For many Australian anglers, there's one fish that sits right at the top of the bucket list, the mighty mulloway.
Whether you know them as mulloway or jewfish, they have a reputation for being elusive, incredibly powerful and completely addictive to chase. They'll have you checking tide charts, watching swell forecasts and wandering quiet beaches long after everyone else has gone home. The best part? You don't need a boat to catch one.
Some of Australia's biggest mulloway are landed from the beach, and with today's range of modern lures, there's never been a better time to target them on artificials. If you're prepared to put in the time, learn how to read a beach and fish the right conditions, you'll give yourself every chance of connecting to one of Australia's most iconic fish.
Understanding Mulloway
Mulloway are built to hunt. Rather than roaming endless stretches of beach, they position themselves where food is naturally funnelled. Deep gutters, channels, sandbanks and whitewater all provide the perfect ambush points, allowing them to pick off baitfish with minimal effort.
The biggest mistake many anglers make is focusing on casting distance rather than location. Finding fish is far more important than making an extra-long cast.
Before making your first cast, spend a few minutes studying the water. Ask yourself:
Where is the deepest water?
Where are the baitfish likely to be?
Where can a mulloway sit while waiting to ambush a meal?
Those answers will usually point you towards the most productive water.
Reading the Beach
Every beach changes with swell, tides and weather, but productive mulloway beaches nearly always have structure.
Look for:
Deep gutters with darker water.
Sandbanks creating whitewater.
Channels running through the banks.
Steep drop-offs close to shore.
Beach corners beside rocky headlands.
Break walls and estuary mouths.
Schools of baitfish.
One of the best habits you can develop is walking the beach during daylight or around low tide. You'll quickly identify the deeper gutters and holes that become almost impossible to see once darkness falls.
Remember, a massive gutter isn't always necessary. Some surprisingly small pockets of deeper water regularly hold quality fish if they have bait moving through them.
Best Time of Year
While mulloway can be caught year-round, autumn through winter is generally considered the prime season for beach fishing. Across much of Australia's east and south coasts, this period coincides with annual mullet migrations, cooler water temperatures and more frequent swell events that create ideal feeding conditions.
Don't rule out summer though. Heavy rainfall, flooding and dirty water can push bait from rivers and estuaries onto nearby beaches, often bringing hungry mulloway with them.
| Season | What to Look For |
|---|---|
| Summer | Floodwater, dirty water, bait exiting estuaries, dawn & night sessions. |
| Autumn | Mullet schools begin moving, cooler water, excellent all-round fishing. |
| Winter | Peak beach mulloway season, mullet run, consistent swell and some of the biggest fish. |
| Spring | Warming water, baitfish returning to beaches, productive dawn and dusk fishing. |
The Best Conditions
Rather than focusing solely on the calendar, pay attention to the conditions. A beach with plenty of bait, whitewater and a well-defined gutter will often out-fish the "right" month with poor conditions.
Fish the Low Light Periods Dawn, dusk and the first few hours of darkness are classic mulloway times. Reduced light allows fish to move confidently into shallower water and feed more aggressively.
Fish Moving Water Many anglers plan their sessions around the last part of the run-out tide or the first push of the incoming tide. As water begins moving through gutters and channels, baitfish become concentrated and predators follow.
Look for Whitewater A little surf is often your friend. Breaking waves over sandbanks create whitewater that provides cover for mulloway while pushing stunned baitfish into deeper water. Flat, crystal-clear conditions can still produce fish, but they generally require much more patience.
Follow the Bait Bait is everything. Schools of mullet, salmon, tailor, squid or nervous baitfish flicking across the surface are all excellent signs. Where there's food, there's every chance a mulloway isn't far away.
Why Fish Lures?
For decades, beach mulloway were primarily targeted on live and fresh baits, but modern lure fishing has changed the game. Fishing lures allows you to stay mobile, cover multiple gutters and actively search for fish instead of waiting for them to come to you. It's exciting, visual and incredibly effective.
Soft Plastics
Large paddle tails are among the most effective lure styles for beach mulloway because they closely imitate the baitfish these predators feed on.
Forget fast retrieves. A slow, steady roll through the deeper sections of the gutter is usually all that's needed. Let the lure sink to the desired depth before beginning your retrieve, keeping in contact with it at all times. Many mulloway bites simply feel like extra weight before the rod loads up.
For beach fishing, soft plastics in the 5" to 8" range are ideal. They imitate mullet, salmon, tailor and other sizeable baitfish that larger mulloway regularly target. Jighead weight will depend on surf conditions, but 3/4oz to 1½oz will cover almost every situation.
3/4oz-1oz for calmer conditions and shallower gutters.
1¼oz-1½oz when fishing deeper gutters, heavier surf or stronger sweep.
Choose just enough weight to stay in contact with your lure while still allowing it to swim naturally.
Available in rigged and unrigged 6" and 8", the Maniax Paddle Tail is built for anglers chasing quality fish.
The 6" is the perfect all-round size for most beach mulloway situations, closely matching common baitfish while remaining easy to cast and fish for long sessions. For the unrigged 6" a 3/4oz to 1oz jighead depending on conditions.
If you're specifically targeting trophy fish or the bait is larger, step up to the 8" Maniax. Its larger profile creates a stronger vibration and presents a substantial meal that's hard for a big mulloway to ignore. For the unrigged 8" it fishes best on a 1oz to 1½oz jighead.
The 5" Dozer paddle tail might be smaller than the Maniax, but don't underestimate it.
Its deeper body and powerful paddle tail produce an impressive amount of vibration, making it an excellent option whenever mulloway are feeding on smaller baitfish such as poddy mullet, herring or juvenile salmon.
It's also a great choice when the fish are a little more cautious and a slightly smaller presentation gets more bites. Fish it on a 3/4oz to 1oz jighead with a slow, steady retrieve through the deepest parts of the gutter.
When mulloway are holding deeper in the gutter, the Vertrex Max comes into its own. Its strong vibrating action helps fish locate the lure, even in coloured water after swell or wind. There isn't one perfect retrieve.
Mix it up with:
Slow rolling.
Lift and drop.
Small hops along the bottom.
Long pauses between lifts.
Quite often the bite comes as the lure sinks back towards the bottom, so always stay connected.
- 95mm (25g) – Great all-round option for shallower gutters, calmer surf and when fish are feeding on smaller bait.
- 110mm (36g) – Probably the best all-round beach mulloway size. Casts well, fishes most gutter depths and is a great match on a 30–40lb setup.
- 130mm (65g) – Ideal for deep gutters, heavy surf or when specifically targeting bigger fish.
Another deadly option for beach mulloway is the Squidtrex. With its unique squid profile, built-in vibration and realistic action, it's an excellent choice whenever fish are feeding close to the bottom. The Squidtrex excels around deeper gutters, beach corners and areas where fish are sitting hard on the sand waiting to ambush prey.
Cast into the deepest section of the gutter, allow it to sink, then work it back with slow lifts followed by controlled drops. Many strikes happen on the drop, so don't lose contact with the lure as it sinks.
Slow Down & Stay Mobile
One of the biggest mistakes anglers make is retrieving too quickly. Mulloway aren't built to chase down fast-moving prey over long distances. They prefer an easy meal. A slow retrieve keeps your lure in the strike zone longer and allows the action of the lure to do the work. If you think you're winding slowly enough...slow down a little more.
An Advantage lure anglers have is mobility. If you've worked an entire gutter without seeing bait or getting any interest, don't be afraid to move.
Walk the beach.
Find another gutter.
Keep searching until you locate life.
The anglers who consistently catch beach mulloway are often the ones covering the most productive water rather than standing in one spot all night.
Choosing Your Tackle
You don't need overly complicated gear, but quality tackle makes a huge difference. For most beach lure fishing situations, we recommend:
- 9-10'6" spinning rod
- 5000-8000 size spinning reel
- 30-40lb Panderra X8 Braid
- 50-60lb Tufflock Fluorocarbon Coated Mono Leader
This setup offers excellent casting distance, outstanding lure control and plenty of stopping power when a big fish powers off through the surf.
Success Comes From Time on the Beach
There are no shortcuts with mulloway. The anglers who consistently catch them aren't relying on luck, they've spent time learning how beaches change after storms, where bait gathers and which gutters fish best on different tides.
Every session teaches you something. Even the quiet ones. Eventually the conditions line up, the bait arrives and your lure swims through exactly the right piece of water. When that unmistakable thump travels up the braid and a big silver fish charges through the surf, every fishless session suddenly feels worthwhile.
Gear Up with Nomad Design
- Live Ops Maniax Paddle Tail 6" & 8" – Larger baitfish profiles for searching gutters and targeting trophy fish.
- Live Ops Dozer Paddle Tail 5" – A compact but high-vibration option when fish are keyed in on smaller bait.
- Vertrex Max – Ideal for probing deeper gutters with multiple retrieve styles.
- Squidtrex – Perfect for working close to the bottom when fish are sitting deep.
- Panderra X8 Braid – Long casting, smooth and highly sensitive.
- Tufflock Fluorocarbon Mono Coated Leader – Tough abrasion resistance around surf, sand and structure.
Beach mulloway are one of Australia's ultimate land-based challenges, but that's exactly what makes them so rewarding. Learn to read the beach, fish the right conditions, stay mobile and fish with confidence. Put in the time and sooner or later you'll experience the moment every beach angler dreams about... a big silver mulloway sliding onto the sand.
