Grass Porgy

Deep-bodied amberjack; sometimes darker in coloration; front of soft dorsal and of anal fins high and elongated; body more flattened than banded rudderfish or greater amberjack; no scutes. Similar fish: other Seriola. Normally found: wide-ranging in OFFSHORE waters, not a common catch; young are associated with Sargassum. Size: usually less than 20 pounds.

Gray Snapper (Mangrove Snapper)

Description: Silvery to golden below; anal and caudal fins yellowish; conspicuous black saddle on caudal peduncle and small black area at edge of opercle; lower profile more arched than upper profile; lateral line strongly arched toward front. Size: to 30 cm (1 ft.). Normally found: one of the most abundant inshore fishes in tropical America; commonly enters bays and estuaries.

Gray Triggerfish

Entirely olive-gray; dorsal and anal fins marbled; caudal fin lobes elongate in large adults; one or more enlarged scales behind gill opening; 26 to 29 dorsal fin rays; 23 to 26 anal fin rays. Young: large darker saddles on back (these saddles sometimes persist in adults); blue spots and short blue lines in dorsal fin and on upper half of body, becoming white below and in anal fin; upper rim of eye blue. Normally found: hardbottom, reefs, ledges.

Great Barracuda

Gray, with a greenish cast above, whitish below; many irregular, small black blotches on lower side; 18 to 22 diagonal dark bars on upper side (not always evident); caudal fin dark with white tips; 75 to 87 lateral line scales; no fleshy tip on jaw. Young (not shown): dark stripe on side; stripe breaks into dark squarish blotches as fish grows. Size: to 2 m (6 ft.) and 48 kg (106 lbs.); reports of larger fish unverified. Normally found: young live in inshore seagrass beds; adults range from inshore channels to open ocean. Remarks: most attacks on people have occurred when they were wading or swimming in turbid water while wearing bright objects, attempting to spear a barracuda, or carrying speared fish; flesh of smaller fish apparently not poisonous, but larger fish sometimes very toxic due to ciguatera; no safe, reliable way of recognizing toxic fish.

Greater Amberjack

Dark stripe (variably present) extends from nose to in front of dorsal fin and “lights up” when fish is in feeding mode; no scutes; soft dorsal base less than twice the length of the anal fin base. Similar fish: other Seriola. Normally found: OFFSHORE species associated with rocky reefs, debris, and wrecks, typically in 60-240 feet of water; sometimes caught NEARSHORE in south Florida; juveniles associate with floating objects and may occur in water less than 30 feet deep. Size: common to 40 pounds.

Gulf Flounder

Body color brown, its shade depending on color of bottom, with numerous spots and blotches; 3 prominent eye-like spots forming a triangle; one spot on lateral line, one above, one below; numerous white spots scattered over body and fins (albigutta, white spotted); strong canine-like teeth; caudal fin in shape of wedge, its tip in the middle. Similar fish: southern flounder, P. lethostigma (no eye-like spots; color pattern is key to distinguishing the two species). Normally found: INSHORE on sandy or mud bottoms, often ranging into tidal creeks; occasionally caught on NEARSHORE rocky reefs. Size: common to 2 pounds, generally smaller than southern flounder. Remarks: hatches into usual fish form, but right eye migrates overt to left side early in life; a bottom dweller; thought to spawn offshore; feeds on crustaceans and small fishes.

Hardhead Catfish

Brownish to gray-green; white to yellowish below; fin spines with no fleshy filaments; barbel at corner of mouth not very flattened and shorter than head; four barbels on chin. Size: to 60 cm (2 ft.) and 5.5 kg (12 lbs.) but usually much smaller. Normally found: same as for gafftopsail catfish usually much more common. Remarks: commonly caught from catwalks, bridges, and piers, particularly in passes and inland waterways; edible, but generally not eaten.

Jewfish/Goliath

Head and fins covered with small black spots; irregular dark vertical bars present on the sides of body; pectoral and caudal fin rounded; first dorsal fin shorter than and not separated from second dorsal; adults huge, up to 800 pounds; eyes small. Similar fish: other grouper. Normally found: NEARSHORE around docks, in deep holes, and on ledges; young often occur in estuaries, especially around oyster bars; more abundant in southern Florida than in northern waters. Size: largest of the groupers. Remarks: spawns over summer months; lifespan of 30 to 50 years; feeds on crustaceans and fish. NOTE: jewfish are totally protected from harvest in Florida waters.

PROTECTED SPECIES ACT: *Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore (heads & tails intact) # Measured as total length. + Harvest prohibited by or with the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait.

Jolthead Porgy

Generally silvery to brassy, with a bluish cast; front of head brown, with blue line along lower rim of eye; a whitish stripe below eye, and another between eye and mouth; corner of mouth orange. Size: to 60 cm (2 ft.) and 3.6 kg (8 lbs.). Normally found: coastal waters to 45 m (150 ft.).

King Mackerel

Color of back iridescent bluish green, sides silvery; streamlined body with tapered head; no black pigment on front of the first dorsal fin; lateral line starts high and drops sharply below the second dorsal fin; young fish often have yellowish spots like those of Spanish mackerel. Similar fish: cero, S. regalis; Spanish mackerel, S. maculatus. Normally found: NEARSHORE and OFFSHORE; occasionally taken from piers running into deep water. Size: common to 20 pounds. Remarks: schooling fish that migrates from south Florida waters in winter to more northerly waters in spring; Gulf population thought to be separate from Atlantic population, with considerable mixing in winter from Cape Canaveral past Key West; spawns in mid summer OFFSHORE; feeds on small fish and squid.

Knobby Porgy

Body deep; front profile very steep; nape projects strongly in large adults; body generally silvery, with a rosy cast; cheek and snout dark purplish gray, with many bronze spots; large blue spot at axil of pectoral fin. Size: to 46 cm (18 in.). Normally found: hardbottom, reefs, ledges.

Ladyfish

Terminal mouth; slender body; small scales; last dorsal ray not elonged; head small and pointed. Similar fish: juvenile tarpon, Megalops atlanticus. Normally found: INSHORE fish, in bays and estuaries; occasionally enters freshwater, occurring in tidal pools and canals; often forms large schools and harasses bait at the surface. Size: up to 2 to 3 pounds. Remarks: known to spawn OFFSHORE; ribbon-like larvae very similar to Albua and Megalops, peaking in fall; adults feed predominantly on fish and crustaceans; leaps when hooked.

Lane Snapper

Color silvery-pink to reddish with short, irregular pink and yellow lines on its sides; diffuse black spot, about as large as the eye; the dorsal fin centered above the lateral line; outer margin of caudal fin blackish. Similar fish: mutton snapper, L. analis (anal fin rounded in lane snapper, pointed in mutton). Normally found: juveniles INSHORE over grass beds or shallow reefs; adults OFFSHORE; most common in south Florida. Size: usually less than 1 pound. Remarks: spawns March to September, sexually mature at 6 inches; feeds on the bottom, taking crustaceans, mollusks, and fish.

Leatherjacket

Body silvery, bluish above; fins yellow; rear parts of dorsal and anal fins consist of a series of finlets; spinous dorsal fin has 5 well-developed, unconnected spines; lateral line nearly straight; scales tiny, embedded; skin appears smooth. Size: to 30 cm (1 ft.). Normally found: enters bays and estuaries, often in turbid water.

Lesser Amberjack

Olive green or brownish back and silver sides; dark band (variably present) extends backward and upward from eye; juveniles have split or wavy bars on sides; proportionately larger eye and deeper body than greater amberjack. Similar fish: other Seriola. Normally found: NEARSHORE and OFFSHORE, apparently living deeper than other Seriola (commonly 180-410 feet deep). Size: usually under 10 pounds. Remarks: believed to spawn offshore; adults eat fish, and squid.

Little Tunny

Diagonal, sometimes wavy, dark bars on bare areas on each side of back; 4 to 5 dark spots below pectoral fin; no dark stripes on belly; dorsal fins connected at base; pectoral fin short. Size: to 1 m (3.25 ft.) and 12 kg (26 lbs.), but usually much smaller. Normally found: common offshore, but also occurs regularly in bays and over reefs. Remarks: probably the most common tuna in the w. Atlantic; popular sport fish, it is also used as bait for marlin; occurs in large schools.

Littlehead Porgy

Similar to the knobbed porgy, but snout and cheek bluish gray, with many wavy, dark blue lines; areas between lines sometimes brassy; each scale on upper body has a dark bluish line through the center; these lines unite to form a narrow line along each scale row. Size: to 46 cm (18 in.).

Lookdown

Silvery, iridescent, sometimes with brassy highlights; body extremely compressed and deep, platelike; front of head very steep; lobes at front of soft dorsal and anal fins very long; pelvic fins small; lateral line arched toward front. Young: spines at front of dorsal fin and rays in pelvic fin streamerlike. Size: to 30 cm (1ft.).

Palomenta

Gray to blue-green on top of head and along the back; bright silvery sides; yellow on breast; elongated dorsal and anal fins, dusky or black with bluish edges; deep body, with four narrow bars high on the sides, and traces of a fifth nearer the tail; no scutes. Similar fish: pompano, T. carolinus; permit, T. falcatus. Normally found: in clear water along sandy beaches and bays, occasionally found over reefs; most common in south Florida. Size: rarely over 1 pound, reported to 3 pounds. Remarks: thought to spawn offshore in spring, summer, and fall; has shown rapid growth in mariculture experiments; readily strikes small artificial lures.

Permit

Color gray, dark or iridescent blue above,shading to silvery sides, in dark waters showing golden tints around breast; small permit have teeth ontongue (none on pompano); no scutes; dorsal fin insertion directly above that of the anal fin; 17 to 21soft dorsal rays; 16 to 19 soft anal rays. Similar fish: Florida pompano, T. carolinus; the permit is deeper bodied; dorsal body profile forms angle at insertion of second dorsal fin; pompano rarely grow larger than 6 pounds, permit common to 40 pounds. Normally found: OFFSHORE on wrecks and debris, INSHORE on grass flats, sand flats, and in channels; most abundant in south Florida, with smaller-specimens from every coastal county. Size: common to 25 pounds. Remarks: feeds mainly on bottom-dwelling crabs, shrimp, small clams, and small fish.

Pigfish

Gray, often with a bluish cast; many bronze to yellowish spots, dashes, and other small markings; mouth small, ending below front nostril. Size: to 38 cm (15 in.). Normally found: bay and banks; not on reefs in water less than 60 ft.

Pinfish

Small mouth with incisor-like teeth; distinctive black spot behind the gill cover; body bluish-silver with blue and orange yellow horizontal stripes, yellow fins. Normally found: seagrass beds, bridges, piers, marker pilings, and around natural and artificial reefs; spawn offshore. Size: usually less than 8 in. Remarks: popular live bait, notorious bait stealers.

Queen Snapper

Color of back and upper sides red, lower sides; silvery body long and slender; dorsal fin distinctly notched; large eyes; caudal fin deeply forked; no dark lateral spot. Similar fish: other snappers. Normally found: OFFSHORE over rocky reefs of the continental shelf to 450 feet; young suspend at mid-depths. Size: small species, usually less than 20 inches. Remarks: little is known, but it is reported that adults live at depths greater than 400 feet.

Red Drum

Chin without barbels; copper-bronze body, lighter shade in clear waters; one to many spots at base of tail (rarely no spots); mouth horizontal and opening downward; scales large. Similar fish: black drum, Pogonias cromis. Normally found: juveniles are an INSHORE fish, migrating out of the estuaries at about 30 inches (4 years) and joining the spawning population OFFSHORE. Size: common to 20 pounds. Remarks: red drum are an INSHORE species until they attain roughly 30 inches (4 years), then migrate to join the NEARSHORE population; spawning occurs from August to November in NEARSHORE waters; feeds on crustaceans, fish, and mollusks; longevity to 20 years or more.

Red Grouper

Color brownish red; lining of mouth scarlet orange; blotches on sides in unorganized pattern; second spine of dorsal fin longer than others; pectoral fins longer than pelvic fins; squared off tail; margin of soft dorsal black with white at midfin; black dots around the eyes. Similar fish: nassau grouper, E. striatus. Normally found: bottom dwelling fish associated with hard bottom; juveniles OFFSHORE along with adults greater than 6 years old; NEARSHORE reefs. Size: common to 15 pounds. Remarks: spawns in April and May; prefer water temperatures between 66 and 77 degrees F; undergoes sex change, young individuals female, becoming male as they age, lifespan of at least 25 years; feeds on squid, crustaceans, and fish.

Red Porgy

The only American porgy with a rear nostril that is round (not slit-like); head and body silvery red, with many tiny blue spots. Size: to 91 cm (3 ft.). Normally found: deeper part of continental shelf, but young occur in water as shallow as 18 m (60 ft.).