Mullet Masters Give Pro Fishing Tips For Redfish, Trout and Flounder

Fishermen snack on bite-sized Cheetos, French fries or Vienna sausages. Redfish, trout and flounder snack on striped mullet. Fat-packed little fish are the perfect finger food—small, tasty and prolific. Each season, schools of mullet move through the Southeast. When mullet is on the menu, make sure you have the right dish. These mullet masters share their favorite imitations and tactics for Redfish, Trout and Flounder.

Speckled Trout

Angler Dee Kaminski

Location East Coast Florida

Season September to October

FIND THE FISH Look for schools of mullet swimming along shorelines, under mangroves and docks and on grass flats. As mullet graze along the bottom, they often kick up shrimp and crabs. I cast towards the outer edges of the school, where trout wait for a straggler to separate from the group.

NATURAL With a 1/0 to 2/0 circle hook, pierce the mullet through the eyes. The mullet will swim just below the surface. Cut half the tailfin to make the mullet swim erratically. Keep the line tight and finesse the mullet.

ARTIFICIAL I keep a Tactical Anglers CrossOver Stalker or Heddon Zara Spook rigged at all times. Mullet often swim on the surface, so a topwater lure is effective, especially early and late in the day. As the sun gets high, I switch to a Vudu Mullet 3.5 with an articulated body and larger tail to match the profile of a finger-sized mullet. I match the Vudu Mullet with a 1/6-ounce Edje Joe jighead.

Flounder

Angler Eli Braud

Location Louisiana

Season Spring and early fall

FIND THE FISH Look for moving water crossing a channel edge or drop. The edge of a marsh will also hold flounder. The fish blend into the bottom and wait for bait to sweep past. Fish the bait slow and close to the bottom on a Carolina rig.

[ Also read: How To Catch Redfish, Sea Trout and Flounder In One Day ]

NATURAL Tie a 3/0 circle hook to 24 inches of 20-pound fluorocarbon leader. Attach the leader to a small barrel swivel. Slide a ¼- to 3/8-ounce egg sinker over the 25-pound Fins 40G Braid mainline. Hook a finger mullet through the upper back, just below the spine. The round sinker keeps the bait near the bottom and allows it to roll with the current. Keep the line taut to feel the lightest of bite.

ARTIFICIAL Matrix Shad by Dockside Tackle are locally-made with colors to match the resident forage. Z-man’s scented PaddlerZ or Gulp Mullet on a 1/4 to 3/8-ounce jighead is a good back up. Tie the jig to 24 inches of 20-pound leader material.

Redfish

Angler Andy Hagedon

Location Charleston, South Carolina

Season Year-round

FIND THE FISH Redfish hunt the edge of grass banks and oyster bars. During spring and summer, reds are most active two hours before and after low tide. In cold water, schools of redfish will move onto shallow mud flats at high tide. Look for the telltale V-shaped wake of a school of mullet swimming on the surface.

[ Also read: This Coast Is A Kayak Angler’s Red Drum Dream ]

Natural Fish a two- to four-inch live mullet under a popping cork. Tie the cork to 15-pound braided mainline. To the weighted end of the cork, add 15-pound fluorocarbon. Attach a 4/0 to 7/0 circle hook to the end of the leader.

Artificial Low country anglers swear by the Z-man DieZel MinnowZ and Slim SwimZ. Favorite colors are The Deal, Mulletron and Opening Night on a 1/8-ounce Eye Strike jig.

Business up front, party out back. Photo: Eli Braud