Mulloway

Welcome to the Mulloway Fishing Guide Victoria. Mulloway or the Jewfish are a prized catch that sits on the top of many Victorian anglers’ bucket lists. A stunning fish with a large mouth and distinctive silver or bronze color. These big and powerful fish are found within the southern waters of Australia and with their size and strength command respect. It’s a difficult task at times to catch a prized mulloway and much patience, skill, and dedication will be required. Often needing to fish through the night on peak tides and moon phases to land one. Jewfish are mainly caught in river mouths and estuary systems such as the Barwon River, Mallacoota, Yarra River, and Glenelg river. Mulloway is a predator that feeds on small fish, squid, and yabbies, therefore, they will take both bait and soft plastics.

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Mulloway Facts & Catch Limits

• Mulloway has the scientific name of Argyrosomus japonicus.
• They can grow well over a meter which is incredible for this strong fighting fish.
• Mulloway can grow over 1.5 meters in length or 60 kilos in weight.
• The minimum legal size is 60cm
• Mulloway are also known as Jewfish,
• Daily bag limit of 5 over the legal size.
• Small mulloway are often referred to as “Soapies” because of their smell and soft flesh

Best time to catch Mulloway ( Seasons )

In Victoria, Mulloway can be caught most of the year. However, they are more active in colder months. They are often best targeted at Dawn/Dusk and on tide changes. 

How to catch Mulloway

Mulloway is frequently found in estuaries and entrances of the bay and ocean. Locally Mulloway will reside in areas with structures like boat wharves, bridge pylons, and rock walls. This is where these large silver predators hunt schools of smaller fish like mullet. Mulloway is a challenging fish species to target and catch consistently. It will require much preparation, dedication, and patience. Locally many of our catches happen at sunset or the first hours of darkness.

Try to present your baits and lures as naturally as possible or use live baits. Mulloway can be caught at any time of the day, but are most active at the night, during peak tides and moon phases. We have found that lures are quite productive during the day and bait is more productive at night.

These days many anglers like to fish with light spinning outfits even when chasing Mulloway. For many fishing in our local estuary systems, this may consist of a 2-5 kg, 3-6 kg, or 4-8 kg rod paired with a 2500, 3000, or 4000 size reel. Traditionally anglers have fished much heavier for Mulloway using rods including 6-10 kg 10-15 kg or even 12-24 kg in the surf or strong current conditions. Paired with a 4000, 5000, 6000, or 8000 spin reel spooled with 20-50 pound line and equivalent leader.

Landbase anglers should try to cover much ground and look for deeper pools to cast into. If you fishing from your boat keep a close eye on your sounder. After some practice, you will be able to identify them on your sounder confidently. Also, remember that Mulloway will often be in areas where you see large volumes of bait and subtle temperature changes.

Best Baits to Catch Mulloway

• Live mullet
• Squid rings or squid head
• Salmon
• Live squid
• Pilchard
• Tailor
• Trevally
• Garfish
• Prawns

Best Soft Plastics and lures to Catch Mulloway

Soft plastics between 80mm and 100mm are a great option. Good soft plastic color choices include white pearl, motor oil, and natural colors that resemble baitfish. Other good options include large hardbody lures, flick baits, shads, paddle tails, and grubz. You can also purchase pre-made rigs and swimbaits which are designed to imitate a fish in its surroundings such as a mullet.

Cast in one area for a few minutes if you don’t get any bites then move on. Keep doing this until you start getting some bites. Mix up colors and lure styles if the bite goes quiet. Some days bright colors work great the next day natural colors. For jig head selection it’s a good idea to have multiple weights and sizes with you. This way you can adjust based on the current strength and weather conditions. We generally would have a 1/4, 1/6, 1/8, and & 1/12 jig head in a 2/0 and 3/0 size. Take your time when rigging and make sure the plastic is on straight, this improves the plastic action.

• Munroes 3.75 inch paddletail
• Daiwa Double Clutch 75mm
• OSP Dunk Minnow
• Berkley 7-inch turtleback worm
• Zman Diezel 4 inch paddle tails
• Kietech easy shiner 4 inch
• Fish Arrow Flash J Shads
• Berkley Gulp 5-inch jerk shads
• Strike Pro Cyber Vibes 40
• Berkley Gulp 7-inch jerk shad
• Daiwa Bait Junkie 7-inch Jerk Shad
• Daiwa Bait Junkie 5-inch Jerk Shad
• Zerek fish trap
• Kietech swim impact fat
• Squidges biotough grub
• Samaki Vibelicious
• Jackall Squirrel
• Zman streakz curl tails
• Zman Slim Swimz
• Croaker lures

Best fishing locations to catch Mulloway

• Glenelg River
• Nelson River
• Hopkins River
• Patterson River
• Barwon River
• Maribyrnong river
• Docklands
• Lakes Entrance
• Portland
• Port Phillip Bay
• Western Port
• Lorne
• Anderson inlet
• Lake Tyers

You can obtain a free Victorian recreational fishing guide from the Victorian Fisheries Authorities weblink. 

Images of fish supplied VFA and DEPI. All other images and videos shown on the Mulloway Fishing Guide Victoria are Fishing Mad originals.

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