Mullet on the fly in Scotland?

[fruinfisher]

There’s loads in the tidal section of the river Leven . Next to the golf course is your best bet . ( had them there myself)

 

[ohanzee]

As children at the local harbour we thought they were impossible to catch. It was a revelation one day watching a man catch free floating a hook with one split shot through the layers with the tiniest piece of fish flesh going on the lightest of lines. Absolute subtlety required. Catching one on a fly must take dedication.

Its the fishing equivalent of trying to chat up a younger woman, there are so many moments when you convince yourself you can, and you keep trying long after it becomes apparent it just going to happen

 

[3lbgrayling]

You should take a trip down to Greenock/Gourock to investigate as I have heard of lots of fish round about the Western Ferries Dunoon piers/ramps.
I think if you are going to fish the north shore at Dumbaton you would have to get a LLAIA ticket from rhu in the west to Bowling.This does not stop certain groups going out on the sandbars to net them.

Jim

 

[running bear]

You've two options IMHO, target static mullet or moving mullet. I don't know if anyone else uses those terms, but they are distinctively different to fish for.

Static mullet are those that appear to remain in harbours, marinas for the majority of the tide, frequently holding station between boats, or circling around outflows, areas to feed. These are "relatively" easy to catch and easy to get on the feed with some ground baiting, and stick a fly past them. Watch their route as they circle and intercept them (often you get small pods of 3-4 fish circuling together, slowing moving along the harbour, before returning in a predictable route). It's, a bit like casting to fish taking buzzers in a wind lane. Use small black flies, shrimpy things, bread flies, or maggots on a floating hook.

Then there's the open water moving mullet, sometimes massive shoals of hundreds, even thousands of fish, usually seen in estuaries filling them up with the tide. These are easier to get at with fly tackle, but an absolute different proposition to catch (again, IMHO). Ground baiting is harder in the very shallow water, usually coming in at a fair rate. They can be right up to the shore in inches of water and are more skitish (if you can see them working up and estuary, and then watch them bypass the wading angler). Many times only your leader will be on the water, with the fly line on the sand/shingle. These run and fight really hard, if you can hook one.

Unfortunately I've seen a huge loss in mullet numbers on the Irish east coast, especially in the last 5 years. 5 years ago in my local estuary you could have seen 500-600 fish work in on every tide, a huge ribbon of feeding fish perhaps 400 yards long. Now it's small pods and individual fish, I'd say due to poaching/netting.

 

[Paul_B]

Is it Mullet that you see rising on Loch Fyne at Inveraray

 

[fruinfisher]

Probably. Mullet are also known as the “ fools seatrout “. Usually it’s the tip of their dorsal making a vee on the surface

 

[baca157]

I wouldn't say big shoals like you get in Helensburgh, maybe 20 or so mulling about, you can see them very clearly at Arrochar but my experience is you spend hours getting a fly near one and the odd one does take the fly..then blows it straight back out, I never landed one yet, its quite nerve wracking, they are generally 6lb+ some look way bigger, you also need to avoid hooking people randomly walking past there but it is quite close to the pub for lunch

That's what I heard about them Alan. Really tricky to catch but if you hook one, it's meant to be some seriously scary ****.

What flies did you use for them? I have tied some mullet flie before so have a wee stash to try.

Cheers,
Sebastian

 

[baca157]

Probably. Mullet are also known as the “ fools seatrout “. Usually it’s the tip of their dorsal making a vee on the surface

I heard another name for them - "poor man's bonefish"

Cheers,
Sebastian

 

[3lbgrayling]

Is it Mullet that you see rising on Loch Fyne at Inveraray

Yes.

Jim

 

[easker1]

I was fishing for them in Angola I had one on when a shark came an took my gear and the mullet, got the shock of my life, easker1

 

[timmy mullet]

That's what I heard about them Alan. Really tricky to catch but if you hook one, it's meant to be some seriously scary ****.

What flies did you use for them? I have tied some mullet flie before so have a wee stash to try.

Cheers,
Sebastian

All the information regards flies, locations, tactics etc contained within this book, which was written specifically to help folk catch their first and subsequent mullet. Scotland is virtually untapped as a mullet fishery but holds great potential. Best of luck

MULLET ON THE FLY. By Colin Macleod. | Coch-y-Bonddu Books

Colin MacLeod provides a comprehensive explanation of how to catch mullet with a fly and, in particular, he describes the key elements that must be in place, and the techniques and fly patterns that have brought success. His mullet-fishing diary shows

www.anglebooks.com

 

[aenoon]

All the information regards flies, locations, tactics etc contained within this book, which was written specifically to help folk catch their first and subsequent mullet. Scotland is virtually untapped as a mullet fishery but holds great potential. Best of luck

MULLET ON THE FLY. By Colin Macleod. | Coch-y-Bonddu Books

Colin MacLeod provides a comprehensive explanation of how to catch mullet with a fly and, in particular, he describes the key elements that must be in place, and the techniques and fly patterns that have brought success. His mullet-fishing diary shows

www.anglebooks.com

You must now own up Timmy!

 

[timmy mullet]

You must now own up Timmy!

Ha ha. Own up to what Bert?

 

[aenoon]

Ha ha. Own up to what Bert?

Timmy Mullet, the Scotsman known as Colin Macleod!

 

[baca157]

All the information regards flies, locations, tactics etc contained within this book, which was written specifically to help folk catch their first and subsequent mullet. Scotland is virtually untapped as a mullet fishery but holds great potential. Best of luck

MULLET ON THE FLY. By Colin Macleod. | Coch-y-Bonddu Books

Colin MacLeod provides a comprehensive explanation of how to catch mullet with a fly and, in particular, he describes the key elements that must be in place, and the techniques and fly patterns that have brought success. His mullet-fishing diary shows

www.anglebooks.com

Thanks Colin. Your book is on my birthday list already!

Got some spectra shrimp tied already.

Look forward to having a go at Mullet fishing.

Cheers,
Sebastian

 

[ohanzee]

That's what I heard about them Alan. Really tricky to catch but if you hook one, it's meant to be some seriously scary ****.

What flies did you use for them? I have tied some mullet flie before so have a wee stash to try.

Cheers,
Sebastian

I used a tiny grey shrimp thing, but being realistic I'm definitely the wrong person to ask given I have never actually had one on for more than 2 seconds, one problem(that I was never lucky enough to need worry about) is bits of sea week floating in and on the water, a 6lb mullet is just going to go and take your line through it all, I reckon its a bit like attaching your fly to the back of a transit van and shouting go

 

[suzuki15hp]

It's a few years ago now, and I never fished for them, but almost every time we walked our dogs along to Ardmore Point near Helensburgh, there was a huge shoal of mullet in the bay on these images. You could cast straight off the road next to the bay to cover them.

 

[baca157]

It's a few years ago now, and I never fished for them, but almost every time we walked our dogs along to Ardmore Point near Helensburgh, there was a huge shoal of mullet in the bay on these images. You could cast straight off the road next to the bay to cover them.

View attachment 36402
View attachment 36403

Thanks. I’ll definitely check this spot!

Cheers,
Sebastian