Discover A Mardi Gras Mascot On Your Gulf Coast Adventure

Mardi Gras is officially upon us — and the sweet celebration invites you to throw on your purple, green, and gold and indulge in the fun! Surprisingly, there’s a marine animal who already has a head-start on getting into the seasonal spirit. Meet, the Mardi Gras wrasse. Just read on to learn more about this colorful creature — plus, where fast fishing boats like your Blackfin can meet the Mardi Gras wrasse (and other vibrant fish) in its natural environment.

A Colorful Creature Of The Deep

The Mardi Gras wrasse is so named for its natural coloring — a vivid medley of colors that most prominently feature purple, green, and gold, the traditional colors of Mardi Gras. In case you need a refresher: purple represents justice, green represents faith, and gold represents power.

Surprisingly, the Mardi Gras wrasse is a fairly new discovery. In fact, scientists only shared news of its presence in the Gulf of Mexico in 2008! Remember, researchers estimate that we’ve only explored 5% of life in the ocean — so who knows? Maybe there are other holiday fish hiding in the depths, too!

What’s interesting about the Mardi Gras wrasse is that it was discovered quite close to New Orleans, aka the Big Easy — and the heart of Mardi Gras. Specifically, it was located at the Flower Garden Banks, off the coast of Texas in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. However, it’s since been spotted elsewhere throughout the Gulf, too, so you may encounter the tiny, colorful fish on your travels in the area!

Exploring The Gulf Of Mexico

Speaking of travels, what’s biting in the Gulf of Mexico? If you’re in the New Orleans area for Mardi Gras, you can use the Big Easy as a starting point for exploring the greater Gulf — whose offshore waters include mahi mahi, yellowfin tuna, and wahoo, to name just a few popular catches. You can also travel east toward Florida’s Emerald Coast for a chance to enjoy breaktime on the region’s stunning, sugar-sand beaches — which pop against the teal water the stretch of shoreline is named for!

Between Fishing Sessions...

You can’t take a trip to the Gulf of Mexico at this time of year without celebrating Mardi Gras along the way! Now is the perfect time to indulge in some deliciously festive traditions. For example, king cake is a cinnamon dessert decked out in purple, green, and gold (like the wrasse!) with a hidden baby figurine inside. Whoever finds the baby is considered the “king,” and they get the responsibility — or shall we say, honor — of bringing the cake next time around.

You can also bring some delicious New Orleans goodies to, and enjoy them on your Blackfin! Beignets, for example, are a crowd-pleasing pick that can be enjoyed without cutlery — perfect for an effortless on-board treat.

Now that you’ve learned about Mardi Gras and the festive fish it inspired, it’s time to celebrate! Here’s to a happy, delicious Mardi Gras adventure, on and off the water.