Woke up this morning to a dull, overcast morning. Cold. Feeling really lazy, I was on the point of not getting out of bed when I decided that if I didn't do so, I'd later regret not having gone fishing.

Hauled myself out of bed, got the gear together, started the car up, and drove off. I was headed for the Pescara River when I changed my mind and decided to try the estuary of the Sangro River instead. Now, the Sangro is one of Italy's premier trout streams, but is currently off-limits due to the closed season on salmonids. The estuary, though, was not off-limits, and I'd never fished it, so I thought I'd see what it was like.

When I arrived around 7 a.m., there was a slight breeze downstream, but otherwise the conditions were pretty ideal, calm conditions, lots of open space for backcasts. Great!

2 minutes later, I discovered that I did not have the 8wt I normally had in the trunk of the car. Remembered too late that I'd taken it out a week ago to make space for something else. Aaargh, I was counting on it! I'd brought my 3wt, which was way too light. Luckily, I had an Abu Diplomat 6wt in the trunk (I normally leave both an 8wt and a 6wt in the car. Just in case, you never know).

Put on a size 10 pink Crazy Charlie to start, on a 6lb. 9' level leader. After 30 minutes, nothing. What the heck, let's try a big size 4 amber Bonefish Bitters. Tied that on, swished it dangerously behind my head, launched it about 50', allowed it to sink, and started a slow figure-of-eight-and-twitch retrieve.

Recovered about 10 ft when the line suddenly stopped. Damn, a hang-up on the first cast. Pulled back to try to "ping" the fly off when all hell broke loose. The line started running out towards Croatia on the other side of the Adriatic and before I knew it, I was seeing backing for the first time in months.

Tightened the drag a little, and that slowed the fish down some, pumped it back in several yards, when it decided that it really, really wanted to visit Croatia. Out goes the line again, and this time backing actually makes it out the rod tip. Oh-oh.

I don't actually know how long the back and forth took, but in the end I had the fish safely in hand after seemed like ages. My forearm was actually aching! Unbelievable. Result, my new mullet PB, a Flathead, or Gray, Mullet weighing an even 4 lbs on my Yo-zuri hand scales.

Ended the morning well satisfied with 1 other mullet, much smaller, under a pound, taken on the same Bitters, and 2 sea bass, both about a pound each, taken on a size 8 chartreuse and white Half-and-Half Clouser/Deceiver. Lost a H&H to something that very quietly and efficiently cut my leader without any to-do.

Just a final note: I've now taken mullet on Bonefish Bitters, Crazy Charlies, Gotchas, Shrimp and Maggot imitations, but I've never been successful with bread flies. Go figure.

Thanks for reading,
Kenneth

What a corking fish... well done... I knew those bitters would come in handy

Sweet fish! Next time I'm down to the Med I'm bringing my old rod and reel to see if I can't tempt one!

Terry

__________________
"He either fears his fate too much,
Or his desserts are small,
Who dares not put it to the touch,
To win or lose it all!"

Well done Kenneth, cracking fish, and nice report.
S.

__________________
"A glint of sun has warmed the air,The flies will soon hatch out, To lure and tempt from their deep lair, The bonnie speckled trout." SKB tackle supporter. I love Furled Leaders.

Kenneth

Thank you for a detailed report Goes to show its always worth getting up and going fishing ! Well done.

Slightly jealous never caught a mullet

Re - Bread flys ive heard tell sinking ones i.e tied from white rabbit work better than floating bread flys, so if you got some white zonker strips get tying.

__________________
Englander

"Barbless since 2008"

Vision GT Four catapult 9' 6#
Vision GT Four SW 9' 9#
Vision 3 Zone 9' 5#
Vision Cult 9' 3#
Shakespeare Trion 9' 5/6#
Cortland Endurance 9' 6#
Shakespeare Expedition float tube
Vosseler DC3 reel
Okuma Helios 8/9 reel
Greys G series 3/4 reel
Snowbee Geo 3/4 reel

Thanks, guys, for the kind words.

David, I took a look at your blog, that's a beautiful shrimp imitation, really, really nice. Do you sell them?

Englander, I've tried both the classic floating bread fly and the zonker ones, although I've not thus far chummed with real bread -- the idea just doesn't appeal to me. Not too much of a problem, since they seem to take other flies anyway .

This 4 pounder really lived up to the "Bonefish of the Mediterranean" moniker, it ran and ran, thanks to that enormous tail.

Great report Kenneth, very useful info for us trainee Mulleteers.