175]

Definitely agree with you there Jack. Only time I'll put a hook at the front of my bait for Mulloway is when fishing dead baits using a paternoster rig and even then I'll have another hook pinned through the shoulder. Bridle rigging will keep you're live bait alive longer definitely but will it result in more hookups I don't think so, not only Mullys anyways. I've found hooking live baits shallower (not putting the hook so deep in its back) lets the swim freely and live longer. I've had s.t and mullet for 4-5 hours doing this and they've swam off after alive and well.

[Savagelip 4]

Missed a decent mully pinning a live salmon trout through the nose, sat below the boat rod doubled over for 5 minutes & for some unknown reason spat it! man was i pissed, reeled it in to see its eyes had popped out its head and its body broke and limp :whistle:

[PRM 0]

I agree jack the problem is were there is no or very low tide movment the bait fish can be pinned behind the head and is happy to swim around,if using live bait in a high tidel flow movment area if you pinned the same way the bait fish cant swim right and would die due to drowning,so bridle rigging comes in to play like trolling boat is moveing forward bait is dragged forward,no different to being anchored and the tide is going at a high speed,I've always bridel rigged ST"s through the fishe's nose not the eye socket and the second hook just in top of skin down the back on top or underneath just as a safety hook.Have done well on bridle rigs around the T junction of port river and north arm,and have done well at the top of port river by pinning 1 hook through shoulder and one towards rear of the live bait always used a wet towel to keep stress and damage to a min.cheers Paul

[Rickster 0]

Missed a decent mully pinning a live salmon trout through the nose' date=' sat below the boat rod doubled over for 5 minutes & for some unknown reason spat it! man was i pissed, reeled it in to see its eyes had popped out its head and its body broke and limp :whistle:[/quote']Your eyes would pop out and your body would go limp to if something like that grabbed you and shook you around like a rag doll. :whistle:

[Savagelip 4]

Missed a decent mully pinning a live salmon trout through the nose' date=' sat below the boat rod doubled over for 5 minutes & for some unknown reason spat it! man was i pissed' date=' reeled it in to see its eyes had popped out its head and its body broke and limp :whistle:[/quote'']Your eyes would pop out and your body would go limp to if something like that grabbed you and shook you around like a rag doll. :whistle:

lol poor thing

[mully man 0]

Have used circle hooks for mulloway and have had an exceptional hookup rate by just pinning the fish through the lip with a single hook- no stinger necessary. I now fish for mulloway with my reels set in gear and find that the fish pretty much hook themselves (providing your rod holders are strong enough)this includes fish taken from surf beaches and from the boat in the port river. Remember a mulloway doesnt have hands to 'play' with a bait if it hits a bait, it's hit it with its mouth. I used to miss a lot of fish that 'dropped' the bait after allowing the fish to run for a while in freespool, since fishing the reels in gear my hookup rate has improved ten-fold. I also lip hook my baits as I believe the fish swallow them headfirst and the further down my hook goes the more chance I have of a positive hookup! A reason that fish sometimes fumble a large livebait is that small mulloway (anything under 10-12lb) will attack a big bait but have trouble getting it down whereas a larger fish will give a much more positive strike. Just my thoughts.

[mrballs 12]

Have used circle hooks for mulloway and have had an exceptional hookup rate by just pinning the fish through the lip with a single hook- no stinger necessary. I now fish for mulloway with my reels set in gear and find that the fish pretty much hook themselves (providing your rod holders are strong enough)this includes fish taken from surf beaches and from the boat in the port river. Remember a mulloway doesnt have hands to 'play' with a bait if it hits a bait' date=' it's hit it with its mouth. I used to miss a lot of fish that 'dropped' the bait after allowing the fish to run for a while in freespool, since fishing the reels in gear my hookup rate has improved ten-fold. I also lip hook my baits as I believe the fish swallow them headfirst and the further down my hook goes the more chance I have of a positive hookup! A reason that fish sometimes fumble a large livebait is that small mulloway (anything under 10-12lb) will attack a big bait but have trouble getting it down whereas a larger fish will give a much more positive strike. Just my thoughts.[/quote']I agree Same methods used here.

[fullysikwog 6]

thanks mully man, will definatley give that a go FSW

[Rickster 0]

Have used circle hooks for mulloway and have had an exceptional hookup rate by just pinning the fish through the lip with a single hook- no stinger necessary. I now fish for mulloway with my reels set in gear and find that the fish pretty much hook themselves (providing your rod holders are strong enough)this includes fish taken from surf beaches and from the boat in the port river. Remember a mulloway doesnt have hands to 'play' with a bait if it hits a bait' date=' it's hit it with its mouth. I used to miss a lot of fish that 'dropped' the bait after allowing the fish to run for a while in freespool, since fishing the reels in gear my hookup rate has improved ten-fold. I also lip hook my baits as I believe the fish swallow them headfirst and the further down my hook goes the more chance I have of a positive hookup! A reason that fish sometimes fumble a large livebait is that small mulloway (anything under 10-12lb) will attack a big bait but have trouble getting it down whereas a larger fish will give a much more positive strike. Just my thoughts.[/quote']100% true with every word you have stated apart from that i do have my drag set quite hard though, worked all this out the hard way and have never looked back. :woohoo:

[Jack. 10]

Well if some of you that go out and capture more Mulloway than I have, and at a better size, are simply lip hooking your bait, then I can't ignore it. I have always stuck two hooks in a live slimey/Tommie or dead pilchard for Snapper with great success and still maintain my confidence fishing for Mulloway with the leader clear of it's head.It's been interesting to hear that what I thought was one of the most fundamental aspects of my live baiting, is actually not so important I have to apologize to FSW for coming in so hard on his thread. Sorry bud

[Nikhum 16]

I've also naturally learned to fish mulloway with my reels set in gear.. No longer will I let them run and have a chance to spit out the bait. Top thread!

[snake 1]

no need to apoligise jack, we all have our own views and methods which work for us and swear by them even if others disagree or not. As long as the method used, whether it be bridle, behind the head, with or without a stinger or any other method used longevity in live bait survival depends on many different and varied situations. The way baits are handled prior to use, species used whether it be a hardy type fish such as large ST's, large mullet etc. or more fickle fish like gar, smaller juvenile fish(within size limits of course) squid and so on are a factor as well as Careful placement of hooks when pinning livies, water quality and oxygen levels in live bait tanks,not over crowding aswell as gentle handling, swift transfers to bait tanks when caught all factor in live bait survival. Having a live bait lobbed out into the surf with a heavy sinker and short length of trace restricts the baits ability to swim properly in turbulent water exhausting itself trying to swim upright and avoid being battered to death or savaged by crabs etc. just by using a longer trace than what you may use to fish the port river is all thats needed for longevity in the surf. Bridle rigged, pinned behind the head or through the nose makes no difference to longevity or hookup rates. Adapting to the enviroment fished is whats important....cheers snake

[mully man 0]

Just remember guys to make sure your rod is secured in a good holder whilst fishing in gear (can be hard in land based possies like westlakes,onka etc.)- otherwise it could become a costly experiment. Jack i hope that your quest to nail the big one goes well every little bit of informastion helped me in the early years and you soon come to realise that you never stop learning.

[plankton 725]

Great info here guys, I'm still trying for my first mulloway and was planning on bridle rigging some livies from the kayak, so this thread has been heaps helpful. I have also been under the impression that it's best to let mullies run with a bait before setting the hook and that is the method I've used in the surf so far, had a few runs but never hooked up, I will have to try it with the reel in gear with enough drag pressure to set the hook properly. Thanks again to everyone who has contributed here.

[Saltiga5 3]

What rod is that Neil is using with his Saltiga 4500?The reason bridle rigging works well in the port with a running tide is because the fish doesn't drown and gets to face the current.When fishing with livies in a boat best to fish it a metre or 2 off the bottom also with a running sinker going to a swivel.

[Ranger 48]

What rod is that Neil is using with his Saltiga 4500?

A bit difficult to tell from the clip, but I'd suggest it's also a Saltiga, maybe the 6'8" Coastal.