Mullet “on the Fly”
By CAPT GENE ZAMBA

The mullet is perhaps the most intriguing fish in our waters. Everyone knows that they are herbivores-- eating only grasses and other vegetation -- and rarely ever striking any of our baits. True, sometimes we accidentally hook a mullet while jigging for other species, but most of the time these unique fish graze the day long on our flats. Now, Capt. Gene Zamba has discovered that these  abundant species will actually strike a fly, and has caught many using a fly rod in his Tarpon Springs venue.

By Capt. Gene Zamba

I’ve had the good fortune to travel a great deal and fly-fish in many countries such as Russia, New Zealand, Finland, Australia, Christmas Islands and, on my last trip, one of my most interesting, to England. 

I met up with a local guide Nick Hart in Portsmouth in a small fishing village near Newport, England. Nick is one the “new breed” of guides in the UK trying to push the idea of saltwater fly-fishing. If you have ever talked with any English fly fishermen you know that they basically fish for carp in rivers and lakes. Saltwater is basically new to them.

Nick and I were driving to the inlet, which he targeted as a fishing site for our outing. It was a typical UK weather -- a very cold & wet day,. He told me that we’d try to get into some Sea Bass and, if we were lucky, we’d try and hook up some “English Bonefish”. I felt a little dumb, but I asked him anyway – “what the heck is an “English Bonefish?” Nick just smiled and said, “you will see, it’s a surprise. “

As the morning wore on, the Sea Bass were not really paying much attention to our flies. Nick said, “Lets move over to those sand bars and wade fish.” He tied on a small green fly that looked like a very small nymph and handed me one as well. It was so small you would think we were fishing for 6” trout in a New England river.

Nick pointed to a few head wakes and said get a Fly over there. I made the cast and “bang,” I thought I really had a Bonefish on  -- and a big one at that. This fish was in about 8” of water and accelerated lust like a Bonefish, with great speed -- giving my 8wt rod and reel all it could handle. After landing approximately 7 pounder Nick, with the biggest grin on his face, helped me release the fish. When he saw me looking that this so-called “English Bonefish” in amazement, he started laughing out laud. “Gene, He said, now don’t you Florida guides feel like you have been missing something for a lot of years?” You guys call these fish “mullet” right?  Of course he knew they were indeed Mullet.

Later in the day Nick told me that he thought about telling me in advance, but he wanted to make it a surprise.  He really did. Since that UK trip, I just love fishing for Mullet on a Fly.

Later in the year Nick visited me in Tarpon Springs. We went Mullet fishing out of the Anclote River. It was mid November and the fall mullet run was in full swing. We must have caught at least 50 Mullet each in the 3 to 4 pound range and a few over 4 pounds.

It’s certainly not hard to find Mullet around Florida, and catching them on a fly couldn’t be easier. Just use a small dark green fly -- a small nymph on a number 10 hook with a little dark green dubbing. Nothing fancy just try about 3 or 4 different colors of green and maybe even a few yellow/greens. You should use a 4-pound leader about 6 feet of floating line and give it a try. If the fish are a little spooky, as they are most of the time, try chumming with breadcrumbs or small bits of white bread.

It’s been some 3 years since Nick introduced me to this Mullet fishing on a Fly, and I have been turning my clients onto it ever since. They all get a big thrill out it. Using a 6 or 7 wt rod, you really can’t tell the difference between having on a 4-pound Bonefish in Keys or a 4-pound Mullet in Tarpon Springs. A lot of my clients will back me up on that. They all agree that we have all been missing something.  If you want to have loads of fly fishing fun, give it a try yourself. You will not be disappointed. I’m sure you too will even feel like you have been missing something, just as I did. If you are a bit uneasy telling people that you’ve been fly-fishing for Mullet, just say that you are fishing for “English Bonefish” and let them figure it out.

 Tight lines and good fishing.