docklands mulloway

[Stell]

Hey guys,

I've never been fishing for mulloway before and thinking of heading to docklands.
What size hooks and types of bait should I take?
I have some 5/0 circles that I use for snapper, would they be adequate in size?

What locations shall I target and how should I get there/parking?
I'll be doing catch and release as I have no intention of eating them.

I have some decent overhead setups with 30 pound braid and 40 pound leaders, will I need to cast out? These are mainly boat 6 and 7 foot combos.

cheers guys

[abzz]

Hooks will depend on what bait you're using
Baits as always..fresh is best, if you can catch your bait on location that'll be the best place to start hunting for mulloway. If not, anywhere you're allowed to park around docklands will do the trick..the quieter the place the better.
I use a lot of fillets(mullet,yakkas) or big squid strips(fresh) and prefer to use a single size 7/0 livie hook so it sits better in the current..but a live mullet/yakka is always going to be a better bait.
As for your gear it will definitely do the job, but you might wanna go 60lb with the leader
Cast one rod out and have one rod close in, if using a livie just hang it over the edge with the bait a metre or so off the bottom

[rixter]

Expect to put the hours in / or a long wait for a mulloway ! , maybe ! , sometimes it can happen first session , then none for another year or more sometimes. The number 5 snapper hooks should do the trick.
As you will be using a large fresh bait , use a double hook setup maybe, tie one on and use one running on the line just above the other hook, to hook into the top of the large bait. Good luck mate.

Around Melbourne , you will get the odd one here and there in the deeper parts of the bay (once in a blue moon), or even the surf if your really luck, but usualy they hang around the mouth entrances to rivers ( such as the yarra ) or just up the mouth of the river a bit where the water is brackish . Myself and a mate got onto a good run of them years back under the westgate bridge.

Fresh strips/fillets of slimy macs, or even fresh bream fillets with a bit of tuna oil have worked well for me in the past / although it's been a long time since I fished for mulloway. They seem to like the fish oil / oil in fish.

Not sure if it's really the right time to be fishing for them around here at the moment , as I have caught my majority of jewies around here during winter, and at the latest around early spring. Good luck anyway.

Cheers , Rick.

[Redhunter]

Welcome to a challenge my friend. A challenge that may change your fishing perspective forever.
To take up this challenge, you need to be dedicated, patient, quiet, and above all...a thinker. Sleep is also over-rated. There is plenty of time for that when your dead
Hope I haven't scared you. Lol.
As mentioned on previous posts above, fresh bait is vital. It doesn't get any fresher than being live. The docks don't have much current, so the stressed out distressed electrical waves that a live bait emits via its lateral line will work as a kind of berley itself.
Livebaits are quite difficult to catch once the sun goes down, as they are too busy watching their tail for predators. Therefore, be prepared to have to do a sesh on bait in the daylight, for a sesh on the jews after dark. So, now you have to learn the art of catching bait, in order to learn the art of catching Jews. Jewies will take just about any livebait, but some do work better than others. Mullet are a great place to start, because they are slender in shape, and hardy on a pair of hooks. They can kick around all night long if no hits occur.
In order to catch your bait, you will need berley. You can use a simple mix of bread crumbs, water, and tuna oil. You want a very sloppy mix, and use it sparingly. For bait, a small morsel of raw chicken on a small long shank hook will do the job. Now, because you have worked so hard catching your livies, you need to keep them alive until your jewie sesh. A big bucket and an aerator, along with spare batteries, will be invaluable tools to you.

Ok, that was chapter 1. If it is sounding all too hard already, I won't bother continuing. If you are still keen as mustard, let me know and I will continue with chapter 2, explaining rigs and bait presentations, gear, the hit and the fight.
I had "mulloway fever" bigtime, and spent thousands of hours chasing this elusive fish in that area. I was there 5 nights a week at least, before my priorities had to change. Therefore, I know firsthand the hard work that's involved, and above all, the self satisfaction that is achieved when everything finally falls into place. Do the miles, and get the smiles

[GTSHoon]

Even though its not my topic I'd like to say thana to red hunter and personally a second chapter sounds like an excellent idea
Cam

[Rogue_Hunter]

The imfamous mulloway .. the one fish that can make a grown man cry!

Great write up RedHunter; some nice gems in there.

I have a friend whom had target these for a few months during winter and the closest he got was he had a live mullet out there ... and then .. suddenly, the float where the mullet was hanging under, the water around it started to bubble up. Something big down there was harrasing the bait fish and he had his rod in hand .. ready to embrace the power of this beast .. but, unfortunatly, the water went still and nothing happened.

So close!

[Redhunter]

Thanks very much guys

Yes, the elusive Mulloway. Renowned for terrorising the hell out of a livie. If they sense that ANYTHING isn't quite right, they will not hit the bait. They are also renowned for engulfing a livie, only to spit it back out again, scaled and useless, without you even knowing it happened. Geez they're good fun!

Oky doky. Due to popular demand, I'll get started on the next chapter shortly. Stay tuned....

[abzz]

Great write up redhunter :a_goodjob:

[Raulfc7]

Thumbs up red hunter bring on chapter 2 :thumbsup:

[biggar]

I'm not sure if docklands is the best place to try for a mulloway. Maybe give the yarra and marybinong rivers