Yellow-eyed Mullet
Yellow-eyed mullet are a small, schooling inshore fish found around wharves, harbours, estuaries, and river mouths throughout New Zealand.
Most anglers know them as a reliable fallback — easy to find, willing to bite, and genuinely good eating when handled well.
They also serve as one of the country's best baitfish, with fresh mullet strips drawing strikes from almost every predatory species in the sea.
Scientific Name: Aldrichetta forsteri
Also known as Sprat, herring (misnomer), aua, yelloweye
- Grey-green on the back, silver with a yellow tinge on the belly — the bright yellow eye is the clearest ID feature and separates it from grey mullet at a glance.
- Two dorsal fins, the first carrying four obvious spines; large scales that shed easily when handled.
- Most fish caught run 150–200 mm; fish to 400–500 mm exist but are uncommon. Maximum reported size is around 50 cm.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to New Zealand — found around all inshore coasts except Fiordland, including the Chatham Islands.
- Primarily a shallow coastal fish: harbours, tidal estuaries, sandy bays, and rocky headlands, usually in less than 10 m of water.
- Can push well upstream into fresh water — recorded year-round in Lake Ellesmere near Christchurch, and found kilometres up large rivers like the Rangitīkei — but spawning happens at sea.
Key Locations
- Wharves and harbours throughout Northland and the Hauraki Gulf — dense resident populations year-round.
- Lake Ellesmere (Te Waihora), Canterbury — one of the few South Island locations where mullet are present in fresh water at all times of year.
- Estuaries and river mouths along the east coast of both islands — the fish are present wherever tidal influence meets fresh water.
Specific Spots
- Wharves and jetties hold resident schools almost everywhere in New Zealand — the fish congregate around pilings where algae and small invertebrates accumulate.
- River mouths and estuary channels concentrate mullet as they move between salt and fresh water, especially on the tide.
- Shallow sandy beaches and inshore rocky headlands hold feeding schools, often visible as surface disturbances or fish jumping clear of the water.
Yellow-eyed Mullet FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Yellow-eyed Mullet?
Bread and dough baits are the classic approach, a small pinch of white bread on a fine hook, fished under a float, catches mullet reliably off wharves and in harbours.
When is the best time to fish for Yellow-eyed Mullet?
Present year-round in most harbours and estuaries, there is no true off-season for this species. Summer and autumn (December–April) coincide with spawning activity and generally good numbers in inshore areas. Winter fishing remains productive in sheltered harbours and around wharves, particularly in the North Island.
How do you catch Yellow-eyed Mullet?
Shore fishing from wharves, jetties, and estuary banks accounts for most recreational catch. A light float rig with a small baited hook is the go-to method; berleying with bread crumbs draws schools in close and keeps them feeding. Casting nets are used where legal for bait collection.
What do Yellow-eyed Mullet eat?
Mullet eat a wide range of food, algae, diatoms, small crustaceans, molluscs, insect larvae, worms, fish eggs, and detritus. This broad diet means they respond to bread, dough baits, and small pieces of shellfish or worm on a tiny hook.
Where do Yellow-eyed Mullet live?
Native to New Zealand, found around all inshore coasts except Fiordland, including the Chatham Islands. Primarily a shallow coastal fish: harbours, tidal estuaries, sandy bays, and rocky headlands, usually in less than 10 m of water.
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