who is finding mullet right now? and what to look for?

[baitstealer]

I hear they are in the back bays in August. I have checked raritan and barnegat bay and haven't seen any yet. Are there signs of what to look for, so you can tell the difference between them and other bait?

[storminsteve]

They are in. Look for the telltale v-wake. They move like a squadron of fighter planes and you can see their movement across the surface. What I mean by that is that if you watch peanuts, they go all over the place, it gets crazy. the mullet are more of a straight-line movement. They move in one direction until they sense danger and then will move again. I have seen a few small schools of them, nothing on them. About 2-3" long.

Look for them at the edge/side of an inlet, a cut in a bay flat that you can see, or moving by rocky areas and flats that have access to deep water. When they are in you will see a lot of asians at SH netting and eating them.:upck: Thats how you will know for sure, but they are in right now.

[ledhead36]

He's right, they are around, look for the edges of inlets or flats near marinas. Saw a few today, and they are finger sized.

[porgy75]

Great info steve wanted to aslk if any have been spotted in the navesink or sandy hook area. Heard of some in the great egg area but no one is selling them yet and they are good bait. Hoping they will be around so we can net them in the back bays if any of you guys hear of big schools would appreciate hearing about them. thanks

[storminsteve]

Porgy I know a few guys who are netting peanuts they said they are nice sizes 3-4". As far as mullet they said they are not really thick a few in the net each throw. You should also send dark a pm I think he has some connections with the guys who net the back of the hook all the time. Good luck

[J Barbosa]

Peanuts were in the bay on Friday and have been way "in the back" for about three weeks now all you could ever want.

i started seeing mullet last week. I got small 2" size up to 5" size in the cast net. I did not see anything bigger than 5" and most were of the smaller size. The mullet were way in the back as well.

[surfstix1963]

Probably a little early for them to leave maybe by the end of the month depending on the weather naturally,V-wake on top & usually I find they like to move on a west wind in N.Y. get the blue and silver plugs out.Have a good run guys.Albies should be popping up soon.

[wish4fish]

i started seeing mullet last week. I got small 2" size up to 5" size in the cast net. I did not see anything bigger than 5" and most were of the smaller size. .

same here dude not seeing any big ones yet most of them are around 3 inchers at the biggest, no corn cobs yet and there r a lot of places where they should be and are not like the little cricks, funny year same thing with the spearing

[ledhead36]

I found some about 5" last night but there were not a lot of them. I still think spot are the best bait this summer. Everything eats them and when you chunk them its like you are putting fish flakes in a goldfish bowl.

[hookedonbass]

any mullet reports? if so how big are they? thanks

[nitestrikes]

I was lounging on a dock in the GSB last night enjoying a cold one with friends after a long day at work. I could swear I saw the signature wake of a mullet school cruise by. Have no idea how big they were. This time of year they're usually small, finger sized.

[finchaser]

lots in the river

[J Barbosa]

Seeing them in the back but they are all the smaller size by me. 3-5" or so

[cowherder]

Well I hope they keep building up and stick around for awhile.

[storminsteve]

V-wake on top & usually I find they like to move on a west wind in N.Y. get the blue and silver plugs out.Have a good run guys.Albies should be popping up soon.

What he said, the v wake is a key part of their movement.

[surfrob]

When they are running the surf (and at least in my area, they *are* running the surf) you will find them at your feet (or in troughs/pockets *behind* your feet)

And if you are training your eyes properly, looking down or up beach, you will see when something is *on* them with what can be amazingly subtle "takes" or blow-ups.

Don't just look for V-Wakes.

Just sayin' :D

[seamonkey]

Good advice guys, thanks for sharing.

[storminsteve]

Thanks surfrob you said it better than I could. We're going to call you the mullet whisperer from now on!:HappyWave:

[surfrob]

Steve,

when my wife hears me "whispering" she knows something's going on in the surf... and it usually means I missed a r e a l good fish.

[finchaser]

there out front now with bass on em

[cowherder]

What finchaser said. I definitely saw a lot of mullet moving last night. The water was calm and it was a steady parade.

[bababooey]

I took a walk on the sand yesterday. When its flat and quiet you can see them.

[fishinmission78]

X2, best mullet presence in years. And it is just beginning.

[surferman]

I think that storm realy did a number. They have cleared out of my neighborhood I fish in. This is in cape may. how about you guys are you seeing any?

[fishinmission78]

I am still seeing a few. They are real scattered tho.

[finchaser]

What he ^^^said I think they have left the building during the northeaster

[DarkSkies]

I did a lot of scouting on my last trip out the other night. I agree with Fin. The usual places that should have been holding mullet are barren.
However, some friends net them, and are pretty good at finding what some people might not think are there. They've been sending me pics. The latest one I got yesterday....they got mullet ranging from 9" up to 21". These are the last of the season, and the largest.

[DarkSkies]

Late season mullet
I said I would try to post pics when I can. These are some of the huge mullet they have been seeing as of this week. They call the largest ones "Curry man" mullet or "remainder man" because in their culture they are the last ones to remain in the area. The first pic shows a bucket filled with pretty large ones, so large they are as long as the diameter of the bucket.

The 2nd one shows more mullet, which they said varied considerably in size.... 6" up to 21".
The largest one, (which they said is close to 21"), is laid out alongside the left side of the pic. I'm not sure of the exact story, whether that is the specific 21" mullet...or close to it.....he did say he lost some of the largest ones at the water because he was by himself.....

**Just a reminder that these folks net every day they can get out there. They eat these mullet.......It's a big part of their culture. Therefore, they may be seeing different things than most of us.

[clamchucker]

We used to call them corncob mullet, Dark. The end of season ones that remained were the largest.

[surfrob]

21" !! Never saw them anywhere near that sized up here. Netted where... Back? Front? "Side" :D?

[finchaser]

We used to call them corncob mullet, Dark. The end of season ones that remained were the largest.

What he said they have been called corn cob since I was a kid. I asked the guys this morning and no one including Ristori has ever heard the other 2 names. I assume in there culture they eat them too. They are very common in Virginia

[cowherder]

I don't know exactly where they are from but if it's the guys I think he is talking about I have seen them on the bayshore from perth amboy to the hook. Carloads, families of them. Mothers, fathers, little kids and the granma and grampa too. Might be from south america? I have seen them seine netting not sure if thats how they are catching the mullet tho.

[seamonkey]

21" !! Never saw them anywhere near that sized up here. Netted where... Back? Front? "Side" :D?

I haven't either. have seen some about 13-15" in late october in cape may area. I checked and down south they can get to pretty damn big. Maybe these are the "breeders"?

[porgy75]

Found some big ones on youtube. These guys might be commercial fishermen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COQH6n1y9Zo

[porgy75]

another netful with some big ones in a small creek

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_DAc2AQTgs

[buckethead]

I have seen the large ones at the end of the season and always called them corn cob mullet as well.

[williehookem]

Check this out they put a 3 lb mullet out and a monster fish blasts it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELBxOZq3J78

[surferman]

They eat these mullet.......It's a big part of their culture. Therefore, they may be seeing different things than most of us.

:upck::kooky: Guess it must be an acquired taste. I'll pass.

[DarkSkies]

21" !! Never saw them anywhere near that sized up here. Netted where... Back? Front? "Side" :D?


Rob. I went back and put a little more detail in my original post. I share a lot of intel with various people from different cultures. Have met a whole host of different folks on my nomad trips.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?3797-What-s-with-all-the-animal-sacrifices-in-Jamaica-Bay

Usually when I get intel.......... am happy to hear that things are going on in a general area and don't press much further for details..... unless they are given to me.

Folks trust me to keep my mouth shut, and I try my best to live by that code.

One of our members mentioned they have seen mullet netters from South Amboy to the Hook. You can also see them in front of and in back of most of NJ's major inlets.

I was out the other night fishing and scouting.....I had a hard time locating mullet in quantities in some of the rivers......so I believe at this time they are holding in some harbors, and bay areas adjacent to deeper water, as they stage for a last push South on the migration path.
As has been mentioned, there are also mullet on the move from areas and states North of us......In my experience the bait situation and sizes can change every day.......

**EX- (I remember one Spring day sardines came into a river at night, and I had tremendous action on bass and blues for 4 nights.... I haven't seen that amount of sardines or bait....in the years since...though I go down to look for them with anticipation, every year.....:drool: )










Generally speaking, you will find these folks netting along the bayshore this time of year......they are pretty good at what they do.....most often I refer to them as "hunters" because on days when I have reported to them "no mullet" from my trip the night before...they will send me a pic of some they have found....:thumbsup:

If you ever manage to make it back to NNJ and want to fish a tide or a few hours one night....get in touch and I'll show ya what I know.......and how different it is...from when you used to live and fish up here........you're welcome anytime, Rob......:HappyWave:


Hope that explains things a little better. :fishing:

[DarkSkies]

We used to call them corncob mullet, Dark. The end of season ones that remained were the largest.


What he said they have been called corn cob since I was a kid. I asked the guys this morning and no one including Ristori has ever heard the other 2 names. I assume in there culture they eat them too. They are very common in Virginia


I think that name you guys are using is more common than the ones they use. The people that eat them and use those other names are most often from Guyana or the West Indies....
I know none of ya's can get excited about eating mullet or similar fish....but it's the diversity that makes us the nation we are today....

These folks make some killer hot sauces....:bigeyes:........I have been invited several times over to eat with them...have to try to do it this year...but it will be for the incredibly pungent hot sauce......I'm not too keen on trying the mullet either......

I do have a cast iron stomach......

Words of advice.......though in the past I have eaten sammiches in a cooler that accidently got dropped in the juice from bait clams.....I wouldn't recommend eating something sitting in clam juice...unless you carry lots of extra toilet paper. :) :HappyWave:

[bababooey]

Words of advice.......though in the past I have eaten sammiches in a cooler that accidently got dropped in the juice from bait clams.....I wouldn't recommend eating something sitting in clam juice...unless you carry lots of extra toilet paper. :) :HappyWave:

TMI!:kooky::HappyWave:

[finchaser]

Dark will start eating mullet :drool:to fit in with his ethnic counterparts and since he sleeps in porta johns it shouldn't be an issue

[DarkSkies]

Aah.......you love whenever I come down to harass you and the old farts......whether I stink or not......
I made some great garlic pesto sauce the other day....ya should have taken me up on the offer to drop some off at your place...:kiss:

[bababooey]

How come only finchaser gets offered garlicpesto? made with real fresh basil and olive oil? I'll trade you a liter of Johnny Walker Black for a full pint container, IF it really is home made pesto. Let me know.

[DarkSkies]

I haven't posted in the Bill W thread in so long........ maybe some of you people forgot......I don't drink any more......Thanks for the offer....I just would have no use for that.....:HappyWave:

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?2318-One-Day-at-a-Time-Do-You-Know-Bill-W




Finchaser gets offered some of the things I make because unbeknownst to many, he went to CIA and is a gourmet chef.....(I know it's hard to believe, but it's true)
So whenever I make something new....I offer it to him.....looking for honest, constructive criticism....
(I try to throw some home-made food every once in a while) :HappyWave:

I also make home-made healthy chili in the late Fall for the Winter....substituting turkey for ground beef.....It gets pretty expensive to eat healthy when you're not on the road chasing bass...... sleeping in your car and living on WaWa or Quik Chek food......:kooky:
Hope that clears things up....:)

[DarkSkies]

Pesto Recipe.....To make fresh pesto...
I use fresh basil leaves...those who have gardens are usually gathering them up at the end of the season....
I use fresh virgin olive oil....
Pignoli nuts....'
Walnuts some times....when I'm making a lot because them pignolis are so damn expensive...
Real grated parmesan cheese....
Lots of pulverized fresh garlic...
And a touch of some other secret spices....
It's a lot of work and I usually don't give out things that take me so much time and effort to make....

One year Pebbles and I were canning....we made some pints of very hot peppers, :scared:........canned in olive oil....some of ya's were the lucky ones to get a jar of those....it really was a lot of work and time to make them.....

They tasted great when drizzled over pasta and gravy, or just alone with the hot pepper oil over the pasta.....:)

[bababooey]

it's that time of year. Anyone see them yet?

[surferman]

Haven't seen or heard of any in Cape May so far.