Is it a Fish or a Hairstyle?

Not all fish are created equal. Some are highly regarded sport species whose likenesses adorn postcards and questionable swimwear. Others are universally disdained, treated like filth, and hung across doorways to ward off witches. And then there are the species that have mixed statuses across the world. An example of this is the carp. In the UK and throughout most of Europe, they are prized game fish. In Asia, they are prized food fish. In the US, they are neither. Instead, folks chop them to pieces from water skis and target spawning aggregations with bows and arrows, piling up carcasses to use as fertilizer or throw in the trash. Numerous other fish are similar in this way, including one in particular that I had previously never thought of targeting. This fish is none other than the mullet.

                 

Mullet are strange looking fish. They're surface dwellers, with upturned mouths and flat backs. They tend to mill around in any sort of tidal water or estuary, but can also be found in the ocean or in nearly any habitat imaginable. Back in the United States, they're most commonly seen as a baitfish or a forage species and harvested with cast nets. Nobody ever fishes for them.

Apparently things are a little different across the pond. Instead of the small Striped Mullet that I was used to seeing, the Thicklipped Mullet that swim in European waters are much larger. Unlike the little baitfish that are nonchalantly scooped up in nets, these mullet can grow to double-digit sizes and are extremely popular as sportfish.

I was a little skeptical of the fighting prowess of these funny looking fish. However, I soon found myself sight casting to large schools of mullet wherever I saw them. I would bait them in with ground bait until the mullet were in a feeding frenzy, and then cast out into the middle of the school. With luck, a mullet would take the bait and it would be fish on! In most cases, I'd spook the school and have to spend another hour finding a different one.

I was also surprised at how hard these fish fought. The first mullet I hooked went on a screeching run, and took several minutes to land. Nearly every one I've caught since then has been the same. They can also jump, surprising many fishermen who are accustomed to seeing these fish as unworthy of even being targeted.

Mullet commonly reside within marinas, harbors, and other areas of manmade structure. Even in natural areas such as beaches or rocky cliffs, these fish can be seen thriving in close proximity to humans. As a result, I often find myself stalking mullet in crowded coastal areas. Although it's psychologically affirming to reel in a fish with an audience present, every now and then I encounter people who get a little too involved. For instance, I was once fishing for mullet in a small cove near a popular beach. The whole time, there was this middle-aged guy who would attempt to land every fish I hooked. I didn't need any help, and I lost more fish with his "assistance" than without it. The last straw was when he leaped at a 24-inch fish with enough ferocity to dismount a horse. Of course, the hook came out. Trying my hardest not to externalize my rage, I moved spots before this guy could do any more damage. Once I had finally hooked another fish, I looked around a few times to make sure he wasn't readying himself for another attempt. 

Since mullet fishing (at least the kind I do) involves actively spotting and casting to feeding fish, there are often long periods of inactivity. In addition, they have a tendency to "disappear" as quickly as they come. Since blind casting is a pointless waste of time, I usually transition over to other species. Mullet share their habitat with a wide variety of other fishes, including many species of sea bream. To catch them, mussels can be collected from the rocks and pulverized into pieces small enough for these scrappy fish.

I've spent an unhealthy amount of my time wondering where the name "mullet" even came from. As it also refers the infamous haircut, I have always pondered which term came first and what it exactly means. .