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Identify
Your Fishing Finds
Black drum
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Black drum
High-arch back; 10 to 14 pairs of chin barbells; adults are gray or
black. Young have 4 to 6 vertical bars and cobblestone-like teeth; large
scales. Found inshore, often around oyster beds, bays and lagoons.
Bottom-dweller. Size: 30 pounds. Largest member of the drum family;
spawns near shore in winter and early spring, feeds on oysters, mussels,
crabs and shrimp and fish; longevity 30 to 40 years.
Cobia
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Cobia
Long, slim fish with broad, depressed head; lower projects past upper
jaw; dark lateral stripe extends from eyes to tail; first dorsal fin
comprised of 7 to 9 free spines; when young, has conspicuous alternating
black and white horizontal. Found both inshore and near shore. Size: 30
pounds. Spawns in spring and early summer.
Flounder
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Flounder
Body color is brown, its shade depending on color of bottom, with
numerous spots and blotches; 3 prominent eye-like spots forming a
triangle. Numerous white spots scattered over body and fins. They have
strong canine-like teeth. Size: 2 pounds.
Grouper
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Grouper
These fish are among the best feeding in the area. Size: 20 pounds, 20
inches.
King mack
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King mack
Iridescent bluish-green back; sides silvery; streamlined body with
tapered head; lateral line starts high and droops sharply below second
dorsal fin; young can have yellowish spots like Spanish mackerel. Size:
20 pounds. Schooling fish; migrate from South Florida in winter to more
northerly waters in spring; Gulf and Atlantic populations thought to be
separate with mixing in winter from Cape Canaveral past Key West.
Permit
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Permit
Coloring is gray, dark or iridescent blue with shading to silvery sides;
in dark waters showing golden tints around breasts; small permit have
teeth on tongue, no scutes; dorsal fin insertion directly above that of
the anal fin; 17 to 21 soft dorsal rays; 16 to 19 soft anal rays. Size:
25 pounds.
Pompano
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Pompano
Greenish-gray on back with shading to silvery sides; fins in dark waters
showing gold on throat, pelvic and anal fins; deep, flat body with small
mouth; nose scutes; 22 to 27 soft dorsal rays; 20 to 23 soft anal rays;
origin of anal fin slightly behind origin of second dorsal. Size: less
than 3 pounds.
Redfish
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Redfish
Chin without barbells; copper bronze body; lighter shades in clear
waters; one to many spots at base of tail (rarely no spots); mouth
horizontal and opening down worths; large scales. Size: 27 inches;
weight 8 pounds.
Sheepshead
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Sheepshead
Basic silvery color with 5 or 6 distinct vertical black bands on sides;
not always the same on both sides; prominent teeth, including incisors,
molars and rounded grinders; no barbells on lower jaw; strong and sharp
spines on dorsal and anal fins. Size: inshore, 1 to 2 pounds; offshore,
8 pounds.
Mangrove snapper
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Mangrove
snapper
Color is dark brown or gray with reddish or orange spots in rows along
sides; dark horizontal band from snout through eye (young only); two
conspicuous canine teeth at front of upper jaw; dorsal fins have dark or
reddish borders; no dark spot on side underneath dorsal fin. Size:
offshore, 8 to 10 pounds.
Snook
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Snook
Distinct black lateral line; high, divided dorsal fin; sloping forehead;
large mouth, protruding lower jaw. Size: 5 to 8 pounds.
Tarpon
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Tarpon
Last ray of dorsal fin extended into long filament; one dorsal fin; back
is dark blue to green or greenish black with shading into bright silver
on the sides; maybe brownish gold in estuarine waters; huge scales;
mouth is large and points upward. Size: most anglers catch snook around
40 to 50 pounds.
Tripletail
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Tripletail
Resembles a bass; its dorsal, anal and tail fins make it appear to have
three tails. These fish sometimes float on their sides at the surface.
Size: up to 39 inches and 20 pounds. |
