HomeOutdoorsFishingMullet off to slow...

Mullet off to slow start

CORTEZ – It’s after Thanksgiving and a cold front has passed through, but what should be mullet season hasn’t really started yet, thanks to red tide, commercial fishermen say.

Mullet are not schooling around the docks or jumping in the Cortez Kitchen off the fishing village like they should be this time of year, said Karen Bell, of A.P. Bell Fish Co.

“We still seem to have concentrations of red tide that are killing fish here,” she said.

Until local mullet begin to spawn, Bell is buying mullet from north Florida, Alabama and North Carolina, she said, recalling that her father used to say that mullet stay in the Manatee River to avoid red tide.

“But when they come out and hit the red tide, we don’t know what will happen,” she said.

“It’s too soon to tell if the red tide has impacted adults, because they have to leave the estuaries to get out for spawning,” said Angela Collins, extension agent for the IFAS Florida Sea Grant Marine Extension Program in Palmetto. Red tide could affect where they swim, and could also impact their larvae, she said.

“I hope they make it out past the red tide before they spawn,” said Charlie Hunsicker, director of the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Department, noting that mullet were taking refuge at Robinson and Perico Preserves.

At Robinson on Monday, red tide levels were high, and dead mullet floated along the shoreline.

At Cortez Bait and Seafood, fishermen brought a few mullet in last week, but it was too windy for some boats to be out, Kim McVey said, adding, “I hope red tide won’t affect them.”

Mullet are few and far between at the moment, said Bob Slicker, of the Swordfish Grill and Tiki Bar in Cortez, adding, “But I’m optimistic.”

Most Popular

More from Author

Surf shop celebrates 60

HOLMES BEACH – Jim Brady’s West Coast Surf Shop is in...

Cortez founded on mullet

CORTEZ – A visit by Dr. Angela Collins to the Cortez...

Underwater Anna Maria Island gallery

Hold your breath and take a tour of the limestone reefs...

Floridian Mortgage wins championship

ANNA MARIA – Spring has sprung and winter sports at The Center are coming to a close, with team Floridian Mortgage earning the win against team Moss Builders Thursday night in the adult co-ed flag football championship game. The top two teams in the league matched up in...

Man completes Chamber passport program in five hours

ANNA MARIA ISLAND - The annual Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s Passport Program is a fun way for residents and visitors to the Island to get out and discover Island businesses with a passport offered for free by the chamber. Participants are encouraged to get their passports...

One ARK Foundation raises funds for foster families

live music, delicious food and spirited fundraising as the One ARK Foundation held its second annual “Kindness Matters Extravaganza” at The Cheesecake Cutie & Cafe on March 21. “One ARK” stands for “one act of random kindness” and is a newly-established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by The Cheesecake...

Save our homes

This column should be titled “Save our Taxes,” since that’s what we’re really talking about. However, saving on property taxes is part of the Save Our Homes benefits and portability transfers are another piece of this law. In January of 2008, the Florida Legislature passed legislation that allows...

 Reel Time: Salon fundraiser meets with success

Salon (noun) - a conversational gathering of notables held at the home of a prominent person. On Saturday afternoon, Suncoast Waterkeeper held its Suncoast Salon fundraiser at the Sarasota home of Anna Maria residents Bill and Debbie Partridge. The event was a sellout and attracted some of...

Temporary paid parking vendors hired

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners considered four temporary use parking permits at the March 21 commission meeting and after much discussion, approved three with stipulations, denying one. Permit applications were submitted by developer Shawn Kaleta for temporary parking lots at 102 Third St. N., 207 Church Ave. and...

Fire department sued over rental regulations

BRADENTON – Almost a year after passing a resolution changing the district’s approach to taxing and inspecting vacation rental properties in residential areas, West Manatee Fire Rescue is receiving pushback from one rental owner. During a March 19 commission meeting, the district’s attorney, Maggie Mooney, informed the board...

Bridge Street traffic, parking among commission concerns

BRADENTON BEACH – In what was an unusually lengthy, seven-hour city commission meeting that began at noon on March 21, commissioners dove into parking and traffic issues, pickleball and organ donation. BRIDGE STREET ONE WAY? A Bridge Street business owner asked the commission to consider making Bridge Street one...

Scaccianoce new Bradenton Beach commissioner

BRADENTON BEACH – Ward 1 has a new commissioner. The application for commissioner by business owner and former Manatee County records manager Deborah Scaccianoce was approved by the commission and she was sworn in at its March 21 meeting. She filled the vacant seat left by former Commissioner Jake...

Kruse talks beach parking, Island consolidation

HOLMES BEACH – About two dozen people came out on March 20 to meet with Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse, bringing their questions for the candidate, who is seeking re-election in November. Kruse held a town hall meeting at the Island Branch Library where he answered every question...

Commissioners deny bids for paid parking

BRADENTON BEACH – Rather than partnering with an outside vendor as planned, commissioners are now considering city-managed paid parking lots throughout Bradenton Beach. The city had put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) on Feb. 9 to “Provide the City with a complete parking management and enforcement system...