MULLET BIO
Black Mullet
Silver Mullet
SCIENTIFIC NAMES:
Mugil cephalus
Mugil curema
AKA:
Black mullet – mullet, or striped, flathead, grey, or jumping mullet
Silver mullet – white mullet
PROMINENT FEATURES:
The mullets are a family and order of ray-finned fish found worldwide in coastal temperate and tropical waters, and in some species in fresh water. Mullet swim in large schools and are commonly seen jumping out of the water. Mullet spend most of their lives in estuaries feeding on detritus and move freely between fresh and saltwater, moving offshore to spawn.
BLACK mullet are the largest of Florida’s mullet species, they can grow up to 10 pounds but are usually between 1 and 3 pounds. As a bait, just about any fish from a trout or redfish to a striper, bluefish, grouper, snook, king mackerel or snapper will devour a mullet.
SILVER mullet are smaller – ranging from finger mullet to larger ‘specialty’ mullet prepared for trolling – such as wedged, deboned and/or split-tailed. Brackish water areas come alive with schooling finger mullet as hot summer days settle in. This creates a feeding bonanza for many fish species like sea trout, redfish, stripers, and flounder. Specially prepared silver mullet are trolled for billfish.
FISHY FACTS:
Mullet species are the only fish known to have a gizzard.
USES:
Whole as trolling, pitch bait or surf bait. Chunked or cut pieces for bottom bait. Crab bait.
PACKAGING FORMS:
1” meat chunks in 8 oz bags
individually packed whole fish, graded into various sizes
bulk case
gutted in bulk for crab bait
prepared baits – both rigged and unrigged
