Author: Brittany Dodge

There’s nothing quite like the smell of salt air, the gentle rocking of the boat, and the thrill of pulling up a net full of mystery from the depths of an estuary. Today, we’re out on the water in Doboy Sound, conducting another round of otter trawls for the What’s My Bait? project. With each haul, we get a snapshot of the fish and crustaceans that call these waters home—some common, some odd, and some with a face only a mother (or a marine biologist) could love. As the net comes up, we lean in, eager to see what’s wriggling inside. Will it be the ever-reliable Atlantic croaker, grunting away like a tiny, annoyed fisherman? Or maybe a blue crab, claws raised like it’s ready to box? Every pull is like opening a surprise gift—only smellier and sometimes a little pinchier.

Sorting through the catch, we log the usual suspects: sleek, silvery mullet, the workhorses of the estuary; spot, with their telltale black mark that looks like a misplaced thumbprint; and the occasional hogchoker, doing its best impression of a pancake. Then, there are the more bizarre finds—an oyster toadfish that looks straight out of a prehistoric nightmare or a sea robin that practically walks across the deck with its strange, leg-like fins. And let’s not forget the shrimp, which seem to have a sixth sense for jumping straight out of our buckets and flop on the deck. As we measure, count, and record our finds, it’s clear: estuaries aren’t just nurseries for marine life, they’re bustling, biodiverse hotspots full of weird and wonderful creatures.