[dropcap]C[/dropcap]atching the Lowly Mullet. You’ll find two species of mullet in Florida; the slightly larger, black mullet, and the cousin of the black, the silver mullet. And if you ask any Florida cracker, the black is the one to eat. Leave the silvers for bait.
For our weapon(s) of choice, you’ll want a medium to medium light spinning rod of 6 ½’ to 7 ½’, matched with a reel holding say, 100yds of 10lb. test. You do not need something that has to handle 150yd screeching runs, just something in that size range will suffice. At the end of your running line, tie on a barrel swivel. Tie onto that a pre-made 4’, three or four hook leader, using #4 gold Aberdeen hooks or equivalent; in other words, something that resembles a large sibiki rig. (You’ll see why in a minute.) The hooks can easily be spaced apart, (about 10”) and tied using a double surgeon’s knot. Leave a tag end, and pinch on a piece of splitshot for weight and sink-ability. It’s also a good idea, because if you have wind or current or di fferent depths, you can simply adjust by pinching on more or less splitshot. Attach a cork or bobber for appropriate depth, and this part is done.
Now for the bait, or lure. Since they’re vegetarians, you have to o ffer them what they are already feeding on. Which is pre-made mullet chum. Get a bucket, mix equal parts of laying mash (yes, chicken feed) and oatmeal with enough water to make a dough ball consistency. One tip is to get this consistency close. Too thin and it drifts away too quick. Too thick, and it takes too long to dissolve, or heads right to the bottom. You want it to break up and dissolve on the drop.
Back to your hook rig: Take a WHITE plastic jig, or jerkbait, and cut it into dime size thicknesses, or thinner, and poke ‘em onto your hooks. Tip: Get 1 empty Plano tray or the like, and you can keep everything you need, hooks, swivels, bobbers, splitshots, and even your cut up white jerkbait, or jig, (I keep my white cut-ups in an empty pill bottle) for mullet fishing. You don’t go mullet fishing all year, but when you do, you have everything you need in 1 tray.
Upon seeing some mullet, whether you’re on the bank or the bow of a boat, anchor up and throw a couple handful (big spoon or ladle, optional) balls out. Cast your rig into the chum, watch the bobber and right before you think they’ll take it, set the hook. In other words, be fast on the draw and set at the slightest twitch of the bobber. You’re actually fooling them into thinking that that white baits are part of the chum they’re feeding on. Hence, the multi hook rig, which 1, gives you more of a chance, 2, is less discouraging to the fish, and 3, sometimes rewards you with multiple fish.
Stay tuned. If you wanna try the “quiet sport” ( fly fishing) for these feisty scrappers, and find out my favorite way to prepare them, we’ll see ya next month. Be safe, and good fishing, on the nature coast ……….><> Capt. Rick