Is this the year of the striped mullet migration?
Just as an observation from someone who tries to pay attention to baitfish patterns and migrations. I have never seen so many striped mullet on migration in Rhode Island coastal waters than I have this year. In a normal RI season we may see mullet in the wash for about a 2 sometimes 3 week stretch that normally runs from mid September when they begin dropping out from the estuaries and salt ponds to the first week of October. This season I started noticing them in the open surf during the second week of September (Sept 10in Newport) and they are still in Rhode Island coastal areas as we speak. I have even heard reports of them in the wash on Block Island’s west side – something I had never seen or heard of before this season.
Mullet tend to improve surf fishing catch rates and that is no secret. Take this past weekend as a good example. There were plenty of fish, both bass and blues (many quality fish) weighed in for the M/S Club Tournament even though wind conditions were less than ideal. Mullet like to hug the shoreline and this gave surfcasters a good shot at fish that were in the first wave.
When abundance is high you tend to see any species’ range expanded into a wider area and migration periods last longer – this obviously has occurred in Rhody.
What have you seen in Mass? Montauk? Jersey?

DZ

I've seen them all the way up in the top of the bay.. A few small schools that seem to be smaller and smaller every night.

Are we now seeing the larger Striped Mullet, Mugil cephalus, in addition to the more commonly seen White Mullet, Mugil curema, which is usually under 12"?

Wonder if this abundance has something to do with this summer's hot water?

Maybe they are just at the top an abundance cycle?

Well Im here in Fla I see them every morning up to two pounds and the snook beat the %$%$%$%$ out of them the fishing here is spectacular.
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I don’t know about Montauk, staying away this fall, but south shore of Long Island is loaded like I haven't seen in years
Yesterday morning you had juvenile weakfish up to 12 incher pushed on shore, mullet is in the wash, about bunker were chased by huge blues this morning, take a look on sand and you'll find large sand eels flipping, in addition the bluefish are spitting kingfish AND a big body of up to 3 pound shad is in the surf feeding on sand eels and spearing...did I fail to mention that this was all on one particular beach...lmao
if that wasn’t enough, last weekend there was insane blitz of striped cigar shaped sardines being gobbled up and blues are even spiting tropical jacks and guys are snagging these 3 inch tropical minis on hooks...oh yeah, a friend saw a school of a foot long needlefish being harassed too...insane

Saw this striped mullet in Marshfield today! :rotf2:

I have seen alot of them recently near shore in parts of buzzards bay, average about 10" long. Live-lined one, and immediatly caught a large bluefish. Big blues have been showing up in good numbers in the bay also.

Saw this striped mullet in Marshfield today! :rotf2:

When I read the title of this thread I really thought we would see more of these! :rotf2:

When I read the title of this thread I really thought we would see more of these! :rotf2:

Well here you go then.

They have even appeared in mid Long Island Sound, I have fished here all my life and never seen any this far west in the sound, gotta be the warm summer.

Well here you go then.

All those mullets and not a striped one to be seen?

Mullet as far back as IP.

Is this the year of the striped mullet migration?
Just as an observation from someone who tries to pay attention to baitfish patterns and migrations. I have never seen so many striped mullet on migration in Rhode Island coastal waters than I have this year. In a normal RI season we may see mullet in the wash for about a 2 sometimes 3 week stretch that normally runs from mid September when they begin dropping out from the estuaries and salt ponds to the first week of October. This season I started noticing them in the open surf during the second week of September (Sept 10in Newport) and they are still in Rhode Island coastal areas as we speak. I have even heard reports of them in the wash on Block Island’s west side – something I had never seen or heard of before this season.
Mullet tend to improve surf fishing catch rates and that is no secret. Take this past weekend as a good example. There were plenty of fish, both bass and blues (many quality fish) weighed in for the M/S Club Tournament even though wind conditions were less than ideal. Mullet like to hug the shoreline and this gave surfcasters a good shot at fish that were in the first wave.
When abundance is high you tend to see any species’ range expanded into a wider area and migration periods last longer – this obviously has occurred in Rhody.
What have you seen in Mass? Montauk? Jersey?

DZ

am hitting the NShore on Weds AM, Dennis~~~

have heard sum intell of pnuts being mawwed by tinkers,
hope to join the fray and send sum live macks to their destiny!!

had a BLAST with the mullet round WKPG last w/e.
will definitely keep an eye on my Harbors up here.,,,,,,,,,,,,
:uhuh: :uhuh: :uhuh: