RUNNING OF THE MULLET

MILLIONS OF BAITFISH WILL SOON BE INTERCEPTED BY HUNGRY PREDATORS. ARE YOU READY?  

- BOB MCNALLY

Every year, beginning in September and running well into E November and sometimes later-mullet by the millions pour out of the rivers, bays and estuaries along the Atlantic Coast and the Gulf of Mexico in a baitfish migration more akin to far-traveling birds or even lemmings than to marine fish.

They are all sizes, from fingerlings to 3-pounders, and at least two different species are in play: striped mullet and silver mullet.

Where they're going, precisely when, and why they all don't participate in the run is anyone's guess. But run they do, and the resulting mayhem of fish, bait and angler excitement must be witnessed to be believed.

One of the best explanations for "the run" is by biologists who say mullet seek the perfect mix of saline content to release eggs and milt for spawning. They push along the coast, waffling from the beach to well offshore, until they find the right salt-fresh mix, then they spawn.

Biologists have documented Gulf of Mexico white mullet migrating 100 miles during the run. These particular fish move chiefly east and west, not north and south. Still, move they do, and the results are just as spectacular.

Mullet Fests and Mullet Tossing

 Mullet are so highly regarded in some regions that there are annual festivals, mullet tossing events and bikini contests tagged to the migration of mullet.

A check on the internet and social media can lead to many mullet cookouts, barbecue spots and more highlighting the mullet movements in coastal areas where they run in abundance.

For years, there was an annual Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival held in Niceville, Florida, in October. But the pandemic killed the fest, which had celebrated the mullet baitfish since 1976. In one weekend annually, it served up 10 tons of fried and smoked mullet, including "mullet dogs" (fried fish on buns).