Strangford Lough Mullet - 21st June 2010.

People: Me and K2

Date: Monday 21st June 2010.

Duration: Approx. 3 and a half hours at 2 venues

Tides: Venue 1: Low tide on the flood Venue 2: Over high on the drop

Methods used: Float set – up

Bait: Bread

Weather: Dry, warm, sunny with light winds

Results: 1 thick lipped mullet for K2



Report

With all of the hot weather we have been enjoying over the past week or so, K2 and I knew that the sea water would be getting heated up nicely and to us that only meant one thing – the arrival of mullet in Strangford Lough! Well, we hoped so anyway because we were starting to get impatient waiting on their arrival.

We have been keeping an eye out over the past couple of weeks at a couple of the marks in Strangford Lough that we fished quite regularly last year but apart from the odd small group of fish we hadn’t seen anything to get us very excited.

We had been out fishing for them over the weekend just there past and we had plenty of good action and sport with them but in the end we didn’t manage to land any fish in the net.
K2 should have had at least five fish, two where on for about ten minutes each but they managed to shake themselves off and get away much to both of our frustration.

It’s annoying when you lose a fish but it can happen so easily, especially when fishing for mullet but you’ve just got to keep at it, it’s that challenge that they give you that makes me love it so much.
I lost count of how many bites that I missed over the weekend and at one stage I was very close to throwing my rod in!

So, after our disappointment over the weekend and with it being such a nice evening again we decided to go out for another mullet session. K2 picked me up from my house and we headed over to what was the first of two venues we ended up at on the night.

On arrival we realised that the wind wasn’t ideal for fishing this particular mark but we decided to give it a go anyway as we had some time to spare before conditions where right at the second venue.
So, we walked out onto the shore and began ground baiting with some bread, throwing it into the tide to see if there was any sign of fish about but to our surprise there wasn’t. The two nights before this one there had been quite alot of fish moving up and in with the tide so we were surprised that there wasn’t on this occasion.

We only fished this mark for another half an hour or so and then decided to move on to venue 2 since there wasn’t much happening.

As soon as we arrived down at venue two we could see big numbers of fish right in front of us where we were standing. Without delay we cast in our floats and started throwing bits of bread in to get them feeding. In no time they were hitting our bread that was sitting on the surface of the water.

K2 moved on down abit away from me and fished and it wasn’t before long that I had a nice group of fish feeding in front of me and they were hanging around too which was great. I missed I don’t know how many bites, it was really starting to crack me up in the end!
K2 then came back down and began fishing alongside me for a while. And only after his second cast in he hooked into his fish! I couldn’t believe it, I had got them all feeding and he comes in and gets one on his second cast in– typical!

The fish gave him a good fight and he took it even easier than usual so as not to lose it this time. It took a quite a few really mad runs up and down in the water trying it’s best to get away but eventually it got tired and I was able to get close enough to get it in our net and bring it into dry land.
A quick photo was taken and it was released back in safely and swam away.

We fished for another hour or so after that right into dark, again, both of us getting loads of bites but no more fish where caught. In the end it was getting virtually impossible to see our floats it was that dark and so we left for home.

Another great night’s mullet fishing was had by both of us, we were just so pleased to have finally landed one after all the hard work and effort we had put in all weekend.

It looks like the mullet have arrived in Strangford Lough in good numbers at last. Roll on the rest of the summer.

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class well done!!!!

Great report as always Paula. Hard luck on not landing a fish but well done K2.

Fine fish. Well done

Your out of practice Paula with all the work and photography. You'll soon be landing them again.

Well done on the mullet K2 the first of many And it wont be to long till you gets yours K1

nice mullet

great stuff K1/K2-do You know any good medicaments for being more patient, when the mullet is playing with bread? I'm start worring about my heart, on the next session

Great report as usual Paula, those mullet would try the patience of a saint...at least there showing up for ye both, hopefully many more to come.

nice one guys. sorry i could'nt make it out last thursday with work committments, but the new chestys arrived this morning, so i can at least get out to those silver head melters now . i do'nt know how you 2 manage to keep sane mullet fishing all the time honest to god, one session every so often nearly puts my head away. 20 mullet within spitting distance of my gear and they all decide " hey,, i know what will annoy that fisherman,,, lets all try to eat his float and ignore that tasty bit of bread with the hook in it hahahahahaha!!!! " .

another nice mullet K2 and great report K1 well done

Well done k2 on the mullet
Brilliant report as always Paula.
Your turn next. Cheers.

Great report & fine Mullet nice one guys , going to give them a go very soon & try to get my first one

class well done!!!!

Thanks aido coxy – all that effort is worth it when you land a fish, even if it is just the one.

Great report as always Paula. Hard luck on not landing a fish but well done K2.

Cheers Tom. I will get my account opened up here at home this year soon if it kills me which at the minute it is at risk of doing because I am seriously starting to lose the plot fishing for these mullet.

Fine fish. Well done

Thanks Davebouy – I went out and tried for them again last night again but no luck, I must be gluten for punishment.

Your out of practice Paula with all the work and photography. You'll soon be landing them again.

I think you could be right Ivan....well, that’s my excuse and I am sticking to it anyway!
Maybe I should give up the fishing and just become K2’s personal photographer. I would be more successful at that anyday.

Well done on the mullet K2 the first of many And it wont be to long till you gets yours K1

Thanks boyler, I hope your right and it’s not long until I get one. I was out last night again and again went home feeling frustrated at not catching anything, oh these mullet are doing my head right in.

nice mullet

Thanks Thomas, it’s just a pity K2 didn’t manage to land that one on Saturday night when you where there, I thought your net was gonna come in very handy for us again but it wasn’t meant to be. We’ll have to meet up soon again for a session at them.

great stuff K1/K2-do You know any good medicaments for being more patient, when the mullet is playing with bread? I'm start worring about my heart, on the next session

Thanks David, I just wish I was having as much luck with them as you are at the minute. Perhaps a trip down to the east coast is due. I know what you mean about your heart, and I can’t recommend any good medicaments, if I knew any I would be using them myself. If you find any let me know because I need them and quick! All the best with them yourself the rest of the summer.

Great report as usual Paula, those mullet would try the patience of a saint...at least there showing up for ye both, hopefully many more to come.

Thanks Declan, it seems that I am better at writing the reports on the fish K2 has caught than I am at actually catching fish myself lately! I’ll have to put that right soon or I’ll never live it down with him.

nice one guys. sorry i could'nt make it out last thursday with work committments, but the new chestys arrived this morning, so i can at least get out to those silver head melters now . i do'nt know how you 2 manage to keep sane mullet fishing all the time honest to god, one session every so often nearly puts my head away. 20 mullet within spitting distance of my gear and they all decide " hey,, i know what will annoy that fisherman,,, lets all try to eat his float and ignore that tasty bit of bread with the hook in it hahahahahaha!!!! " .

Thanks Al, no bother about last Thursday, sure we can get out soon. When Dawsey gets back from his holiday he is bursting to get with us so sure we can all meet up then for a brain melting session at them . We’ve all summer, you and Jordan will get one yet, don’t you worry about that.

another nice mullet K2 and great report K1 well done

Thanks again grady. It’s just a shame that I didn’t manage to catch one but I will soon, I haven’t give up yet, it’s early days.

Well done k2 on the mullet Brilliant report as always Paula.
Your turn next. Cheers.

Thanks birdseye, I hope your right and it’s my turn next.
I see you are from the North Down coast. If you ever fancy a run out for a go at the mullet with us just drop me a PM and we could meet up some night over the summer.

Great report & fine Mullet nice one guys , going to give them a go very soon & try to get my first one

Thanks fisherking, you’ll get your first one soon, I know you will. Good luck but just remember to stay calm because they will drive you mad as you will find out when you start fishing for them.

nice one paula... hard LUCK on not getting one.. the master showed his strenght again....

nice one paula... hard LUCK on not getting one.. the master showed his strenght again....

Thanks Alan, K2 will love it when I tell him what you said about him being the master he wishes....
I will get one soon I hope I was out last night and should have had one. A seal turned up and scared the fish just when we had got them feeding well and just as I was looking around at it to see what it was doing, I looked back quickly at my float and it was buried! Fish missed.....I was ragen, that'll teach me for not concentrating. Lesson learnt for next time.

well done on getting one K2
and hard lines paula

I looked back quickly at my float and it was buried!

poor thing may it r.i.p

well done on getting one K2
and hard lines paula

I looked back quickly at my float and it was buried!

poor thing may it r.i.p

very good Don, ah well Paula, at least the report was fist class as always , I'll have my fingers crossed for you next time btw, have you ever tried using these small circular hooks or the little spring on colored match hooks? Could be an interesting project for you to find out how these compare in hookup rates. Just a suggestion, if it's a daft idea I'm convinced you let me know quickly

well done on getting one K2
and hard lines paula

Thanks Don, we where out last night again but I didn't fish, still not feeling the best with a cold and chest infection so I just stood and watched K2. There wasn't many about last night so we didn't stay too long at it. Al is away out this morning with K2 to try and get his first one. I'll hear later how they get on, fingers crossed. I'll give it a go myself at the weekend again. Wish me luck, I think I'll need it!

well done on getting one K2
and hard lines paula

I looked back quickly at my float and it was buried!

poor thing may it r.i.p

very good Don, ah well Paula, at least the report was fist class as always , I'll have my fingers crossed for you next time btw, have you ever tried using these small circular hooks or the little spring on colored match hooks? Could be an interesting project for you to find out how these compare in hookup rates. Just a suggestion, if it's a daft idea I'm convinced you let me know quickly

Thanks Martin. I don't think the hooks I am using are the problem. K2 is using exactly the same ones as me and he's catching - I think the problem is me! Those hooks sound good though, I know the ones you mean and perhaps they would be worth a go, I'm always up for trying out new things that are on the market. If I do try them I'll let you know what I think and how good or bad they are.