3 Ways To Rig Live Mullet For The Best Presentation
- By: Justin Ritchey
- on
The fall mullet run is one of the most wonderful times of the year!
In order to create the best presentation with a live mullet, you must understand the best ways to hook these baitfish.
They will swim and perform differently depending on where they are hooked on their body.
Check out the best 3 ways to rig live mullet down below!!
Best 3 Ways To Rig Live Mullet [VIDEO]
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Hooking Through The Mouth
This is the most streamlined method.
Run the hook through the bottom and top lips of the mullet’s mouth but just before the eyes.
Keep in mind how far back you are going with the hook.
Make sure your hook point comes out before the eyes to avoid hitting the brain to ensure natural movement.
This tactic is best for freelining a mullet on the surface for tarpon that are rolling around or for other predatory fish.
The mullet will swim freely without much resistance as this is the most natural way to present it.
It is also the best way to hook mullet if the current is strong.
You want the mullet facing into the current for it to swim naturally and not roll over.
Hooking Through The Back
If you go through the front dorsal fin, there will be resistance on the line creating an unnatural presentation.
There is a sweet spot for the hook right above the lateral line on the mullet’s body and below the back dorsal fin.
When the mullet feels resistance from the hook in the back of its body, its instinct is going to be to swim away from that resistance.
This is an excellent way to get the baitfish to swim towards structure away from you into where the predatory fish are holding.
Using A Jig Head
Using a jig head is a great method if you are fishing towards the bottom.
Mission Fishin Jig Heads are perfect for this approach.
They skip over debris on the bottom much easier and the angled eye point allows you to pull it over structure a bit easier.
Similar to the first hook configuration, you should go through the bottom and top lip of the fish’s mouth and out the top of the head.
Keep in mind to stay in front of the eyes!
It is best to use a 1/8 ounce in shallow water, a 1/4 ounce 3-5 feet of water, and any water deeper than that use a 3/8 ounce (which is also better for faster current).
Pro tip: This is an extremely effective rig for monster flounder this time of year too!
Whenever you are rigging live bait, especially a live mullet, you need to make sure that after your hook comes through the bait that the point of the hook does not have any scales on it.
The scale can mean the difference between hooking a giant fish and losing it because the hook couldn’t set properly.
Conclusion
Using live mullet can be a very effective way to catch big fish in most situations.
The key is knowing where to rig the mullet for the greatest chance of success and to avoid foul-hooking a mullet or creating an unnatural presentation.
Stick to these 3 methods of hooking a live mullet to ensure your presentation is natural and attractive to predatory fish!
Have any other questions about rigging live mullet?
Leave them in the comments below!!
And if you know someone who wants to use live mullet, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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Great tips Justin !!! – Thanks for the nice walk thru
The most successful method I have used is to run the hook point carefully through both eye sockets, in FRONT of the eyeballs. Once mastered, there is no damage to the eyes, the hook won’t tear loose, and the bait can breathe freely.
Interesting! Have you ever tried to Bridle your bait? I do that frequently when I’m fishing for Sailfish during the Winter Months (especially since Goggle Eyes are so expensive that time of the year).
Great info as always! Loved the tip about the hook tip scale and where to hook dorsally. I had been hooking them too far up the back. Thank you!!!
Glad you found it helpful, Christopher!
Thanks for the video
Anytime, Jerry!
I like hooking them just above the anal fin. swims naturally especially when swimming under a bobber near docks. caught plenty of snook using this method. Lost quite a few around the docks as well as you have to be quick to keep them from wrapping you up.
Good Idea, Nick!
What about trolling live bait, would you just run the hook thru the top lip? Is there anyway to keep it from spinning? I enjoy trolling with my kayak with lures but live bait sounds fun.
Yes, just through the Top Lip would work. The key is to troll at a slower speed (less than 1.5kts, if you have a unit that shows your speed).
nevermind, saw answer below
If you hook a live mullet through both lips, won’t that drowned him?
My go to place to hook live mullet when free lining them around the edges of mullet schools being worked by predators is in the throat. Makes the mullet swim down when you apply light pressure and helps him stand out in the crowd, so to speak, for big snook, tarpon, redfish, and more.
I like that idea…I haven’t tried that before! I’ll definitely give this rigging method a try out on the Beach soon 🙂
I use all 3 methods. Although, when hooking thru the lip, I only hook in he top lip. IMO, when you hook thru both lips, pinning the lips together, it restricts water intake. The bait is scared and stressed. He needs all the oxygen he can get. The mullet will tire quicker. Simply squeeze the jaws from each side and the mullet will open its mouth making it easy it insert the hook in the top lip only.
Absolutely, Wayne. I am kicking myself for not making mention of this in the Video (hindsight is always 20/20 when it comes to Editing). You are correct: hooking a Mullet or another baitfish through only the Top Lip would help the bait stay alive a little longer and allow it to oxygenate easier, especially when in current. Thanks for adding this here!