How to Catch, Mulloway/Jewfish

Mulloway On Soft Vibes

Ultimate Guide to Fishing for Mulloway: Techniques, Tides, and Technology

Introduction to Mulloway Fishing
Mulloway are highly sought-after estuary sport fish, beloved by anglers across the east coast of Australia. These versatile fish inhabit various environments including rivers, creeks, estuary systems, beaches, headlands, and offshore reefs. Whether using dead or live baits or a range of lures, mulloway fishing offers numerous opportunities. My personal favorite technique is fishing with soft vibes in 10 to 40 meters of water within estuary systems.

Fishing Hotspot: Port Stephens
Port Stephens is famous for its deep-water mulloway fishery. This expansive estuary system, with depths reaching up to 40 meters, provides a rich environment for anglers. Key fishing locations in Port Stephens include:

Soldiers Point
Fame Cove
North Arm Cove

In these areas, particularly around wreck structures, significant tidal flow attracts bait fish such as herring, yellowtail, and tailor. This, in turn, draws deep-water mulloway looking for their next meal.

Big mulloway like this fight hard especially on light tackle. — *Big mulloway like this fight hard, especially on light tackle.*

Utilising Technology for Mulloway Fishing
Modern fishing technology can greatly enhance your success. Here’s how I leverage my Lowrance sounder for targeting mulloway:

Chart Plotter: I use the chart plotter set up with sonar charts and relief shading to navigate around deep structures and pinpoint ideal fishing spots
Traditional Sonar and Side Scan: By using traditional sonar and side scan on a split screen, I can efficiently scan the bottom for bait balls and potential fish that are close to structures both underneath the boat and to the sides.

This technology enables more efficient ground coverage and keeps your lure in the ideal strike zone. Mulloway often travel along the bottom side of a ledge where it meets reef, so side scan helps visualize the bottom structure and your boat’s distance from it.

Traditional Sonar is a screen you MUST have on your sounder screen! Marking bait along edges is a good sign which can lead to the predators not being too far away. This image is from a Lowrance HDS Pro.

Tides and Their Impact on Mulloway Fishing
Understanding tide changes is crucial for successful mulloway fishing:

Tide Changes: During slack tide, bait fish become more active, which attracts predatory fish including sharks, snapper, tailor, and mulloway. It’s generally effective to fish an hour before and an hour after the tide using lures. I prefer fishing during low tide because baitfish move into deeper waters on the run-out tide, leading mulloway to follow.
Moon Phases: Mulloway behavior also shifts with moon phases. In the lead-up to a full moon, mulloway tend to hold in deeper water and become more elusive. Conversely, around the new moon, they are more active and feed in shallower waters. Additionally, moonrise and moonset are often prime times for fishing.

*The author with a big mulloway taken on a Samaki Vibelicious in the Hardy Head colour.*

Effective Fishing Techniques for Mulloway
The most successful technique for deep-water mulloway fishing is vertical vibing. Here’s how I approach it with my Minn Kota and Lowrance HDS12 Pro:

Stealth Mode: I navigate using the electric motor and active target. Once I find the right spot and see the fish I’m targeting, I use Spot-Lock to maintain position without disturbing the area with an anchor or engine noise.
Lure Presentation: Drop the vibe when you spot fish on the sounder, and monitor its position in relation to the fish. Begin with a slow lift and allow it to sink back. If the fish show no interest, increase the lift’s aggressiveness to create a more noticeable vibration. Once the fish reacts, continue to work the lure up and down the water column to maintain interest.

Tackle and Equipment for Mulloway Fishing
For vertical jigging, I use a relatively light setup compared to many anglers:

Rod: Shimano Expride 7ft 6-12lb medium heavy spin
Reel: 3000 Sustain
Line: 20lb braid with a 20lb leader (30lb leader if larger fish are in the area)
Lure: Samaki Vibelicious 100mm 20g, particularly effective in natural colours.

The Samaki Vibelicious range provides various colours to match the hatch on your target species my favourites are the Yakka and Hardy head. — *The Samaki Vibelicious range provides various colours to match the hatch on your target species, my favourites are the Yakka and Hardy head*.

Handling Deep-Water Mulloway
Handling mulloway caught from deep water requires careful attention to prevent barotrauma:

Release Weight: I use a release weight attached to a hand reel, available from the NSW Department of Primary Industries or local tackle shops.
Swim Bladder Spike: If the mulloway has a distended swim bladder, piercing it to release excess gas can aid in its recovery.

To give mulloway the best chance of survival, minimise their time out of water, take a quick photo, and release them promptly.