Florida Big Game Saltwater Fish Identification

Gulf Flounder



Gulf Flounder: Paralichthys albigutta
Appearance:

• Body is brown in color with the shade depending on the color of the bottom, with numerous spots and blotches
• 3 prominent eye-like spots form a triangle with 1 spot on the lateral line, 1 above and 1 below
• Numerous white spots are found scattered over the body and fins (albigutta, white spotted)
• Strong canine-like teeth
• The caudal fin is in the shape of a wedge

Habitat:


Gulf flounder are found inshore on sandy or mud bottoms and are often found in tidal creeks. They may also be caught occassionally on nearshore rocky reefs.



Behavior:


Gulf flounder lie on the bottom often partially covered by sand or mud waiting for a prey to come near and then strike suddenly. Gulf flounder hatch with a typical fish form but the right eye migrates over to the left side early in life.



These fish are though to spawn offshore and they feed on crustaceans and small fishes.



State Record:


Fishing Tips and Facts:
Bottom fishing with a jig and live or cut bait can be effective; remember these are ambush predators. They can also be taken with a gig in shallow waters, especially at night. Excellent table fare.

Additional Information:
Gulf flounder are similar in appearance to the southern flounder (P. lethostigma), but the southern flounder have no eye-like spots.

 

Black Grouper

Black Grouper: Mycteroperca bonaci
Appearance:

• Olive or gray body coloration with black blotches and brassy spots
• gently rounded preopercle
• Similar in appearence to gag and yellowfin groupers

Habitat:


These fish are offshore species. Adults are associated with rocky bottoms, reef, and drop off walls in water over 60 feet deep. Young black grouper may occur inshore in shallow water.





Behavior:


Black grouper spawn between May and August and they are protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning that young predominantly female who transform into males as they grow larger. Larger individuals of this species are generally found in greater depths and they feed on fish and squid.



State Record:
113 lb 6 oz, caught near the Dry Tortugas

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Grouper fishing from a boat typically involves baits fished near the bottom, with heavy tackle and heavier to bring grouper to the surface. Live fish or dead cut or whole bait are used. Grouper are very tasty meals.

Additional Information:

 

Gag Grouper


Gag Grouper: Mycteroperca microlepis
Appearance:

• Brownish gray in color with dark, worm-like side markings
• Fins dark, with anal and caudal having a white margin
• Lack of brassy spots as found on black grouper
• Slightly concave tail
• Noticable spur located on the preopercle

Habitat:


Adults inhabit rocky bottoms, reefs and drop-off walls in water over 60 feet deep; young occur inshore in waters around seagrass beds, mangrove forests and hard-bottom communities.



Behavior:


Grouper are born as females but can later become male. Gag and red grouper are the most widely distributed of the Florida groupers. Goliath and Nassau grouper are protected from harvest in Florida waters. Grouper spawn between January and May with some of the more tropical species spawning year-round.



State Record:
80 lb 6 oz, caught near Destin

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Grouper fishing from a boat typically involves baits fished near the bottom, with heavy tackle and heavier to bring grouper to the surface. Live fish or dead cut or whole bait are used. Grouper are very tasty meals.

Additional Information:

 

Goliath Grouper


Goliath Grouper: Epinephelus itajara
Appearance:

• Head and fins covered with small black spots
• Irregular dark and vertical bars present on the sides of body
• Pectoral and caudal fins rounded
• First dorsal fin shorter than and not separated from second dorsal
• Adults huge, up to 800 pounds
• Eyes small

Habitat:


Goliath are found nearshore often around docks, in deep holes, and on ledges. Young often occur in estuaries, especially around oyster bars. These fish are more abundant in southern Florida than in northern waters.





Behavior:


Goliath spawn over summer months and have a lifespan of 30 to 50 years. They feed on crustaceans and fish.



State Record:
680 lb, caught near Fernandina Beach (1961)

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Goliath grouper, commonly called jewfish, are totally protected from harvest in Florida waters.

Additional Information:

 

Nassau Grouper


Nassau Grouper: Epinephelus striatus
Appearance:

• Color light background with brown or red-brown bars on sides
• Stripe in shape of tuning fork on forehead
• Third spine of dorsal is longer than second
• Pelvic fins are shorter than pectoral
• Black dots located around the eyes
• Large black saddle on caudal peduncle
  
  

Habitat:


This grouper's range is limited to south Florida. Nassau grouper are somewhat site specific. Smaller individuals are found nearshore while adults are often found offhsore on rocky reefs.



Behavior:


Nassau grouper form large spawning aggregations, making this species highly vulnerable to overharvest.



State Record:
9 lb, caught near Marathon Key (2007)

Fishing Tips and Facts:
All harvest of this species is prohibited.

Additional Information:

 

Red Grouper


Red Grouper: Epinephelus morio
Appearance:

• 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

Habitat:
Red grouper are a bottom dwelling fish associated with hard bottoms. Juveniles are found offshore along with adults greater than 6 years old. Fish from 1 to 6 years occupy nearshore reefs.


Behavior:
This fish spawns in April and May. Red grouper prefer water temperatures between 66 and 77 degrees F. Like many other grouper, red grouper undergo a sex reversal; young individual females becoming males as they age. Red grouper have a lifespan of at least 25 years. They feeds on squid, crustaceans, and fish.

State Record:
42 lb 4 oz, caught near St. Augustine Inlet

Fishing Tips and Facts:


Additional Information:
Similar Fish: Nassau grouper, E. striatus.

 

Scamp


Scamp: Mycteroperca phenax
Appearance:

• Color light gray or brown
• Large adults with elongated caudal-fin rays
• Reddish brown spots are on sides that tend to be grouped into lines
• Some yellow around the corners of the mouth

Habitat:
Scamp are found around nearshore reefs off the northeastern coast, and on around offshore reefs in the Gulf.

Behavior:
These fish spawn in the late spring. Scamp feed on small fish, squid, and crustaceans. Young undergo a sex transformation from female to male as they becomes older.

State Record:
28 lb 6 oz, caught near Mayport

Fishing Tips and Facts:


Additional Information:
Scamp are similar in appearance to yellowmouth grouper, M. interstitialis.

 

Yellowfin Grouper

Yellowfin Grouper: Mycteroperca venenosa
Appearance:

color highly variable greenish olive or bright red with longitudinal rows of darker black blotches over entire fish; outer one third of pectoral fins bright yellow; lower parts of larger fish with small bright red spots

Habitat:
OFFSHORE on reefs off southern portions of Florida.

Behavior:
undergoes sex reversal from female to male in latter part of life; specific name translates to "venomous," alluding to the fact that this fish, perhaps more frequently than other groupers, is associated with ciguatera poisoning; feeds on fish and squid.

State Record:
34 lb 6 oz, caught near Key Largo

Fishing Tips and Facts:


Additional Information:

 

Yellowmouth Grouper


Yellowmouth Grouper: Mycteroperca interstitialis
Appearance:
color tan or brown with darker spots, or a network of spots, fused into lines; distinct yellow wash behind the jaws; yellow around the eyes; outer edges of fins yellowish.

Habitat:
OFFSHORE over reefs and rocks; not as common as scamp in the Gulf; range limited to southern Florida

Behavior:
undergoes sex reversal, young individuals female, older individuals becoming male; young fish are bi-colored, dark above white below; feeds on small fish and crustaceans.

State Record:
This species is not currently eligible for a state record.

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Similar Fish: scamp, M. phenax.

Additional Information:

 

Warsaw Grouper


Warsaw Grouper: Epinephelus nigritus
Appearance:
uniformly dark brown, with no distinct markings; dorsal fin with 10 spines; second spine very long (much longer than third); caudal fin squared-off; rear nostril larger than front nostril; young have yellow caudal fin with dark saddle on caudal peduncle; some whitish spots on body


Habitat:
deep rocky ledges and sea mounts, in 90-300 m (300-1000 ft). Young are sometimes caught in inshore waters.

Behavior:


State Record:
436 lb 12 oz, caught near Destin

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Size: to 1.8 m (6 ft.) and 263 kg (580 lbs)

Additional Information:

 

White Grunt


White Grunt: Haemulon plumieri
Appearance:
body color light bluish-gray, head with horizontal blue stripes, white underbelly; black blotch on preopercle; margin of each scale bronze; large bright orange mouth; scales above lateral line larger than scales below lateral line.

Habitat:
from SHORE to the outer reef edge or on OFFSHORE hard bottom to 115 feet; most abundant in water less than 80 feet deep; juveniles INSHORE.

Behavior:
audible grunting is produced by grinding of the pharyngeal teeth, with air bladder acting as amplifyer; spawning occurs on OFFSHORE hard bottoms or reefs from May through June; feeds on crustaceans, mollusks and small fishes.

State Record:
15 lb 8 oz, caught near Key West

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Size: most catches 1.5 pounds (15 inches).

Additional Information:

 

American Shad


American Shad: Alosa sapidissima
Appearance:

• Color of back green or greenish blue with silvery sides, white underneath (colors darken when fish enters fresh water to spawn)
• Belly with scutes forming distinct keel with one or more dark spots in a row behind operculum
• The lower jaw has a pointed tip that fits into v-shaped notch in upper jaw

Habitat:


American shad are typically found offshore except during late winter spawning run into east coast rivers, notably the St. Johns River.





Behavior:


Anadromous species, coming into fresh water to spawn; young remain in fresh water to length of 2 to 4 inches, then move out to sea.



State Record:
This species is not currently eligible for a state record.

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Plankton feeders, but will strike small, bright spoons or flies. Their roe (as many as 30,000 in a single female) is prized and their flesh is full of fork bones.

Additional Information:

 

Almaco Jack


Almaco Jack: Seriola rivoliana
Appearance:

• A deep-bodied amberjack
• Sometimes they appear darker in coloration and their front dorsal and anal fins are high and elongated
• The body is more flattened than the banded rudderfish or greater amberjack
• No bony scutes are found on the caudal peduncle
  
  

Habitat:


These jacks are wide-ranging in offshore waters and are not a common catch. The young almaco jacks are associated with Sargassum.



Behavior:


Almaco jacks spawn offshore during spring, summer, and fall.





State Record:
This species is not currently eligible for a state record.

Fishing Tips and Facts:


Additional Information:

 

Banded Rudderfish


Banded Rudderfish: Seriola zonata
Appearance:

• Fish that are less than 11 inches long have a dark band from the eye to the first dorsal fin and six prominent bars on body
• Larger fish are bluish, greenish, or brown
• Soft dorsal base about twice the length of the anal fin
• The tail-lobe is white tipped

Habitat:


These fish are found nearshore and offshore over hard bottom, generally in shallower water than other amberjacks. Young banded rudderfish are associated with weed lines or floating debris and may follow sharks and other large fish.





Behavior:


Adults feed on fish and shrimp. Spawning occurs offshore most of year.



State Record:
This species is not currently eligible for a state record.

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Similar Fish: other Seriola.

Additional Information:

 

Blue Runner


Blue Runner: Caranx crysos
Appearance:

• Color is light olive to bluish green above and silvery gray to golden below
• Frequently there is a black spot on operculum
• Readily distinguished from crevalle jack by lack of black blotch on pectoral fin
• Tail tips blackish
  

Habitat:


Juvenile blue runners are found offshore while adults are found nearshore in schools, but sometimes range inshore as well.



Behavior:


Blue runners spawn offshore from January through August. Young form schools associated with floating objects, and have been observed living inside the bell of jellyfish. Adults feed on fish, shrimp, and squid.



State Record:
8 lb 5 oz, caught near Pensacola

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Similar Fish: bluefish, Pomatomus saltarix, other Caranx.

Additional Information:

 

Crevalle Jack


Crevalle Jack: Caranx hippos
Appearance:

• Color bluish-green to greenish-gold back and silvery or yellowish belly
• Soft dorsal and anal fins almost identical in size
• Prominent black spot on operculum (gill cover)
• Black spot at the base of each pectoral fin
• No scales on throat
  
  

Habitat:


Crevalel jacks are common in both inshore waters and the open sea.



Behavior:


These fish can tolerate a wide range of salinities. Typically, schools will corner a school of baitfish at the surface and feed with commotion that can be seen at great distances. Crevalle jack feed mainly on small fish. Peak spawning occurs offshore from March through September.





State Record:
57 lb, caught near Jupiter

Fishing Tips and Facts:


Additional Information:

 

Greater Amberjack


Greater Amberjack: Seriola dumerili
Appearance:

• A dark stripe (variably present) extends from nose to in front of dorsal fin and "lights up" when fish is in feeding mode
• No scutes
• The soft dorsal base less than twice the length of the anal fin base

Habitat:


Greater amberjack are an offshore species associated with rocky reefs, debris, and wrecks. They are typically in 60 - 240 feet of water and sometimes caught nearshore in south Florida. Juveniles are associated with floating objects and may occur in water less than 30 feet deep.





Behavior:


Great amberjacks are the largest of the jacks. These fish are thought to spawn offshore throughout most of the year. Greater amberjack feed on squid, fish, and crustaceans.



State Record:
142 lb, caught near Islamorada

Fishing Tips and Facts:
The greater amberjack is similar to other species in the Seriola genus.

Additional Information:


Greater amberjack are common to 40 pounds.

 

esser Amberjack

Lesser Amberjack: Seriola fasciata
Appearance:

• Olive green or brownish black and silver sides
• Dark band (variably present) extends upward from eye
• Juveniles have split or wavy bars on sides
• Proportionately larger eye and deeper body than greater amberjack

Habitat:


Lesser amberjack are found nearshore and offshore. Thes fish are typically found in deeper waters than other Seriola (commonly 180 - 410 feet deep).





Behavior:


Lesser amberjacks are teh smallest of the amberjacks. It is believed they spawn offshore. Adults eat fish and squid.



State Record:
This species is not currently eligible for a state record.

Fishing Tips and Facts:


Additional Information:

 

Florida Pompano


Florida Pompano: Trachinotus carolinus
Appearance:

• Greenish gray on back, shading to silvery sides
• Fish in dark waters showing gold on throat, pelvic, and anal fins
• Deep flattened body with small mouth
• No scutes
• 22 to 27 soft dorsal rays; 20 to 23 soft anal rays
• Origin of anal fin slightly behind origin of second dorsal
  
  

Habitat:


Florida pompano are common in inshore and nearshore waters, especially along sandy beaches, along oyster banks, and over grassbeds. They are often in turbid water and may be found in water as deep as 130 feet.





Behavior:


These fish spawn offshore between March and September. Florida pampano feed on mollusks and crustaceans, especially sand fleas. Local movements are influenced by the tide, and seasonal movements are influenced by temperature.



State Record:
8 lb 4 oz, caught near Port St. Joe

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Similar Fish Permit, T. falcatus, palometa, T. goodei. The permit is deeper bodied; dorsal body profile not strongly angled at insertion of second dorsal fin; pompano rarely grow larger than 6 pounds, permit common to 40 pounds

Additional Information:

 

Palometa


Palometa: Trachinotus goodei
Appearance:

• Grayish-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 fin nearer the tail
• No scutes

Habitat:


Palometa are most common in clear water along sandy beaches and bays, and occasionally found over reefs. They are most common in south Florida.



Behavior:


This fish is thought to spawn offshore in during the spring, summer, and fall. Palometa have shown rapid growth in mariculture experiments.



State Record:
This species is not currently eligible for a state record.

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Palometa readily strikes small artificial lures.

Additional Information:
Similar Fish: pompano, T. carolinus; permit, T. falcatus.