Extend a tube into the gills and out
through the anus of the fish.

Push your leader through the tube
then remove the tube
leaving the leader in place.

Attach a suitable size hook to the leader.

The knot shown is suitable for heavy
monofilament leaders but you will have
to use a metal sleeve, of the correct size,
and a crimping tool, should you
be using a 49 strand wire leader.

Now we have to stitch the mouth
and gills closed:

Begin by looping a 40 cm length of thread
over the nose so the loop lays under
the head of the fish. Then thread the eye
of your stout needle with both tag ends
and drive the needle down through the nose
of your bait fish from top to bottom
and forward of the underslung loop.

You may need your awl
to initiate the puncture.

Pull the needle right through and with it
both tag ends of the thread.

Now, re–thread the needle with one tag end
and pass it through the eye tunnel
of the fish as shown.

Pull the needle right through
and with it the tag.

Then thread the needle with the other tag end
and pull it through the eye tunnel of the fish
in the opposite direction.

Tie both tags together using a granny knot
and pull the entire stitch really tight.

Now, it is important to use a knot that slips,
like a granny, otherwise the knot might lock
before the stitch comes really tight.

Puncture your bait right in the centre
of the head, in the case of this mullet,
that is right between the eyes.

Then drive the awl right through
so the point protrudes under the head.

Take about 40 cm of your galvanised wire
and push one end down through the puncture
you have made.

Now, push one end of the wire up
through the first puncture you made,
that's the one for the mouth stitch,
and push the other end through
in the other direction so they cross over
within the forward puncture.

Bend the lower protruding wire forward
so that it lays alongside the leader
then wind the upper protruding wire tightly
around both the leader and the lower wire.

Having made a series of tight wraps
with the upper wire, wrap the leader tightly
with the protruding lower wire.

Make the second set of wraps continue
more or less flush with the first set.

The completed bait should look
something like this.