Overview
Very common coastal fish, lives in large schools near ports and estuaries.
Identification
Flat headSmall terminal mouthLarge scalesTwo distinct dorsal finsV-shaped tailEyes protected by a membraneFusiform bodySilver coloration
- Body
- Elongated body with a flat head.
- Colouration
- Gray-silver with darker shades on the back and a yellow stripe along the sides.
- Sexual dimorphism
- Absent/not obvious
- Growth
- Medium, grows rapidly in the early years of life.
Taxonomy
- Family
- Mugilidae
- Order
- Mugiliformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
Related species
Mugil curemaMugil capurriiMugil lizaMugil hospesMugil rubrioculus
Habitat & distribution
- Environment
- coast, estuaries, brackish
- Preferred bottom
- sand, mud, seagrass, estuarine
- Geographic distribution
- Common in coastal and estuarine waters of all warm and temperate regions worldwide.
- Micro-habitat
- Prefers shallow waters near river mouths and ports where it hides and feeds.
Prefers surface waters of the coastline and estuaries for easy access to food.
Presence by sea area
Tirreno NordPeak
Tirreno CentroPeak
Tirreno SudPeak
Adriatico NordPeak
Adriatico CentroPeak
Adriatico SudPeak
Ionio NordPeak
Ionio CentroPeak
Sardegna OvestPeak
Sardegna EstPeak
Sicilia TirrenoPeak
Sicilia Ionio CanalePeak
Eu Mediterraneo OvestPeak
Eu Mediterraneo EstPeak
Eu Atlantico NePeak
Eu Golfo BiscagliaPeak
Eu Mare NordPeak
Eu BalticoPeak
Eu ManicaPeak
Af Atlantico Trop EPeak
Af Golfo GuineaPeak
Af Sudafrica AtlanticoPeak
Af Sudafrica IndianoPeak
Na Costa Est CentroPeak
Na Costa Est SudPeak
Na Golfo MessicoPeak
Na CaraibiPeak
Sa Brasile EstPeak
Sa Brasile SudPeak
As Mar Cinese EstPeak
As Giappone SudPeak
Au Costa Est TemperataPeak
Au Costa SudPeak
Diet
- Primary prey
- algae, organic debris, small crustaceans
- Secondary prey
- mollusks, small aquatic invertebrates
- Occasional prey
- small fish, insect larvae
- Feeding behaviour
- Feeds by filtering the substrate and scraping surfaces with its mouth to extract food particles.
- Natural predators
- groupers, barracuda, mackerel, sharks
Scrape the substrate for algae and organic matter, playing an important role in the aquatic ecosystem.
Behaviour
- Activity
- diurnal
- Social behaviour
- large_schools
- Aggressiveness
- low
- Migration
- Migrates seasonally from cold waters to warmer ones for spawning.
- Seasonal behaviour
- Forms large schools in spring and summer to migrate to breeding areas.
- Juveniles
- Juveniles inhabit shallow waters, often in large groups to evade predators.
- Adults
- As adults, they form large schools and migrate seasonally.
Reproduction
- Spawning season
- May, June, July
- Spawning depth
- between 10 and 30 meters
- Eggs
- Pelagic, very small eggs that cling to plankton.
- Larval stage
- Larvae are pelagic and move towards shallow coastal waters as they grow.
- Sexual maturity
- 2-4 years
When to catch Flathead grey mullet
Activity calendar
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
PeakGoodLowInactive
Activity by season
Best times
Daymattino, tramonto
Nightsera
This species shows peak fishing activity in spring, summer and autumn, when the productivity index (FPI) reaches its highest values.
Ideal conditions
Atmospheric pressure
Low
Very active on surface.
Medium
Regular activity.
High
Moves away from shore.
Barometric trend
Water temperature
10°COptimal zone: 14-24°C27°C
Preferred tide: moving
Where to catch it
Best spots
river mouthssandy banksportsposidonia meadows
Bottom preference
Spot type
Fishing techniques
Recommended
trammel nettrawl netpole fishingfish traps
Other applicable
BolognesePesca A GalleggianteBeach LedgeringPesca A BombardaPesca A Mosca In MareBolognese MediaBolognese PesanteStreamerBeach FishingBolognese LeggeraPesca A Fondo LeggeraSurfcastingSurfcasting Leggero
Recommended baits
breadalgaesmall crustaceansartificial lures
Baits by pressure
Low
Bread fly
Medium
Gambero morto / Gambero
High
BigattinoPane raffermoPasta / PastellaAlgaEsca naturale (generica)FormaggioArenicola
Catch & handling tips
- Fight
- When hooked, fights vigorously with jumps out of the water.
- Handling
- Handle carefully to avoid damaging scales and return to water quickly.
- Release
- Release gently into the water, ensuring it is fully revived before letting go.
Curiosities & culture
- Record catches
- A 6.6 kg specimen of mullet is known to have been caught in the waters of Tuscany in 2011. The mullet is considered a trophy in sport fishing, especially in the Mediterranean, where specimens over 4 kg are highly sought after.
- In the kitchen
- Highly valued for dishes like bottarga and fish soups in Mediterranean cuisines.
- Cultural notes
- Traditionally used in Mediterranean cuisine, important in the local fish market.
- Historical notes
- Mullet fishing has been practiced since ancient Rome for the production of bottarga.
