Steve Homewood reports and shares his photos of thin lipped grey mullet.
“Their numbers are building day by day and there are about 250 there now. They stay about 3 weeks (invisible at approaching high tide til 2 hours after high) as the weight of River Ouse river water shuts the clear water Winterbourne stream sluice gate at high tide. At dead low they get worried and slip under the dirty Ouse water, but still in the clear spring water running in and somewhat visible. So, optimimum visit time 2 to 4 hrs after high tide. Best view is from on top of sluice or on downstream side but watch out for sun behind you casting a shadow and spooking them. Wind and rain don’t help visibility but you WILL see them, and by the way, some have Lampreys attached to them!!! This is the only spot in the Ouse that this occurs and it would appear that thin lips do this in all rivers they inhabbit but nobody knows why or wether or not it is crucial fir their survial. As per the last page in my book ‘Source to Sea’ filming these Mullet has forced me to think again about what I am doing as a fisherman! Just in case this spot at this time, is critical to these, the entire population of Ouse Thin Lipped Mullet. I must hang up my rod and stand guard over them!”