"I want to catch some bluefish in the surf! What kind of rigs should I
use? I heard "mullet rigs" are good. What are they?"

Sometimes it's kind of intimidating to go into a tackle store and see all
those rigs on the wall. Basically, any rig that has Styrofoam floats on
them is a surf rig. That's pretty basic. Next you have to decide what kind
of fish you would like to target, what kind of bait you plan to use, and
then choose a rig. If you are going to target bluefish, and bluefish run all
season long, the best rig to use is a "finger mullet rig."

These are easy to use and work great for blues. You don't have to use a
knife to cut your bait and with "mullet rigs" the bait stays on the hook!
Other fish such as stripers, drum, and flounder will also take a whole
finger mullet on a "finger mullet rig."

There are three types of finger mullet rigs. The first is widely available
and extremely easy to use. It is made from a split, double-hook that can be
removed from a piece of stainless wire, allowing the angler to push the rig
through the mouth of a finger mullet and out the anus. The hook is then
reattached. The hook always lies near the tail of the finger mullet. When
the bluefish bites the finger mullet, hopefully the bluefish will make
contact with the sharp double hook.

These rigs are made with brightly colored floats that lift the bait off the
bottom floor away from troublesome crabs. These floats also attract the
fish to the bait. Blues are especially attracted to the bright colors.
Green is a popular color when the day is overcast. Yellow is a good color
to use if the water is murky or if the angler is fishing towards dark. Red
is a good color if the day is sunny.

Some of these rigs also come with bucktail. This is just an extra-added
attraction, probably made more for the angler than the fish. Some anglers
really like the bucktail while others can take it or leave it. I would try
one of each and decide for yourself!

These rigs come ready-to-fish with a monofilament leader and a 3-way swivel
and a snap for the sinker. Be sure to use a snap swivel at the end of your
line so the 3-way swivel does not twist around and tangle your rig. Some
anglers take the 3-way swivel off and attach a barrel swivel and use it with
a fish finder rig. Others take off the 3-way swivel and replace it with a
larger one. (I like to do that myself. Also, if the rig is made too long
to comfortably cast, I shorten it a bit.)

"I lost my hook!"

The only problem with these rigs is that you can occasionally lose the
hook. If the fish takes a sharp turn or if slack gets in your line, you
could lose the hook and the fish. Keeping tension on your line once you get
a "bite" should solve that problem. Regardless, it is always a good idea to
purchase a couple spare hooks when you buy these rigs. Note: (I talked to
one angler that uses trash bag ties to wrap around the double hook where it
splits so it would not come off.) You may lose or bend your hooks when
hooking skates, rays, or sharks. Sometimes they get dull, or rusty if they
sit in the tackle box too long.

These rigs usually come with a size #2/0 or #3/0 double hook. You can buy
larger hooks in the #4/0 to #5/0 range if the fish you are targeting are
large. (Mustad #7826.) Anglers that fish often keep a variety of these hooks
in different sizes in their tackle boxes.

"I keep coming back with half a mullet!"

This is just the nature of the beast! I find that if I cast out and then
start reeling in slowly so the rig moves along the bottom instead of just
sitting there, that I hook more fish. Also, with this type of mullet rig,
you can cast the half of mullet back out there and catch a bluefish because
the half of a mullet continues to slide down the wire towards the hook.
When you only have a mullet head left, it's time to bait up another one!

Sometimes if you have really sneaky fish, that you just can't seem to snare
with the mullet rig, try taking the barb of one of the prongs of the double
hook and pierce the meat of the mullet near the end of the tail. Try to
keep the mullet straight. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't.
If the tails of the finger mullets continuously get nipped off without
catching fish, it means that the bluefish are just pain tiny. If this is the
case, try using a regular top and bottom type surf rig with small hooks and
a strip of mullet or squid.

Everyday is different, and fish bite differently on different days. Some
days they won't touch a mullet unless it is fully intact with a whole head
and tail. Other days, you can catch the bluefish with a half a mullet or a
chunk. Experiment, and try different rigs and techniques.

"What is another other kind of mullet rig?"

Another kind of mullet rig is made locally in the tackle stores with a
Mustad Universal # 9418 hook. This specialty hook is a detachable double
hook with a long shank. One detaches the double hook, inserts the point of
the long hook into the anal canal of the mullet and brings it out the mullet
's mouth. One then reattaches the hook to the rig. Again, the hook ends up
close to the mullet's tail.

This rig is good because one is less likely to lose the hook. The leaders
on these hooks are often made with steelon, and the floats can be moved up
and down the leader if the angler so pleases. The hooks come in a variety of
sizes, so the angler can match up the size of the mullet to the rig. The
disadvantages are that they are more expensive and a little harder to use.
When you lose half your mullet on this rig, the other half does not always
slide down towards the hook for that "second" bite.

Which one do I prefer? I like them both, and some days I have better luck
with one or the other. I think for the smaller blues the first rig
described works better, while for the larger blues and stripers, the latter
works a little better. (But that's just my experience.) If I had only I
choice in colors I would take green. For a second color I would take red.

"So I can use these rigs for stripers too?"

Yes, you can, but many anglers like to take off the floats and use the rigs
bare. If you do this, you must keep your mullet moving slightly across the
bottom or the crabs will make short work of your bait. Some anglers like to
use a mullet rig with a float and move the float half way up the leader away
from the hook. This works too. Again, keep your rig moving slightly.

Some anglers like to make their own rigs out of a treble hook crimped on an
8 to 10-inch piece of 45 to 60 pound test steelon leader. (Sea Striker
Company makes these leadered treble hooks in a package that also comes with
a rigging needle.) All you have to do is feed the leader through the anus
and out the mouth of the finger mullet. Again, the treble hook will remain
near the tail. The advantage to this rig is that since the hook is crimped
on, the hook cannot accidentally come off.

Fishing with mullet rigs is easy and fun. You don't have to cut bait and
you very rarely fling your bait off when casting. It doesn't work for all
fish, but it really works for bluefish. It's a rig I would always have in
my tackle box!

Good fishing.