What do you use for mullet bait?

[Kayak Noob 76]

I have tried a variety of baits without luck, I have never caught a mullet. I've seen a few reports stating theyre around, so a rough idea of a location, and bait should get me going, if you kind people could offer a noob some advice

I'm thinking of heading down to west beach where the river flows out, but I'm unsure whether all the fresh water would help or hinder my efforts for some table fish?

[Guest]

Mince. 

[Underpants 1,543]

Venison heart. Holds on really well. Have used road-kill rabbit loin in the past and that works a treat, for bream too.

 

Have found that if you can burley them up well enough they get pretty excited and couldnt care less what you throw on the hook.

 

if not then a patternoster with burley spring/sinker is the go.

 

Mince. 

 

might need to thicken it a bit with flour, semolina etc. Has a habit of falling off easily.

[southie THE BANGA 2,304]

Mullet mix from Tackle shops, bread, cockle, worm, gents.... As mentioned they will eat anything pretty much... I find they feed hard when in Tight schools...

 

The lower half of yorkes should be firing now with the big mullet run... I always did well along the beach behind marion bay Caravan park!

[Cal 480]

1..Coarse beef mince stiffened up with semolina and a sprinkling of curry powder,a tip with this is make it up the day before and leave it in the fridge UNCOVERED  overnight,this dries it out and stiffens it up even more.

2..Finely  Diced kangaroo meat,you get it from the refrigerated pet food section of supermarkets, get it out its packaging  and also sprinkle a good dose of curry powder over it.

These fine pieces hold well on a small hook and are excellent.

3...The no 1 bait for mullet is seaweed worms,they go nuts for them,if you can obtain them its well worth the effort.

Any of these baits on a paternosta  rig with a burley spring loaded with  chicken pellets soaked and mashed to a stiff consistency, laced with a bit of tuna oil and you cant go too far wrong.

cheers

[trihull 177]

flour semolina & tiny bit curry powder...              

[bjorn2fish 4,612]

I've always done well with just bits of bread as berley and gents on a small hook for bait.

 

Sometimes I've used a float to keep the bait off the bottom, sometimes a bit of weight with a split shot. I use a slow retrieve if I don't get instant hits.

[Kayak Noob 76]

Well I'm surprised. I have used a variety of worms, cockles and haven't got bites, even when I can see a school in the water. I tried using mince and bread once, but they stripped it off the hook the second it hit he water.

Will try stiffening it up as people have suggested and will give the kangaroo meat a shot too, sounds interesting for something different at least!
I can only go in the metro area, my car isn't up to making a yorkes trip anymore these days

[Booma 1,360]

Cubes of chicken drumstick work well for me (its a little tougher than breast)

[smokeykebab 175]

can't catch mullys without mullet. pillies is the go.

[plankton 725]

I tried using mince and bread once, but they stripped it off the hook the second it hit he water.

What size hooks you using, if they're able to strip off the bait without getting hooked then the hook might be too big.

[Kayak Noob 76]

Fairly small, 6 i think it was Plankton...

Will give it a shot tomorrow afternoon with some pillies.
KJUst another question, i thought chicken and all red meats were banned, or am i just imagining it?

[Guest]

Can use it for bait? but i think using ofal as burley is illegal?

[Booma 1,360]

 

http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/fisheries/recreational_fishing/responsible_fishing/bait_and_tackle/berleying_in_south_australian_waters_-_frequently_asked_questions

 

 

 

What about the use of small amounts of meat for berley or bait when targeting fish such as mullet?

The intent of the law is to minimise the impact berleying may have on attracting sharks to areas close to other water users. It is considered unlikely that these products will have significant attractant properties and so they will be dealt with in the same manner as commercial berley. Compliance officers will use their discretion in weighing up the circumstances of its use.

 

[Kayak Noob 76]

Awesome I will give it a ago sometime this coming weekend, will head down to a metro beach!

[Luke5600 61]

I have tried a variety of baits without luck, I have never caught a mullet. I've seen a few reports stating theyre around, so a rough idea of a location, and bait should get me going, if you kind people could offer a noob some advice

 

I'm thinking of heading down to west beach where the river flows out, but I'm unsure whether all the fresh water would help or hinder my efforts for some table fish?

Bread, berley pellets (whiting pellets etc), cockles, squid, beef heart or liver, steak and funnily enough chicken flavored twisties

 

They can be rather finicky at times though, I've been out fishing in an estuary near where I live before and catching KGW to have 2 massive mullet (Seriously, I thought they were salmon at first the way these two were built) come up to the berley bag and just hang around, no matter what bait I used they wouldn't take it even though they happily took any scraps of berley that the crabs managed to miss

[Underpants 1,543]

Mullet mix from Tackle shops, bread, cockle, worm, gents.... As mentioned they will eat anything pretty much... I find they feed hard when in Tight schools...

 

The lower half of yorkes should be firing now with the big mullet run... I always did well along the beach behind marion bay Caravan park!

 

Agreed. Certainly on the chew down that way from what i heard.

 

Nice big high tides that hit around dusk work really well. Have found that a great way to get action is wade out and drop a bag of burley , say an hour or so before high tide & before you want to fish. Idealy into a bit of a gutter or hole but shallow flats that a well under in a good high tide are also perfect. Trick is that there is not too much wave action or the burley disapates everywere. Tie on a float with a glowstick too so you know where it is once its too dark to see.

 

Have bagged out this way plus you never know who else will come in after the sun goes down, chasing that burley and mullet school.

[Del 245]

ive always caught them on Tommy Ruff pieces.  but thats my  every day bait for most fish from garfish to  flathead.

 

chicken  meat is  ok in small pieces. 

 

mullets something ive always considered a  by catch.. something i usually throw back or use for bait later...

 

 

must one day try these " coorong  mullet"  everyone raves about.

[Fishingmad 306]

size 4 hook with a cube of pilly at the onk mouth

[Langley 30]

can definitely vouch for fishing mads method of a size 4 hook with a bit of pilly at the onk mouth sends em crazy and you always have a chance of something else which is nice.