Whole fish bait
Mulies
Pack size: 2kg blocks
Whole mulies (pilchards) — the most common bait used on WA beaches. Available in blocks and IQF packs.
Earlybird Bait is wholesale only. Find a nearby retailer or apply to stock our range at your store.
Full product rundown
Practical guidance for storage, rigging and fishing this bait around Perth and wider WA waters.
Freezing and storage
Blocks thaw slowly — start thawing an hour before fishing or use IQF packs for immediate single-fish access.
Rigs and jigs
Match rig weight to depth and current — lighter for estuaries, heavier for surf or offshore. Present bait naturally near structure or bait trails.
Hook and jig sizes
2/0–4/0 gang hooks for tailor; #4–#1 for herring; 6/0–8/0 for mulloway.
Bait prep and handling
For surf, butterfly and hook through head and tail. Crush thawed blocks and mix with pollard for burley.
Best conditions
Fish dawn, dusk and tide changes. Reduce lead and leader size when water is clear and fish are cautious.
Where to use in Perth
Metro beaches and surf gutters from Trigg to Rockingham; river mouths and groynes.
Best target species
Tailor, Herring, Whiting, Mulloway, Skippy
How to fish this bait
Whole for tailor on gang hooks in surf; halved for herring and whiting. Use as burley by crushing blocks.
Seasonality and local conditions
Peak through autumn–winter tailor runs on metro beaches; herring and whiting year-round.
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