Mullett Blank and Barbel Rod Testing

A trip to Swansea ended in a blank, one hooked fish, one lost to a hook pull. Still the night out was fun and Andy did catch so it wasn't a complete waste of time. Saw a few fish but they were quite spooky in the brilliant sunshine.

An evening session on the Avon was more productive. I am in the market for some new Barbel rods so Andy has lent me his Harrison Torrix 1.75 test curve to try out. Wasn't sure about the look of it, quite a light but thick blank but looks can be deceptive. It casts beautifully and when I hooked a hard fighting Barbel close to snags it took on it's full curve and I must say I was impressed with the power and feel.

Despite only having one eye the 7lb 9oz fish gave the rod a proper workout and I felt I had much more control than with my current set up. The rod is still in the truck so I think I will give it a couple more sessions before taking the plunge. Need to be sure as they aren't the cheapest on the market.

Summer Catch-Up

The Mullet fish-in was more like the Mullet fish-less. Several members of the Mullet Club descended on the Southern Welsh coast but the fish obviously saw us coming.

We started off under a salubrious graffiti ridden road bridge in the shadow of the Liberty stadium.

Andy on the left, Phil to the right and it was Andy who landed the first and only fish of the whole day, a decent 3lb fish.

I toiled hard but could not even muster a bite. As the tide ebbed the reason for my lost tackle became apparent, the local Morrisons need look no further for their lost trollies!

I counted six of them in my swim and those were just the ones I could see, there was probably more, the joys of urban angling!

We moved area but still no fish.

We tried the city centre with the same result, fishless, not easy these Mullet!!

A few days later and back on home turf I managed a lot more fish rolling meat around.

Chub and Barbel all fell for the tactic.

Including this chunky 9lb 5oz specimen.

Windy Mullet Battling

This weekend I managed to get a pass out for a full days fishing. Initially the plan was to fish the river Frome but the gale force winds predicted meant that exposed river fishing was not going to be possible. Instead we decided to head for a bit of Mullet fishing in a (relatively) sheltered marina. The wind was still blowing a hooly but certain spots were just about fishable. I headed straight for the steps to be able to get low to the water meaning I was just able to control a float. Bread flake on the hook and three loaves that had been mullered in the blender to use as ground bait. 

 Two hours of inactivity to begin with before a slight twitch on the float had me alert, poised and ready. Next cast and the float slid under with real ferocity and I connected to a fish. The fight was very different to my previous battles with Mullet. There was no rushing around all over the place but instead powerful surges and deliberate lunges for freedom. I did the usual prayers when connected to a good fish, 'stay on, stay on' I repeated over and over again and when I got my first glimpse my heart rate quickened considerably. With the net dipped in the water it made what I hoped was its last lunge and indeed it was as it swam straight into the net. A stroke of luck but one I was happy to take.

Weighing 4lb 11oz it easily beat my previous pb and after collaring an elderly lady passing by to take the trophy shots, which she didn't do a bad job of,  I phoned my Mullet-mad mate Andy to tell him the good news. He was having a good day himself with six fish landed and our other companion Phil had also caught. They were having it!

 Strangely though as is often the case with fishing all of a sudden they just switched off. All three of us were left scratching our heads as to why but at least I had a little bit more excitement watching a forensic team board the boat opposite. I tried to earwig what they were saying but to no avail. I googled but still have no idea what had occurred.

The wind finally got the better of us mid-afternoon and we beat a hasty retreat back to the Midlands.

Mullet Mission Part Two

Last week I saw my first ever Mullet landed (by Phil) and having watched the battle it put up I had an even greater yearning for one of my own so when Andy suggested a four thirty am start I did not baulk at the idea. We headed for the same marina as last week but this time close to the moorings getting there way before the residents were stirring. 

Armed with a mountain of mashed bread it didn't take Andy long to hook into the first fish of the day and the Mullet gave him a right run around, they just don't know when to give up the fight. 

 Finally he had the beating of it and it was a cracking 3lb 12oz specimen. He followed that up with two more smaller fish before his hunger got the better of him and he went off in search of breakfast.

Not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth I jumped into his swim and finally landed my first ever Mullett, all eight drams of it!! I held it as close to the camera as possible but it was never going to look anything more than a sprat! I have no idea how it managed to get a size six hook in its mouth but it was lip hooked fair and square.

I missed as many bites as I hooked, if not more but thankfully the fish kept coming and did not get spooked by my amateurish efforts as I added another six to my tally. I was having a great time. None of them huge but it seemed like I was getting the hang of it, finally.

They all battled hard (except the sprat) on the light tackle I was using, float rod and four pound line.
By mid-morning the boat dwellers were tramping and trudging along the floating jetty making lots of noise and we knew that that would put pay to the fishing so jumped in the truck and headed down into deepest Wales.

Our destination was the river Tor or 'Towie' as it is called in Welsh-speak. Nothing to do with the crap tv programme! A picturesque venue with some interesting derelict buildings along it's banks.

The river seemed fairly devoid of fish but aided by polaroids I eventually spotted a pod of large Mullet feeding close to the bank and knew that was the area to concentrate on. Sadly the larger ones avoided the bread hookbait that I trotted in the slow moving margins but I did succeed where my more experienced colleagues failed and landed a 1lb 12oz Mullet. The first of the day that I weighed properly so now I had a new official pb.

No more action followed so the three of us ventured upstream and fished within earshot of the Liberty stadium. The Swans were playing at home and it was amusing to hear the songs and chants coming from the terraces and the roars as the goals went in, Swans 2 Magpies nil.

We managed just the one bite between the three of us. I must be getting the hang of this Mulleting malarkey as again I hooked and landed the only fish, and my pb was broken for the umpteenth time that day, 2lb 2oz.

We tried one more final venue, Swansea marina but my heart wasn't really in it. I was about fished out by early evening so sat it out and took in the sights. Stag do's, Hen parties and footy fans in various different states made for interesting viewing!

Mission: Mullet

My fishy bucket list is long and increases by the year as more species come onto my radar but whilst some are possibly unachievable and some reside in distant dangerous places the Mullet is definitely one that I shall be ticking off real soon. I have seen them in many harbours and marinas on my travels but more often than not they have been in no fishing zones.  The ones in Plymouth harbour have really wetted my appetite sauntering slowly around the boats without a care in the world safe from the anglers hook, frustrating to say the least!
So when a couple of experienced mulleteers invited me along for a trip I jumped at the chance. To be honest I didn't think they lived as close to me in central England as they do.
Our mission began on the lower Severn in Gloucestershire. The landscape was peaceful and stunning, wish I could say the same about the fishing, well it was peaceful but not stunning. In an hour and a half we saw two fish, it was needle in a haystack stuff and obviously we blanked.

Plan B was put into action and we upped sticks and headed down to a pretty little marina just south of Bristol. Now this area had much more potential with bait fish everywhere and Mullet topping all over the place. The mashed bread was deposited and with flake on the hook we set about the task of nailing one. Bites were plentiful but mostly the small stuff playing with the bait until finally Phil hooked and landed one of about 2lb. Meat and drink to him as he put it back without taking it's picture but to me the only thing it did was wet my appetite yet further.

To see the vicious battle that this 'little' one put up has made me really want to catch one of my own. Sadly bad light stopped play and it will have to wait until next time and that will have to be real soon!