Red mullet

• Two long chin barbels
• Red-gold body with yellow longitudinal stripes
• Two dorsals, not an armoured gurnard head
• A goatfish, not a gurnard

Shore fish often 20–30 cm.

Colour

Red-gold with yellow stripes, two barbels.

Fins

Two dorsals.

Mouth

Small, barbels under the chin.

Ranked for this species, not as a universal law. Local crab runs and what is actually fresh matter more.

• RagwormHook once through the head so it wriggles. A whole king rag for bass; a small harbour rag for dabs.Strong target
• LugwormThread the worm so the hook is hidden and the tail still moves. A bunch for bigger fish; a single for dabs.Good target
• PrawnHook through the tail so it swims, or a bunch of frozen prawns bound on.Good target

• 2-hook flapperThe default UK beach rig. Two snoods above a lead, baits off the bottom, easy to tie, easy to fish.Beginner
• 1-up 1-downOne bait on a snood above the lead, one on a flowing trace below. Covers the bottom and a few inches up.Beginner

Hooks: 8–4