Mullet (Golden Grey) species guide Sea fish Easy (4/10)

Mullet (Golden Grey) junior fishing guide

Chelon auratus

A clear, plain-English guide to mullet (golden grey) for parents, coaches and juniors. See where they live, the best starter tackle, simple bait choices and a three-step plan to help young anglers catch their first one safely.

Junior-first & welfare-aware 3-step beginner plan UK venues & seasons
Skill & size Seasons Beginner baits

Skill level

Easy (4/10)

Great for coached juniors and confident beginners.

Best time

Spring–Autumn

Pick mild, settled days for junior sessions.

Typical size

1–3 lb common.

Always match hooks, nets & lines to expected fish size.

🐟

Beginner baits

Bread flake, Bread punch, Groundbait – brown crumb …

Keep it simple — small hook baits, little-and-often feeding.

Typical venues: Warm, shallow surf beaches and estuary mouths.
Scroll down for detailed tackle setups, methods and parent-friendly guidance.
Catch your first mullet (golden grey) with confidence

Catch your first Mullet (Golden Grey) in 3 steps

A simple, repeatable plan juniors can follow with help from a parent, coach or older angler.

  1. Step 1

    Explain mullet are challenging fish

    Mullet patrol harbours, estuaries and surf lines. They are wary and often frustrating, so junior sessions should be framed as “bonus” opportunities more than guaranteed success.

  2. Step 2

    Use very fine tackle and small baits

    Light rods, fine lines and tiny hooks with bread, harbour paste or small worm pieces are essential. Present baits naturally in the flow.

  3. Step 3

    Celebrate follows and missed bites

    Mullet teach patience. Encourage juniors to enjoy seeing fish, missed takes and clever feeding behaviour, even if few are hooked.

Tackle setups that work

Designed with juniors and fish welfare in mind. Start with an IDEAL or GOOD setup for easier casting and safe unhooking.

👉 Swipe sideways to view different setups.

Spinning Rod

Beginner tip: Perfect for mackerel and mullet sessions. Let the lure sink for a few seconds, then retrieve steadily. Always fish with an adult from piers and rocks and never stand too close to the edge.

IDEAL

Rod: 8–9 ft spinning rod rated 10–30 g.

Reel: 3000–4000 size fixed spool reel.

Line: 8–12 lb mono or 15–20 lb braid with 10–12 lb fluorocarbon leader.

Terminal tackle

  • ["Small metal lures or spinners"
  • "Feather / sabiki rigs for shoals"
  • "Slim float rig with size 4–8 hook and a small strip of fish or sandeel"]

Extras

  • ["Polarised glasses"
  • "Long-handled landing net"
  • "Barbless or de-barbed hooks"
  • "Fish-safe unhooking mat or wet towel for piers"]

Light spinning or float setup for midwater and surface-feeding sea fish.

About the Mullet (Golden Grey)

Golden Grey Mullet are smaller mullet with a golden spot on the gill cover. They often feed in small surf and shallow estuary creeks.

Junior tip

Fish small, delicate rigs with tiny baits in shallow surf or estuary shallows. Wading should only be done with safe supervision.

Logged a Mullet (Golden Grey) recently?

Add a catch report so juniors can see where they’re being caught, which baits work and how your tackle was set up.

Want to discover more species? Browse the full species guide.