Annual Mullet Toss coming up March 12
The islands’ annual Mullet Toss will be held Saturday, March 12, at Phillips Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., hosted by the Greater Pine Island Chamber of Commerce.
In 2020, the event was moved from Matlacha Park and re-branded, “Island Fest,” according to Chamber board member Beth Sowers.
“Mullet Toss began in the early 1990s, when the fishermen, sitting at Mulletville (restaurant) now Blue Dog, started a friendly bar competition where someone said they could throw a mullet the farthest, and they began throwing mullet out the back door of Mulletville, to see who could land it on the roof of Lob Lolly,” Sowers said.
This became a standing event at the end of season each year, she said, until becoming an official Matlacha Park event in 2004, where it remained until 2020. Now, one of the island’s most beloved traditions, the Mullet Toss has gained the attention of islanders and mainlanders alike, with its all day activities and various vendors.
The tossing of mullet will go on all day in slots grouped according to age.
The children will be first to toss, followed by the seniors, said Sowers, adults in the 20-40 range are next in line, and finally teens, who are likely to have more energy.
The day is already sure to be well attended, with local vendors lining up to serve.
“In celebration of the local seafood, we will have some of the restaurants and food providers from around the area dishing out their delicious dishes and some of the things they’re famous for,” Sowers said.
Many local artisans and crafters will also be at this event, she said, as well as all-day fishing seminars, given by local captains on a variety of activities such as angling and cast-netting. The Kiwanis Club will do the fish drop again this year, said Sowers, wherein $5 paper fish are purchased ahead of time and dropped in a large targeted area on the field. The fish closest to the target wins a monetary prize (the payout in 2020 was $1,000).
Kiwanis Club members will sell tickets for the paper fish prior to the event, in various places around the island.
“This is an event steeped in island tradition. Fishermen are so important to the island and they started this. It’s really a celebration of our fish and it all goes to a good cause, for instance the Kiwanis puts so much of their money back into the community,” Sowers said.
This year, Sowers said, there will likely be a kid’s corner, in an effort to entertain the children and hold their attention. Although admission to the event is free, a $5 donation is requested for each mullet toss.
Phillips Park is located at 5675 Sesame Drive, Bokeelia, at The Center.
To reach PAULETTE LeBLANC / pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com, please email