Mullet Fishing With Nets: 3 Tips For Success
The mullet is not just a hairstyle. It's also a species of fish, and a delicious fish to eat. Mullets are quite popular in the waters off the coast of Florida and the Southern United States. They're large, tasty, and not that hard to catch. However, most people catch them with a net, rather than a line, which is a bit unique. If you plan on fishing for mullet with a net, here are a few tips you should follow for success.
Choose a cast net over a brail line
There are two main types of nets sold for mullet fishing, or for fishing in general. The first is a brail line, which is a long type of net that can be cast from the side of a ship. This sort of line works well for large-scale fishing operations, and you could make use of it if you had a large boat. However, brail lines are not easy to use, can't be used in hand, and come with a bit of a learning curve.
If you're newer to mullet fishing, you are much better off with a cast net. These nets are small enough to be used in hand whether you're fishing from the side of a boat, off a dock or pier, or while wading through shallow water. You can always upgrade to a brail line later on if you find yourself mostly fishing off a large boat.
Practice casting out of the water
Casting a mullet net can take some practice. You have to grasp the "bottom" of the net and toss it out onto the water in a way that allows the net to open and spread over the water. If possible, you should try doing this on dry land a few times before you actually cast the net on the water. It's easier to gather up the net and try again when it's not on the water. Try casting the net in a parking lot.
Pull the net in quickly
After the net is cast down onto the water, it will sink around the school of mullet. At this point, you need to work quickly to pull the net back in. It will automatically close around the fish, trapping them inside for you to pull back in. The faster you do this, the fewer fish will be able to wiggle back out.
With the tips above, you should have greater success and catch more mullets in your net.
Contact a sporting goods store to learn more about mullet fishing nets.