I am actually in the process of re-learning how to ledger for mullet. Just to provide some context, it has been around 40 years since I last engaged in ledgering for mullet. Terminal tackle has certainly advanced during this time, even though the basic principles remain the same. While we still utilise fixed paternosters and running ledgers, our equipment now boasts better camouflage, we now have sharper hooks and modern end tackle is far more adaptable. This includes items such as quick change links, circle hooks, float stops, and rig sleeves that can conceal our end tackle or help prevent tangles. We also have fluorocarbon line which is virtually invisible in water. Do the fish pay as much attention to these advancements as we do? I highly doubt it; after all, their main focus is on the bait we present to them.
There are now a plethora of quality rods and reels to choose from. I have recently invested in two 1.5lb test curve Drennan Specialist Twin Tip Duo rods, specifically for Mullet fishing but with Chub, Barbel and Tench in mind. These were both supplied with 3oz and 4oz carbon quivertips, but I have also invested in a couple of 1oz and 2oz fibreglass tips. The fibreglass tips are softer and I shall use them whenever possible so as to allow the fish to get the bait a little bit further into their mouths and thus hook themselves easier. This will not always be possible due to stronger tides/winds and it is then I shall switch to the heavier carbon tips or even the Avon top. I have paired these with a couple of 3000 size, Daiwa, Black Widow, Baitrunner reels. They are relatively cheap, have a good clutch and excellent line lay; not to mention they are very nice looking reels. I have loaded these with Drennan, 8lb, Method Feeder Mono, which will work well in my local rivers; should I fish nearer the sea or maybe the open coast then I shall have no choice but to use heavier lines, but for now I shall be fishing nearer freshwater than the saltwater.
Fig 1: A nice 2lb Fish from the video above.
Now I am not going to reinvent the wheel here, but as I go along, work out what rigs, baits, and attractants are best. We all know that a short fixed paternoster works, but we still miss far too many bites. I am currently trying circle hooks and an adjustable paternoster rig. My thinking is that by using a circle hook set at a yet to be determined distance from the lead it will give the fish enough free movement to get my bait into their mouths before realising they have been hooked. I am also toying with the idea of using a hook trapped in a loop, very much like the LRF guys do with their snooded dropshot rigs. I think this may also enable the hook to go into the fish's mouths easier. Thinking along these lines I might employ a "combi rig" from my carp fishing. If you've not heard of this before it utilises a length of fluorocarbon to which a very short 1-2inch length of braid is attached and subsequently the hook. The theory being that the subtle braid allows the bait to move more freely and this combined with the stiffness of the fluorocarbon helps set the hook. Has anybody tried any of these ideas before? I'm sure they have. I know there are other anglers as obsessed with mullet fishing as I am, so I am not claiming to be the first. If it works I will show you via my YouTube videos, if it doesn't I will probably show you anyway. A much better angler than me once said "If you fish the same way as everybody else you will catch the same fish as everybody else, but if you dare to try something different one of two things will happen; you will either fail miserably or catch every fish in your swim". I am a great believer in this and doing so has caught me many bonus fish. Whether it be a different rig/bait or using the same rig/bait but presenting it in a different manner the list of permutations is endless.
Mullet do not have big mouths, and smaller fish have even smaller mouths so this combined with how they feed is a major problem. Whilst float fishing , I have found smaller pieces of bread flake results in more hookups. In my last video, I noticed mullet hoovering up small bits of groundbait, with their lips twitching in and out continuously. This explains why they are so difficult to hook, and why we get continual taps on the rod tip. Could it be that we need to downsize our hook and bait to get it into their mouths? Would a size 14 or 16 hook with a corresponding smaller bait get picked up easier? We could add an attractant to draw the fish to the hook bait. We could fish small squares of bread crust pinned to the bottom or popped up. I shall try method feeders with popped up crust on short hooklinks. Lots of ideas to try, and I am certain some will fail miserably, but maybe, just maybe, one will work more effectively.
Well that's it for the moment, I do hope I have given you food for thought and It leads you to a few bonus catches. Cheers for now.
Nice site