Mugil cephalus                                                       Photo Claire Sunquist ©

There are three very similar species of mullet found off the coast of Florida. The Black or Striped mullet is the most common but White Mullet is not uncommon. Mullet all have cylindrical bodies and small toothless mouths which they use to suck up sediment and filter out organic material and algae.

The white mullet is also called silver mullet because of the silver sides compared to that of a darker striped mullet.

Mullet can survive in a large range of salinities and are often found in shallow inland waterways feeding and jumping out of the water. They are caught recreationally and commerically with cast nests and the smaller mullet are popular bait for red drum and other game species. While they are good to eat, they are best if smoked and can spoil quickly if not kept on ice.

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