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FISH GUIDE · Sea

Thicklip grey mullet: identification, habitat and fishing guide

Chelon labrosus

Thicklip grey mullet mainly call for careful observation of fish that are actually feeding. A small bread presentation beneath a float is the suggested starting point. A visible shoal may remain indifferent to the bait: understanding the drift is better than chasing the fish whenever they move.

Catalogue names : Mulet lippu. Forms and names may vary between habitats.

Editorial review : · This species guide is not permission to fish. Read the precautions below and check the current rules for your location before targeting a species. Some species or populations are protected.

Geographical distribution

Documented from Iceland and Scandinavia to Senegal and Cape Verde, in the western and central Mediterranean; it also uses lagoons, estuaries and some rivers within this range.

  • Documented presence : Northeast Atlantic
  • Documented presence : English Channel
  • Documented presence : North Sea
  • Documented presence : Western Mediterranean
  • Documented presence : Central Mediterranean

Documented areas, not an exhaustive list. Presence in a region does not imply presence in every water body or permission to fish.

Distribution sources

Identification

Chelon labrosus has a thick upper lip, a silvery body with longitudinal lines and several separate dorsal fins. Several mullet species look alike; a shoal’s outline or a photograph taken from above does not always allow a conclusion. Observe the mouth and other features before recording a precise identification.

Habitat

It occurs along Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, including brackish water. Look for a calm margin where fish can be observed from permitted access. Mullet in a harbour do not confer a right to fish; also avoid choosing an outfall as your reference spot.

Diet

It takes plant material, diatoms and organic matter, supplemented by small invertebrates and sometimes small fish.

Behaviour

Its diet includes algae and small food resources associated with the substrate. Fish moving around are not necessarily accepting suspended morsels. Observe their route and how they feed; presenting bread is a fishing technique, not an exhaustive description of their diet.

Indicative biological size

Around 50 cm: the most common size reported by DORIS; a descriptive indication.

Fishing context and precautions

  1. Prepare an unobtrusive float, suitable light shotting and a single hook matched to the bait’s volume.
  2. Attach bread crumb with the hook point accessible, then test its hold near the bank.
  3. Present it along the fish’s route without casting onto them; follow the drift while limiting the bow in the line.
  4. At a clear submergence, establish contact in a measured way. If there are no bites, adjust depth and route before changing the bait.

A distinctive feature

A muscular part of its stomach acts like a gizzard to grind food.

Sources and review

Each reference includes its access date. Overall editorial review: . Local conditions and regulations may change.

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