Set netting for mullet
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: The Briny Bar
Forum Description: The place for general chat on saltwater fishing!
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=99658
Printed Date: 11 Jun 2026 at 8:32am
Topic: Set netting for mullet
Posted By: hatzinikolaou
Subject: Set netting for mullet
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2014 at 5:24pm
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Kia ora all, While I am generally pretty anti-set-net (having seen how indiscriminating they can be when I used a snapper set net as a youngster - too many stingrays and other collateral damage!) I was wondering about getting a mullet net and trying it out either around Sandspit (away from the moorings of course!), towards the Matakana river or perhaps at Baddileys or Campbell bay as both are very tidal. I launch from Buckleton's Bay. I just wondered if anyone has any experience catching mullet with a net on the East coast? A lot of people talk about setting nets in the Hokianga harbour but I am less sure what the situation is on the Eastern side of the island. If there were any tips about where/how to set the net I would be most grateful. I am worried of course about catching stingrays even in the Matakana river as I am sure they head up there too but am tempted to see if I can catch some mullet for bait or to try out smoked. Any advice would be greatly appreciated and I apologise to the set-net averse crowd! I am definitely not planning on using it in the open sea or near reefs as I know all too well how much destruction they can cause in those places. Thanks in advance, John |
Replies:
Posted By: Lethal
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2014 at 6:17pm
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the effort the time involved plus the price of the net and traveling, your better off doing a trip to "PAK'nSAVE" ------------- Thanks for everything you did for us Eric. may you rest in peace, You were one of the real legends of NZ recreational fishing |
Posted By: like_to_strike
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2014 at 7:11pm
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Agreed but the experience and satisfaction of catching your own bait vs the paknsave experience is some what preferable. plus fresh is best especially when it comes to eating it. Go for it dude don't fuss the stingrays, generally the new nets you buy now are thin nylon an the stingrays will usually tear a whole through the net, and try not to leave it set for 24hrs kind of thing. check the net at each tide, easier to retrieve without current an most by catch is still alive to be released. not gospel, just what ive experienced with my own netting. |
Posted By: pompey
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2014 at 8:10pm
| If you are in an estuary, stay shallow. Set your net close to the shore or mangroves, 6 inches of water with an incoming tide is fine. The mullet go into the mangroves and are happy in very shallow water. |
Posted By: dalgo
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2014 at 8:13pm
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Go for it, catching your own bait is fun. Make sure you read up on the set netting rules first though. Another place you could try is the Mahurangi Harbour. Plenty of shallow tidal flats so there should be mullet there too. |
Posted By: bazza
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2014 at 8:17pm
Reckon the same could be said about most if not all forms of fishing Eric but has not stopped us. ------------- When you cry, feel pain or sadness, no one notices your sorrow .... BUT fart just ONE time !!!!!!!!!!! |
Lethal wrote:Posted By: Lethal
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2014 at 11:56pm
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nah mate i thought he was on about bait, not eating mullet, if its for eating then fine your better off catching your own... i for one are not about to go pay $50 kg for crayfish either, but because you can buy them alive that makes it more like fresh as you can catch, then ive worked out at the present capture rate i would be better off buy them... ------------- Thanks for everything you did for us Eric. may you rest in peace, You were one of the real legends of NZ recreational fishing |
Posted By: 3rnzir
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2014 at 5:50am
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Have not set net much myself. But chatting to mullet fishers at the ramp have been told. With tide peaking 1-1.5hrs after sundown can be good. Good eyesight apparently. Other times of season does not matter. Some guys set net,anchor boat where you can see floats. When floats start boobing,clear nets,keep repeating this. Stingrays:Saw a commercial netter on TV. If stingray was tangled in net,he would haul the ray to the gunnel,then with a knife,remove the barb,without the removing the tail. Then safe to untangle the ray. Might as wall get yourself a flounder net too. Only 1 net per boat though. Contact Action Fishing Nets sponsors of this site. They will be a big help to you. ------------- Peace.Via superior firepower.. |
Posted By: johnbarlycorn
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2014 at 6:20pm
| Hey mate best to set near the mangroves try half tide muddy water is best cruise around slowly as they spook easily go up the creek and gently row down in as close to shore as you can if the fish are there you will see the swirls as they move off what i do is try to judge the distance to the mangroves as to where i drop the net then row in to shore feeding the net out run the boat up on to the mud as the tide comes in keep feeding the net out untill no net left if judged properly you should end up in the mangroves as you are feeding out try and have a slight angle on it if you just row straight in they see the net back up and swim around it if it is on the angle when they see it they will turn and run into the outside of the net i love doing this with me mate sit there all day with a cuppa and food talkin **** laughing our heads off if the net starts getting hit just leave them there just in case you spook the others the out going tide is just done in reverse net hard in to the mangroves gently row up steam and out slightly would not woory to much about stingrays most of the time the just roll over it in time you will get to know what areas fish better with a incoming or outgoing tide oh dont have a anchor on the mangrove end just something heavy some old car jacks is what i use that way you are able to pull the net away from the mangroves when its time to pick up and go PS nothing like it when theystart hitting the net taste good smoked too |
Posted By: johnbarlycorn
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2014 at 6:47pm
| John i forgot to mention they seem to prefer the calm water depending on wind direction this will dictate where i will drop my net |
Posted By: hatzinikolaou
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2014 at 7:18pm
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Thank you very much John and everyone else for your fantastic advice I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. It does sound like it will be a question of trial and error and just seeing what works best. I shall be sure to give you an update once I give it a go! Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend and thanks again. John
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Posted By: hatzinikolaou
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2014 at 1:49pm
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Kia ora all,
I earlier promised that I would update you all as to my success with the mullet net at Sandspit but it completely slipped my mind. Suffice to say your advice was all spot on. I following the suggestion of setting the net on an incoming tide as close up the mangroves as possible leaving it say an hour or so either side of high tide. The area where I set the net is just up from the wharf itself to the right of tongue point... I follow the moorings to stay in deep enough water as the target area goes completely dry at low tide but is just teeming with mullet when the tide is in. They seem to head to the mangroves on the flood tide to feed and then head back out when the tide is going down. Although the water is not very clear I still did most of my netting on dusk and in the dark given that mullet have good eyesight. I stay with the net while it is out or go for a quick spin... I have discovered that it is not necessary to leave the net out long at all... and certainly not out overnight given that the fish will end up on the dry and will be no good... The only problem was that there were too many mullet. Literally a hundred huge mullet in one single net. Given that there were three of us on board and we are only allowed 30 each we did our best to rehabilitate/re-lease those mullet which were very much alive and ended up with 50 which was of course more than enough. Very nice smoked. I wonder if they would be even better if they were "sea-run" mullet caught perhaps somewhere like Campbells Bay or Baddeleys Bay... My uncle used to set a net at Christian Bay and had good success... But yes I can confirm that the Sandspit river and its tributaries/back waters have a huge resident population both in late summer and throughout the winter... Thanks for your help! John
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Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2014 at 2:45pm
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Cool, great to get the update. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: Lethal
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2014 at 5:09pm
brilliant John well done and cheers for coming back to keep us informed... your the man...
------------- Thanks for everything you did for us Eric. may you rest in peace, You were one of the real legends of NZ recreational fishing |
Posted By: Clutch
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2014 at 5:11pm
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That's cool John. I'd like a mullet net myself. Bait it too expensive!
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Posted By: Brad76
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2014 at 5:39pm
| Wish I had taken the net out last night, would have filled the bait freezer with piper. They were bombing the hull in huge groups. Got a fright the first couple of times till I worked out what was going on. |
Posted By: pjc
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2014 at 5:43pm
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pak n sav mullet papakura today $4.75 per kg,brought 5 for freezer,total cost $11.20.nice small grey mullet. ------------- Sex at 58.Lucky I live at 56 |
Posted By: Gatt
Date Posted: 31 Jan 2019 at 11:00am
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Amazing how prices have risen in 4 years. Mullet now $8 - $10 kg. I`m also considering trying the netting . Does squid get cheaper towards winter or have they just increased a lot too. |