How Should the Rig Be Selected for Mullet Fishing?

For mullet fishing, we should first start with the hooks. When choosing a hook, the size and mouth structure of the fish are very important. Thin hooks are generally used for mullet fishing, and thick longline hooks are never used. Hooks numbered 9, 10, and 12 are generally used in classic triplet rigs, and these are effective for catching ilerya (young or bait mullets). For catching mullets over 200g, white, cross, and long-shank hooks numbered 7 or 8 are used.

For the mainline in triplet rigs, monofilament lines of 0.20 or 0.25 are generally used.

These can be colored or standard white. It is better to use them according to the structure of the fishing spot, but they are generally used as standard. For the arms, i.e., droppers, it is better to use 0.15 lines with high tensile strength. These standard rigs are the best for fish between 200-500g. The weight varies depending on the bottom structure, depth, and current, but for this rig, more than 50 grams carries the risk of breaking when casting due to the tension it creates. The rig I have described is generally used for fishing with rock worms or tube worms. Different rigs are used for fishing with different baits. A second style is fishing with a floating bobber. This style is generally effective in rocky areas and in places where the water depth is 2 meters or more. The rig consists of a thin line of 0.16 mm with high tensile strength. The line length is 1.5 meters, the hook is 8-9 numbered black cross long-shank, and a split shot lead is placed just above it. Generally, a needlefish float is used, but if the fishing is not at long distance, a pole float can also be used. A pole float is a name given to rods without a reel and without a porcelain ring, with a thin tip, usually 3-8 meters long, generally used in lakes for catching gobies and damselfish. In the seas, it is used for mullet and smelt fishing; while used in a sabiki rig for smelt, very elegant catches can be made for mullet with a single hook and a 10-15 gram lake float. Mullet fishing with pole floats using worms on a floating bobber rig is both very enjoyable and very practical.

NOTE: These types of rigs are generally very common in the Marmara region, which is more unique in terms of fishing spots compared to other regions.