The search for Australia’s Greatest Fish: Mulloway

These silver-slabbed ghosts of the beach are an addiction for many anglers who spend their lives chasing the bite from a big jewie.

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Mulloway is found from Fraser Island down, right along the bottom half of the mainland – excluding Tassie – and up to the central coast of Western Australia.

From what we’ve found over the years there are a few different ways to connect to a mulloway, as they can live in a variety of waterways.

The most traditional, and probably the most difficult way to catch one is from the beach.

Successfully beach fishing for mulloway is something of a dark art. But many, many hours will be spent waiting for a bite.

It is often done at night or early in the morning, and fresh bait is key.

Learning to read the beach and fish in the deeper gutters that form in the constant pounding swell also will help.

They are also very fickle when it comes to moon phases, tide and also weather such as wind and swell.

So it sort of seems there’s no real advice here – you just need to just keep soaking a bait and hope you eventually will get a bite!

If you do succeed, take note of all the conditions because there will be code to crack in your local area.

As well as surf beaches, the most famous of which are the ones found in far western South Australia, mulloway are caught around rocky headlands and the mouths of big rivers where they run to the sea.

The best method here is again using big, fresh – or even live – baits on fairly heavy surf rods.

Don’t be afraid to use bigger hooks, up to 8/0 or even 10/0, and a heavy trace based on between 50- to 100-pound line.

One method we have had success with is using lures from the beach or the rocks.

The best bet is big soft plastics with a paddle tail for plenty of action. Just fish it with a slow retrieve, day or night.

If you’re out on a boat, mulloway tends to be found around shallow reefs. The best method here is to anchor up and use live bait.

Either live yakkas or squid will work best. Again, don’t be afraid to fish at night to increase your chances.

Then there’s the estuary mulloway. These fish do travel a long way up tidal creeks and rivers and will take bait and lures.

We’ve spent a few chilly winter nights sitting in a tinnie on the Glenelg River, which flows through Victoria but reaches the sea in South Australia, soaking baits with success.

River mulloway don’t seem to grow to the same size as the fish caught off the beach.

But they can still reach more than a meter in length and seem more reliable to catch.

You can match your fishing gear accordingly. A lighter spinning outfit with 30-pound braid and a 40-pound leader is perfect.

Another well-known mulloway hotspot is around bridges. These fish enjoy the shade and structure of a big bridge and can be caught by fishing either lures or baits in and around pylons.

Let’s see how mulloway rates in our quest to find Australia’s Greatest Fish.

Mulloway is not easy to catch most of the time. Catching a big one is near impossible.

Score: 4 out of 10

Mulloway are great fighters once you have one on the line.

They can take you on long, powerful runs and their never-give-up attitude will result in a real heart-in-the-mouth battle right up until the fish is in the net.

Score: 7 out of 10

Mulloway look great in a photo, with their glistening silver profile and long, solid body.

Score: 8 out of 10

To us, mulloway don’t taste all that bad but sometimes they don’t taste that great either – the smaller ones are nick-named “soapies” for a reason.

Score: 7 out of 10

Mulloway is all about the catching – if you can hook one. When you finally do, enjoy the fight, take the photo, and think about catch-and-release rather than keeping it for the table.

Mulloway takes second spot on the Hook, Line and Sinker Australia’s Greatest Fish scoreboard with 26 points out of a possible 40.

Next time on Australia’s Greatest Fish: Hook, Line and Sinker heads to the warmth of the north to tackle barramundi.

The latest season of Hook, Line and Sinker airs each Sunday on 7Mate. Check your state's fisheries website for bag and size limits, and closed seasons.