Sea mullet are one of the easiest fish to catch on the outer banks.  They have a slender body with a slightly arched dorsal fin. Their color can range from a light to dark gray with dark shaded stripes. Their mouth faces downward to assist in feeding.

The range in size from several inches to eighteen with the typical size being caught range to ten to fifteen inches. Sea mullet can go by several names including Whiting, Kingfish or roundhead. Most anglers just call them “fun to catch and great to eat”.

Sea mullet can be found along the entire outer banks coastline from April through October.  They typically show up in the spring when the water begins to reach fifty degrees and stay around until the water cools in the fall.

Local anglers target these fish in the shallow surf zones and on the ocean piers.  They can range from the close in sloughs and near bars to out in deeper water adjacent to structures such as piers and docks.

I usually find them either right near the beach in shallow water or half to three quarters out on the piers. On the surf, just cast to the first bar or drop it on the slough. When fishing on the piers, I usually will cast out and away from a structure and slowly drag the rig back to me. Hook ups will be near the pier, sand bar or shallow areas where they believe bait is getting away from them.

They are typically bottom feeders and prefer cloudy or stained water.  Sea mullet stay in a zone where there is a lot of water movement. This constant water movement stirs the bottom and mixes the food source that the mullet searches for. They also search for food by smell so fresh baits are always the best way to go.

Anglers should use a seven and half light medium rod and reel with a fast tip and a standard one or two hook bottom rig and either a pyramid or bank sinker. A light tip will allow the angler to feel the lightest tap before the hook up. Sea mullet have a small mouth so I always start with small hooks and depending on my success I might change up or down in size.

I prefer a number four “J” or circle hook. I just bait the hook with a small bait. The best bait for sea mullet is fresh shrimp, bloodworms, mole crabs or fish bites.

When you use shrimp, always purchase eating type shrimp. I never peel the shrimp or mole crabs. The hard shell usually helps the bait on the hook. Remember, leave just a small tip out of the bait to ensure a hook up.

When the sea mullet are in season, you can fill a cooler in no time. And most probably one of the best eating fish with its white flaky meat.

But please remember, when fishing, only harvest what you plan to use fresh. Frozen sea mullet or any fish loses its favor quickly.

Grab a rod and hit the surf today. There is no better time to catch a sea mullet now.

Oh, and one more thing that will make your day better is to take a kid fishing.  With every fish they catch that smile gets wider.

Until next time – tightlines – Capt. Tony