Marine life is of interest to many people. Some admire the contemplation of the beauty of the underwater world, spend a lot of time and effort on scuba diving. Others value minutes alone with a fishing rod, rejoice at an unusual or rich catch. And there is a category of people for whom fish is of exclusively gastronomic interest. They are only appreciated for its nutritional qualities.
This article will talk about an amazing fish, which is of vital interest to anglers, divers and gourmets? Bright color, interesting habits and unusual taste - all this can be said about the creature called Black Sea red mullet.
Red mullet or sultan?
The fish, which is commonly called red mullet, belongs to the drum family. Literally, its name can be translated as “big beard”, which is explained by the presence of an outstanding mustache on the head of a marine inhabitant. By the way, it has another name - the ordinary sultanka. So the fish were called Turks. And for good reason. The mullet is so unusual and tasty that in ancient times a simple person did not have the opportunity to taste it. For such an act, he was threatened with serious punishment, up to deprivation of his head. The whole catch was intended for the sultan table. Hence the unofficial name. By the way, red mullet fish looks like you can see in the photos presented in this article.
How to identify red mullet?
The appearance of the fish with an unusual name distinguishes it from other inhabitants of the seas. It is small in size, reaches a maximum length of 30 centimeters. The body of the creation is oblong, slightly squeezed from the sides. The red mullet emits a color: the back and sides are painted in pink-red hues, and the stomach is light yellow. The marine inhabitant has an amazing feature: after the sultanka dies, it changes color. Immediately after catching, the sea mullet fish becomes bright red, after 4-8 hours its color fades.
Also a distinctive feature of the fish is the presence of long antennae. They help her find food at the bottom of ponds, among sand and shells. At the same time, the fish rapidly releases air bubbles, for which they got their name - red mullet. Photos of these amazing creatures show us their simple, but very cute appearance.
Where can I find red mullet fish?
The habitat of the drumfish family is the Mediterranean Sea. And also those salty water bodies that adjoin it: Black and Azov. Barabulovye fish are bottom. Finding them is easiest off the coast. They move in flocks and hide in stones, looking for food in the sand and shells. Black Sea red mullet chooses coastal stripes of Crimea. She prefers to live in the area of Balaclava, Chersonesos, Fiolent and Tarhankut. Experienced fishermen also speak of a large number of these creatures in the Kerch Strait. But the Taganrog Bay of the Sultankans bypass.
Behavior features
The ordinary sultanka, in addition to its striking appearance, is characterized by characteristic behavior. This makes it an object of search for both experienced divers and lovers of observation of the underwater world. If you find a fish in the stones, catch it searching for and absorbing food, you can watch it endlessly. Black Sea red mullet is not shy. You can get closer to it if you move slowly and without sudden movements. Seeking food for themselves, red mullet move along the bottom, leaving characteristic grooves from the mustache in the sand. It is these traces that help experienced divers find places of accumulation of sultanas.
If you take a worm with you and carefully suggest the found mullet, you can observe how they immediately deal with it. An amazing feature of this fish, which is noted by avid fishermen, is the presence of a special smell. Incredibly, the caught red mullet does not smell like a specific smell, but ... cucumbers! Another fish possesses this peculiarity - smelt, in a more pronounced form. So if you are lucky enough to catch the Sultan, be sure to sniff - for the sake of completeness.
Adaptation to the present
One of the distinguishing features of the behavior of red mullet is their strong reaction to water pollution. Any manifestations of human activity cannot but affect the state of adjacent water bodies, and especially coastal waters. The development of sea transport, the annual increase in the resort area with a large number of hotels and hotels is fully reflected in natural conditions. Every year, human activities significantly affect the pollution of coastal waters, which are so loved by red mullet. Black Sea water is no exception. Fishes are increasingly found in familiar places.
This is one of the reasons that solitary fishermen practically do not hunt for mullet. The catch is produced only by nets on an industrial scale.
Nice to see
For lovers to contemplate the beauty of the underwater world, watching the reels is a real pleasure. This fish in its color and appearance is not inferior to the exotic inhabitants of the Red Sea. And her behavior touches every diver. It is best to watch the red mullet in scuba gear, as these fish prefer a bottom lifestyle and a sufficiently large depth. Finding a sultan who seeks food is not difficult. It moves between clusters of sea stones, from island to island. He searches for food with the help of his mustache, poking around in the bottom sand. It is these processes that leave a mark in the form of a furrow, which can reach a length of up to 15 meters. The vigilance of the moths can be so weakened that it can be caught with bare hands.
To fish or to catch?
Of great interest to fishermen at all times was the Black Sea red mullet. Not every angler knows how to catch it correctly. First of all, you need to know that hunting for the Sultan is necessary only when the water warms up enough. This period usually comes after mid-May and lasts until the end of September. Time also matters. It is optimal to start fishing no later than 4-5 in the morning. After 9 to go out and wait for the Black Sea red mullet to peck - it makes no sense.
Given the fact that these fish prefer to hide and move along the bottom, you need to choose a bottom or float fishing rod. The bait for mullet will suit a variety of. But the most delicious for the sultan will be sea worms. Having planted one of them on a fishing rod, you need to leave it at the bottom or in the sand, expecting the creature to appear there in search of food. If you start fishing in May and early June, you can not be at all puzzled by the choice of bait. It is enough to dig up earthworms - the mullet will absorb everything with appetite. The Sultanka at this time is distinguished by illegibility in food due to severe hunger, therefore, it eats almost everything.
How to fish at the bottom?
In a situation where the little mullet is not in a hurry, you can stir it up a bit or tease it. To do this, tackle must be carefully moved along the bottom. This must be done as follows: the bait mounted on the bottom fishing rod is slightly raised, taken a little to the side and lowered again. And so several times in a row. If all other conditions for fishing for mullet are met, and the place and time of fishing are correctly selected, then after such a reception the sultank will not stand and will certainly bite.
It is worth noting that despite the small shyness of the fish, it is notable for considerable caution. This must be remembered when pushing the bait onto the hook. Small in size, it should be thrust into the very edge of the worm so that the mullet does not come off at the slightest tack. The photos in various specialized literature for anglers show approximate gear that you need to choose for fishing the Sultanka.
What about nutritional value?
In former times, a red mullet was left only for the sultans for a reason. The meat of this fish is very tasty, regardless of the method of its preparation. Many gourmets consider red mullet the most nutritious of the Black Sea fish. But taste is an individual matter, but facts are an objective thing. And they say the following. Red mullet meat is considered dietary: this fish is not too fat, but at the same time quite nutritious.
By replenishing the diet with mullet, you can make up for the lack of polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 and protein. In addition, the meat of the sultan contains a large set of extremely important trace elements and vitamins. Among them are iron, magnesium, phosphorus, iodine; Vitamins A, E, B1, B9. Fishermen appreciate red mullet for an exceptionally rich and tasty yushka. Also, the sultanka is baked, fried, boiled and smoked. Smoked and salted red mullet is similar to a vobla to taste. In addition, canned food from this fish and even stew are very popular. Although not in all grocery stores, you can find a similar product.
Black Sea red mullet or common sultanka is an amazing marine fish in its properties. She lives in accessible for each regions of the Black and Azov seas. So, meeting her if desired is not difficult. Everyone can be interested in mullet - both lovers of underwater observation, and avid fishermen, and connoisseurs of tasty and healthy food.