Gallery Spotlight
DOUBLE TROUBLE: REDFISH IN MANGROVES
By Kim B. Parrish
© 2020 – 36 x 36” Oil on Canvas
RED DRUM
Sciaenops ocellatus
FL Status: Harvest Limited Per Regulations
As a youngster, the first redfish I ever caught nearly pulled the rod out of my hand—they are strong fighters. Many of my experiences with this species have taken place in the “redfish capital of the world,” otherwise known as Mosquito Lagoon, adjacent to NASA’s launch pads near Titusville. It was here that I first saw redfish “tailing,” and Florida’s massive schools of reds; moving together across the grass beds by the hundreds. Casting a line into one of these mega schools is an experience not soon forgotten.
In the 1980s, Florida’s redfish were netted commercially to the point of near extinction. In 2007, President George W. Bush issued Executive Order 13449, protecting the redfish (a.k.a. red drum) as a game fish. Fighters that they are, the reds made a spectacular comeback. Today, the redfish of Mosquito Lagoon face threats from toxins and oxygen depletion from algae blooms.
My original oil painting “Double Trouble” is 36 x 36 inches on canvas, and depicts two redfish surprising a blue crab in the mangroves. Some of my paintings are also available as limited edition prints. Thanks for your interest in my work—I hope this redfish fine art inspires you to cherish the beauty of Florida’s marine life.