How to catch red mullet. Tackle for catching red mullet

How to catch red mullet at sea
What baits are used to catch red mullet?

A jig for red mullet can bring a wonderful catch if you manage to run into a decent school.
Often the sultana is caught at great depths from a boat using onboard fishing rods, which are made according to the principle of winter equipment. True, special holders are used for this purpose, which are located on the sides or at the stern of the craft. In this case, a large reel is mounted on the fishing rod in order to be able to quickly reel in the line from the depths. To make the gatehouse, a lavsan or metal plate is used to maximize its sensitivity. At the end of the line they tie a jig that can quickly sink into the water.

Content

1. General description of red mullet fish
2. Distribution and habitats of red mullet (red mullet) fish
3. Age and size
4. Lifestyle
4.1 Reproduction - time and characteristics of spawning
4.2 Diet - what to eat

5. How, where, when and what to fish for red mullet (red mullet)

5.1 Biting calendar
5.2 In what weather does red mullet fish bite best?
5.3 What are the best places to fish?
5.4 What gear is best for catching red mullet fish?
5.5 Baits for catching red mullet fish
5.6 What baits and baits to fish with
5.7 How red mullet fish bite
5.8 How to catch correctly - basic techniques
5.9 Highlights

6. Interesting, unusual, funny facts about this fish

7. Gastronomy

8. Useful video

9. The most useful links about fish

Groundbait and bait

Some fishermen mistakenly believe that bait is not needed in catching the sultana, since the fish already bite remarkably well. In baited areas, the number of fish increases significantly, and accordingly, the amount of catch also increases.

When choosing bait, you need to have a good understanding of the preferences of the fish, pay attention to the seasonality and characteristics of the reservoir. The most common and easily available option is made from animal ingredients. The most common mussels work well for this. They can be collected on the shore after a storm and crushed directly into the water with their shells. This bait is effective and completely inexpensive. The only point is that you need to wear gloves to do this, as you can easily injure your hands.

Read: Fishing for minnows: tackle, bait and fishing techniques

During the period from August to September, it is recommended to use an earthworm, dung worm or sea worm as bait. Fish react well to shrimp or mussel meat, finely chopped fish. They must be cleaned, crushed and pierced with a hook several times for reliability. The size of the finished bait should be no more than 5 mm, since the red mullet has a very small mouth, and it will definitely not be persistent and try to bite off a smaller piece.

Lifestyle

The sultana fish rarely rises into the water column or swims long distances; it mainly moves along the bottom, on its fins and swarms in the bottom soil, in search of its usual food.

Watch in this short video a film about the everyday life of red mullet in the Black Sea

4.1. Reproduction - time and characteristics of spawning

Puberty occurs at the age of 2-3 years. Spawning from May to August. It lays eggs - in portions, in the amount of 3.5 - 90 thousand, after which the fertilized eggs rise to the surface, from which the larvae hatch after 2-4 days. After 2 months, the fry approaches the shore and, at the age of 6 cm, sinks to the seabed, where it continues its normal lifestyle.

4.2. Diet - what to eat

The red mullet feeds on small invertebrates that are found in mullet, mud and soft soil of the seabed. In rare cases, he may become coveted by a randomly found fish.

Short video “red mullet in search of food”

How, where, when and what to fish for red mullet (red mullet)

They catch the sultana - from a sandy or rocky shore, from a bridge, pier, floating craft and during daylight hours, using natural bait.

5.1. Biting calendar - what time of year is the best time to bite?

The best period of the year for catching sultana fish is May and June, September and October, from 4 to 9 am.

5.2. In what weather does red mullet (red mullet) bite fish best?

A favorable time for catching red mullet is calm sunny weather, light wind, light rain. The required water temperature for fishing should not be less than +15 degrees.

5.3. What are the best places to fish?

It is better to cast the equipment in a coastal place, with a bottom covered with algae, as well as among stones, shells, where there is a muddy or muddy area of the bottom.

5.4. What gear is best for catching red mullet fish?

The choice of rod depends directly on the fishing location, weather conditions, and, well, on the gear itself. If fishing is carried out with sensitive float tackle and long casting, for example, 20 - 40 m, then a 5-6 meter rod with a thin tip is used. For the same casting distance, if the equipment is equipped with a loaded float or a heavier load weighing 10-20 grams, then the end stop should be stiffer.

When fishing with a donk or with gear with underwater floats, where a load weighing more than 40 grams is used, a stick is used with a dough of up to 100 grams and a length of up to 3 m. An inertial reel is suitable, with a capacity of up to 100 m of fishing line 0.25 mm in diameter . If you use a spinning reel, then a size 2000 will be enough, but always with an instant brake, because when biting a cautious fish, such as a red mullet, there will be many derailments due to untimely hooking.

A spinning reel, what it consists of, how it functions, what advantages and disadvantages it has, read here

Since red mullet bites barely noticeably, it is best to fish with sensitive gear, which includes a float with 1.5 grams of dough, a couple of weight pellets, one of which is pressed 4 m from the bottom so that the buoy does not roll below the required level. The main line is 0.14 mm, leaders are 0.10 mm, thin and sharp hooks No. 3 - 4. There can be one or two undergrowths, but located near the bottom. If the leashes are higher than 8 cm from the ground, then other fish will bite, scaring away the red mullet. With sensitive float tackle, fishing is very effective, but only in calm conditions.

What is monofilament fishing line, what types and features does it have, read in this article

In windy weather, when there are waves, you won’t be able to throw light equipment very far and the float will be constantly covered by the wave, which will make it much more difficult to detect a bite. In such cases, tackle is used that is less picky about weather conditions, and this, if a float, then - shipped or with a large load of 6-8 grams and bottom tackle.

The bottom equipment is assembled from a 0.25 mm main fishing line, onto which a sliding sinker weighing 40 grams, elongated, is strung, stopped at the edges by pellets at a distance of 10 - 15 cm. At the end, two leashes of 0.14 mm fishing line are attached, one of which is long 8 cm, and the other - 12 cm. Hooks are taken under No. 6, if with a long shank, then you can put a heat-shrinkable tube on it, blue or red.

Tackle with an additional float - is equipped with one hook and consists of:

from buoys, one of which is on the surface and the other in the water column, the distance between them is 25 cm;
sliding sinker 20 - 40 g, fixed with limiting stoppers, at intervals of 10 cm;
undergrowth 0.14 mm cross-section, 10 cm long, with hook No. 5.

After casting, when the sinker hits the bottom, you need to pull the line with the rod so that the load touches the stopper, and then loosen it a little. When biting, the mullet freely pulls the hook to remove the bait, but until the weight hits the stopper and thus the fish is caught on its own.

An important point when fishing for sultana, when installing any gear:

Donks, floats or feeders must be installed of high quality;
sharp hooks;
attach the nozzle so that the sting is slightly peeking out, to avoid snags, and so that at the slightest bite, the hook instantly pierces the fish’s lip.

Oleg Ageev shares his experience on how to catch red mullet on the beach in Crimea

For more detailed information about the fishing hook, its types, design, features, methods of fastening and storage, read here

5.5. Baits for catching red mullet fish

As bait for mullet, they use fish offal, crushed sea worm (or crushed dendrobene, sandworm or dung), and mussel clams, which are crushed along with the shell. One of the listed ingredients, or all together, is mixed with sand and thrown into the intended fishing area.

5.6. What baits and baits to fish with

The best baits are mussel leg, crab meat, shrimp, as well as sea flea and sandworm.

Red mullet rarely bites on artificial baits, except perhaps by accident.

5.7. How red mullet (red mullet) bites fish

Basically, the bites are cautious and barely noticeable.

5.8. How to fish correctly. — Basic techniques

If there is no bite for a long time, then you need to look for red mullet with light movements, stretching the equipment along the bottom. Once the fish has already been hooked, it is recommended to pull it at a moderate pace.

5.9. The most important moments

The red mullet grabs the bait unexpectedly, so you need to be extremely careful.

Don’t know how to correctly and securely attach equipment elements? Then read all about nodes in this article

Tackle for mullet

Red mullet is the most interesting fishing object for fishermen on the Black Sea. Sometimes there are periods when red mullet appears in whole flocks off the coast of the Caucasus and Crimea. Then even the most inexperienced angler can please himself with a good catch of this tasty fish.

Red mullet is usually caught using float gear and a bottom fishing rod. Long casting is preferable, since this is sea fishing, which means great depths and waves.

Bottom fishing rods must be very sensitive. The sea during fishing should be fairly calm and the current should be fairly weak.

It is better not to skimp on hooks and leash lines for catching red mullet. And reels and rods can be cheaper and simpler.

Nowadays, you can find good examples among inexpensive ones.

If you rely on European numbering, then the hook will fit at number 10 (5 according to domestic numbering). If you like to fish with a worm, then you need to choose a hook with a long shank.

It is better to use a transparent line, since this is sea fishing, a special “lead” line (0.14-0.16). As the main fishing line, many experienced fishermen recommend using “braid” from 0.15 and above, or a fairly thick monofilament line.

The length of the rod should be approximately 230-270 cm. When sea fishing, an increased load is placed on the reel, so you need to choose it carefully, and sea water can also have a negative effect on our reel. Therefore, it must be wear-resistant, reliable, have good traction, rotate easily and at the same time must have a reasonable price.

catching red mullet with a float rod

When fishing for red mullet, you can use a fly rod and fish with both a sliding (or moving) float and a stable one (blind rig). The float should be elongated, its antenna should be long enough and clearly visible, regardless of what type of equipment you choose.

The mullet's bites are very gentle, so it is better to take floats with small weight capabilities, they will be more sensitive to the bites of this sunfish. It happens that the choice of float becomes key when catching red mullet.

When going fishing, ask the locals about the approximate depth of the place where you are going to go in order to choose the right gear. If the depth is up to 6 meters, then it is better to use a 1.5 g float, so you will feel the slightest bite.

With a heavier float you will most likely miss bites, more or less depending on experience. But, you must admit, it’s unpleasant when the bait is eaten away or completely removed from the hook, and you didn’t notice anything.

It’s a pity for both the time and the bait, especially if you got it yourself.

When fishing with a 5-6 meter rod at a depth of about 7 meters, it is better to attach a tiny shot at a distance of about 4 meters from the hook. The float with such equipment (it is better to take 2 g) will not move below this place, thereby relieving the fishing line from friction.

When fishing with a moving float, the bait must be lowered to the very bottom, then raised alternately. Otherwise, you most likely won’t notice the bite.

Whereas in fishing with a fixed float, the bait simply sinks to the bottom.

In general, a fixed and movable float has its positive and negative sides. For example, when using a moving float, signal sensitivity is low, the fisherman himself seems to feel these bites, and a fixed float gives an accurate picture of the bite.

Or, when using a moving float, you can use shorter rods, and the rotation of the float, which means one of the main enemies in fishing - line twisting - is eliminated. But when using a fixed float, if the length of the fishing rod corresponds to the depth, there is a risk of rotation of the float, which leads to twisting of the line, which is very unpleasant.

In general, the fisherman himself, with experience, chooses the most suitable and convenient option for him.

The leash should be the thinnest - 0.1-0.12 mm, it is better not to use anything thicker. The main line is 0.12-0.15 mm.

During a period when there are many tourists at sea, red mullet, like all fish, becomes suspicious. Therefore, for fishing it is better to choose places covered by high banks. And you need to use the simplest fixed float, since the sliding one is heavier and therefore less effective during this holiday period.

match tackle

Red mullet is often found in small areas far from the shore. In this case, a match fishing rod will help out the fisherman. This is a float tackle for long casting. The main difference from a regular float fishing rod is a special long-range float with an internal weight.

With a heavier float you will most likely miss bites, more or less depending on experience. But, you must admit, it’s unpleasant when the bait is eaten away or completely removed from the hook, and you didn’t notice anything.

It’s a pity for both the time and the bait, especially if you got it yourself.

In general, a fixed and movable float has its positive and negative sides. For example, when using a moving float, signal sensitivity is low, the fisherman himself seems to feel these bites, and a fixed float gives an accurate picture of the bite.

In general, the fisherman himself, with experience, chooses the most suitable and convenient option for him.

The leash should be the thinnest - 0.1-0.12 mm, it is better not to use anything thicker. The main line is 0.12-0.15 mm.

And here's what you need to know: How to make a spinning rod with and without a feeder

I remember back in the eighties, when the Cuba charter was still a novelty for Russians, they successfully caught the sultanka using a Chernigov fishing line with a sinker and a pair of Kolyubakin hooks No. 4 - 5 with an elongated shank.

Today, such equipment at short distances is also quite effective, so those who want to go fishing in the sea do not need to spend money on expensive equipment. But progress is constantly improving, making our lives much more convenient, so we need to take advantage of its achievements.

Therefore, today experienced fishermen are accustomed to catching red mullet using carbon fiber rods, braided fishing lines, chemically sharpened hooks and Japanese “monofilament”.

To catch the sultana, it is not at all necessary to purchase expensive equipment.

The nutritional properties of red mullet are legendary. They say that in coastal cities, some port stevedores quickly restore their strength by eating red mullet. According to experts, the meat of this fish contains a large amount of high-calorie protein.

The most suitable gear for catching this red mullet is float and bottom fishing rods. The latter must be very sensitive. And it is also important that during fishing the sea is fairly calm, the current is not strong, and there is no wind if possible.

Fishing from the shore

Using a fly rod, red mullet can be caught both with a sliding (moving) float and with a stable one (blind rig). The first, as a rule, is used when fishing at great depths, which are often near steep banks, the second - when the depth corresponds to the length of the rod or is slightly larger than it.

For both types of equipment, it is better to choose an elongated float with a long, clearly visible antenna. The leash (one or two) is the thinnest - 0.1 mm.

The main line is 0.12-0.14 mm. It is better to use floats with small weight capabilities, only they will be sensitive to the gentle bites of the red mullet.

There are situations when the exact choice of float and its test characteristics determine the success of fishing. Using a 1.5 gram float at a depth of up to 6.5 m, it is possible to detect even a slight bite.

But, for example, with a 3-4 gram float, it is quite possible not to notice how the red mullet will not only eat the bait, but even remove it from the hook altogether.

If you are fishing in 7m of water with a 5 or 6m rod, you need to attach a tiny shot at least 4m from the hook. Then the float will not slide below this place, which will relieve the line from unnecessary friction. With such equipment, it is better to take a 2-gram float.

When fishing with a sliding float, you need to pay attention to one essential detail. If, when using the lightest fixed float, you can lower the bait to the very bottom, then when using a movable float, you need to alternately lower it to the bottom, then raise it.

Otherwise, when the red mullet lifts the bait from the bottom, the bite may not be noticed. Options for fishing rod rigs with a sliding float and a fixed one are shown in Fig.

But both the sliding float and the fixed one have their pros and cons. So, when using a moving float, the positive thing is that you can use shorter rods and eliminate the possibility of the float rotating (and this is associated with twisting of the fishing line).

Negative side: worse signal function compared to a stable float, poor control if the leader is lowered to the very bottom, and plus there is a danger of spontaneous depth changes if the depth stopper is poorly installed.

For anglers, an interesting object of fishing in the Black Sea is red mullet. This bottom-dwelling fish usually lives in small schools, but there are periods when it appears in whole schools off the coast of the Caucasus and Crimea.

Then, with a regular fishing rod, even an inexperienced fisherman will be able to catch a sufficient amount of this amazingly tasty fish. The nutritional properties of red mullet are legendary.

They say that in coastal cities, some port stevedores quickly restore their strength by eating red mullet. According to experts, the meat of this fish contains a large amount of high-calorie protein.

The most suitable gear for catching this red mullet is float and bottom fishing rods. The latter must be very sensitive.

And it is also important that during fishing the sea is fairly calm, the current is not strong, and there is no wind if possible.

Fishing from the shore.

Using a fly rod, red mullet can be caught both with a sliding (moving) float and with a stable one (blind rig). The first, as a rule, is used when fishing at great depths, which are often found near steep banks, the second - when the depth corresponds to the length of the rod or is slightly greater than it.

For both types of equipment, it is better to choose an elongated float with a long, clearly visible antenna. The leash (one or two) is the thinnest - 0.1 mm.

The main line is 0.12-0.14 mm. It is better to use floats with small weight capabilities, only they will be sensitive to the gentle bites of the red mullet.

But, for example, with a 3-4 gram float, it is quite possible not to notice how the red mullet will not only eat the bait, but even remove it from the hook altogether.

If you are fishing in 7m of water with a 5 or 6m rod, you will need to attach a tiny shot at least 4m from the hook. Then the float will not slide below this place, which will relieve the line from unnecessary friction. With such equipment, it is better to take a 2-gram float.

It is best to catch red mullet using float tackle in the summer. The most popular bait at this time is the sea worm.

The bait should either touch the bottom or rest on it. The bite of the sultana is sharp and fast.

And we must always be prepared for this. To catch the sultana, use hooks No. 4-4.5 according to our classification.

From the beginning of August until the end of September, red mullet bites well on earthworms or dung worms. In this case, the hook tip must be hidden.

The sultana bites confidently and sits well on the hook, so getting off the hook is extremely rare. They begin to catch the sultana at the end of May, the water should warm up to 15 0C.

Fishing for red mullet in the Black Sea lasts almost until the winter cold. The best time to catch this fish is from 4 am to 9 am.

To improve the bite, you can put a cambric on the hook.

Bottom gear is used to catch redfish from the shore. It is more practical if the donkey is equipped with a rubber shock absorber.

The load on the bottom should be positioned so that the leashes are in front of it. Usually the donka is equipped with 1 or two leashes.

The main line of the tackle is 0.25 mm in diameter. And for leashes, a fishing line of 15-0.17 mm is used.

The weight of the sinker for the donkey should be 50-60 grams. The bait is still the same Nereid or earthworm.

Here's what you need to know: Fishing on a lake without current from a boat to a feeder

You can also use shellfish meat, shrimp and sliced fresh fish as bait. Happy fishing.