Florida Big Game Saltwater Fish Identification

Permit


Permit: Trachinotus falcatus
Appearance:

• Color gray, dark or iridescent blue above, shading to silvery on the sides
• May show golden tints around the breast in darker waters
• Smaller fish have teeth on the tongue
• No scutes
• Dorsal fin insertion is directly above that of the anal fin
• 17 to 21 soft dorsal rays; 16 to 19 soft anal rays

Habitat:


These coastal fish inhabit tropical grass and sand flats, near reefs and wrecks.



Behavior:


Spawning occurs primarily in early summer and again in fall. Permit have a specialized plate at the back of their mouth that helps them crush hard-shelled animals such as clams and crabs.



State Record:
56 lb 2 oz, caught near Ft. Lauderdale

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Anglers cast live crabs to schools of permit hoping to catch one of these line-stripping fish, which also take shrimp, clams and occasionally small fish.

Additional Information:
Permit are most common in south Florida. This member of the jack family can reach 40 inches and 50 pounds, but most are about 25-pounds

 

Cero Mackerel


Cero Mackerel: Scomberomorous regalis
Appearance:

• Color of back iridescent bluish green
• Sides silvery with yellow spots forming lines above and below a bronze stripe from pectoral fin to base of tail
• Front of the first dorsal fin is bluish black
• Lateral line curves gradually to base of caudal fin

Habitat:


Cero mackerel are nearshore and offshore fish occurring mainly in south Florida. The are frequently found over coral reefs and wrecks.



Behavior:


Unlike other mackerels, cero mackerels do not stray far from south Florida waters. They spawn offhshore in midsummer and feed on small fish and squid.



State Record:
17 lb 2 oz, caught near Islamorada

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Similar Fish: Spanish mackerel, S. maculatus; king mackerel, S. cavalla (only the cero has the yellow-brown stripes from the pectoral to caudal fin).

Additional Information:

 

King Mackerel


King Mackerel: Scomberomorus cavalla
Appearance:

• Color ranges from black iridescent to bluish green with silvery sides
• The body is streamlined with a tapered head
• No black pigment present on the front of the first dorsal fin
• The lateral line starts high and drops sharply below the second dorsal fin
• Young fish often have yellowish spots, similar to the Spanish mackerel

Habitat:


King mackerel are found both nearshore and offshore, often around piers. They may occasionally be found in deep water.



Behavior:


Kings are schooling fish that migrate from south Florida waters in winter northward in spring. They spawn offshore in mid-summer.



State Record:
90 lb, caught near Key West

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Kings feed on small fish and squid and take both natural and artificial baits. Live baits include pogies, herring, Spanish sardine, ballyhoo, and mullet. Lures should be flashy sub-surface lures or large fish-like plugs. Use 20-pound line and tackle, or heavier for larger kings, with a wire or mono leader.

Additional Information:

 

Spanish Mackerel


Spanish Mackerel: Scomberomorous maculatus
Appearance:

• Color of back green, shading to silver on sides with golden yellow irregular spots found above and below the lateral line
• Front of dorsal fin is black
• Lateral line curves gently to base of tail

Habitat:
Spanish mackerel are prevalent throughout Florida waters: inshore, offshore and nearshore. They are frequently found over grass beds and reefs. These mackerel are absent from north Florida waters in winter.

Behavior:
Spanish mackerel are a schooling fish that migrates northward in spring, returning to southerly waters when water temperature drops below 70 degrees F. They spawns offshore from spring through summer and feeds on small fish and squid.


State Record:
12 lb, caught near Ft. Pierce

Fishing Tips and Facts:


Additional Information:
Spanish mackerel are similar in appearence to cero, S. regalis; and king mackerel, S. cavalla.

 

Wahoo


Wahoo: Acanthocybium solanderi
Appearance:


A member of the mackerel family, long and streamlined with about 30 dark wavy bars for camouflage.



Habitat:


Found offshore; generally not in schools.



Behavior:


Known for their tremendous runs and shifts of direction.



State Record:
139 lb, caught near Marathon

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Wahoo are caught by trolling bait and artificial lures on flatlines.

Additional Information:

 

Fantail Mullet


Fantail Mullet: Mugil gyrans
Appearance:

• Color olive green with blue tints on back, shading to silvery sides, white below
• Anal and pelvic fins yellowish
• Dark blotch at base of pectoral fin
• Inverted V-shaped mouth
• Insertion of second dorsal over that of anal fin

Habitat:


These are an inshore species, occuring along beaches in the fall.



Behavior:


Fantail mullet spawn in nearshore and possibly inshore waters during spring and summer. Juveniles occur inshore. This fish feeds on algae, small crustaceans and detritus.



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

Fishing Tips and Facts:
small mullet, less than 1 pound.

Additional Information:

 

Striped Mullet


Striped Mullet: Mugil cephalus
Appearance:

• Color bluish-gray or green above, shading to silver on sides with distinct horizontal black barrings, white below
• Fins lightly scaled at base, unscaled above
• Blunt nose and small mouth
• Second dorsal fin originates behind that of the dorsal fin

Habitat:


Striped mullet are commonly found inshore.



Behavior:
Adult striped mullet migrate offshore in large schools to spawn. Juveniles migrate inshore at about 1 inch in size, moving far up tidal creeks. These fish are frequent leapers and feed on algae, detritus and other tiny marine forms.

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

Fishing Tips and Facts:


Additional Information:


Striped mullet are common to 3 pounds but in aquariums are known to reach 12 pounds or more.

Striped mullet are similar in appearance to the white mullet,M. curema; fantail mullet, M. gyrans. Both white and fantail mullet have black blotch at base of pectoral fin, which is lacking in the striped mullet.

 

Jolthead Porgy


Jolthead Porgy: Calamus bajonado
Appearance:

• Generally silvery to brassy, with a bluish cast
• Front of the head is brown, with a blue line along lower rim of eye; a whitish stripe below eye, and another between the eye and mouth
• Corner of mouth is orange
  

Habitat:


Jolthead porgy are found in coastal waters to 45 m (150 ft.). They range from Rhode Island to Bermuda, and from the northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil.





Behavior:


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

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Regarded as a good fish, but may cause ciguatera.

Additional Information:

 

Knobbed Porgy


Knobbed Porgy: Calamus nodosus
Appearance:

• Body deep; front profile very steep
• Nape projects strongly in large adults
• Body is generally silvery, with a rosy cast
• Cheek and snout are dark purplish gray, with many bronze spots
• Large blue spot at axil of pectoral fin

Habitat:


hardbottom, reefs, ledges. N.C. to s. Fla. and entire Gulf of Mexico.





Behavior:


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

Fishing Tips and Facts:


Additional Information:

 

Pinfish


Pinfish: Lagodon rhomboides
Appearance:

• 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

Habitat:
Pinfish are commonly found near seagrass beds, bridges, piers, marker pilings, and around natural and artificial reefs.

Behavior:


These fish spawn offshore.





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

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Pinfish are popular live bait.

Additional Information:
Pinfish are notorious for stealing bait

 

Red Porgy


Red Porgy: Pagrus pagrus
Appearance:

• The only American porgy with a near nostril that is round (not slit-like)
• Head and body silvery red, with many tiny blue spots

Habitat:
Adult red porgy are found on the deeper part of the continental shelf, but young may occur in water as shallow as 18 m (60ft.).

Behavior:


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

Fishing Tips and Facts:


Additional Information:

 

Sheepshead


Sheepshead: Archosargus probatocephalus
Appearance:

• Basic silvery color with 5 or 6 distinct vertical black bars on the sides; bars are not always the same on both sides
• Prominent teeth, including incisors, molars and rounded grinders
• No barbels on the lower jaw
• Strong and sharp spines on the dorsal and anal fins

Habitat:


Sheepshead are an inshore species and are commonly found around oyster bars, seawalls and in tidal creeks. They move nearshore during late winter and early spring for spawning.



Behavior:


Sheepshead are fractional spawners (they only lay a portion of their eggs at a time) in inshore waters, typically in March and April. They are omnivorous feeding mostly on crustaceans and small fish.



State Record:
15 lb 2 oz, caught near Homosassa

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Use live shrimp, sand fleas or fiddler crabs on a small hook fished on the bottom. When cleaning, beware of the sharp gill covers.

Additional Information:
Sheepshead are an important commercial species.

 

Bank Sea Bass


Bank Sea Bass: Centropristis ocyurus
Appearance:

• Pale olive or brassy brown in color with indistinct black blotches that form vertical barrings (the blotch above the pectoral fin is darker)
• Wavy blue lines on the head and the lips are purplish-blue
• The caudal fin is tri-lobed on adults
• Edge of the nape is unscaled
  
  

Habitat:


Bank sea bass are found offshore in deep water with rocks and reefs.





Behavior:


These fish feed on the bottom consuming squid, crustaceans, and small fish.



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

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Bank sea bass start life as females and then change to male after three to four spawning seasons.

Additional Information:

 

Black Sea Bass


Black Sea Bass: Centropristis striata
Appearance:

• Basic color is dark brown or black
• Dorsal fin has rows and stripes of white on black
• Large males have iridescent blue and ebony markings and a fatty hump in front of the dorsal fin
• Females may have indistinct vertical barings
• The topmost ray of the caudal fin is much elongated in adults and may be tri-lobed
• A sharp spine is located near the posterior margin of gill cover

Habitat:


Black sea bass are structure-loving fish and are associated with reefs and rubble found offshroe. Smaller specimens are often found inshore in finger channels.



Behavior:


These fish spawn January through March and are protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning older females becoming breeding males. Black sea bass are omnivorous bottom feeders, and their diet includes small fish, crustaceans, and shellfish.



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

Fishing Tips and Facts:
Similar Fish: bank sea bass C. ocyurus; other Centropristis.

Additional Information:

 

Rock Sea Bass


Rock Sea Bass: Centropristis philadelphica
Appearance:

• Color olive-brown or bronze, with dark blotches forming vertical bars
• Dark black blotch on middle of dorsal fin base
• Tip of lower jaw purplish
• Bright blue and orange stripes and markings on head and fins
• Fully scaled nape
• Tail tri-lobed in adults

Habitat:
Rock sea bass are found offshore often on sandy or muddy bottoms.

Behavior:
These fish spawn January through March. Young adults are predominently female and transform into males as they grow older. The maximum size for rock sea bass is about 10 inches.

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

Fishing Tips and Facts:


Additional Information:
Rock sea bass are similar in appearance to bank sea bassC. ocyurus; and other Centropristis.

 

Atlantic Sharpnose Shark


Atlantic Sharpnose Shark: Rhizoprionodon terraenovae
Appearance:

• The snout is flattened and long
• White trailing edge of pectoral
• Dorsal and caudal fins are black-edged, especially when young
• May have small whitish spots on sides
• Furrows in lips at the corners of the mouth
• Outer margin of teeth are notched
• Second dorsal fin originates over middle of anal fin
• Slender bodies are brown to olive-gray in color with a white underside

Habitat:


Inshore species, even found in surf. These sharks are also common in bays and estuaries. Adults occur offshore.





Behavior:


mature adults between 2 and 2.75 feet long; 4-7 newborns range from 9 to 14 inches in length; adults feed on small fish and crustaceans.



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

Fishing Tips and Facts:


Additional Information:

 

Bonnethead Shark


Bonnethead Shark: Sphyrna tiburo
Appearance:

• Broadly widened head in the shape of a shovel
• Only slight indentation of anal fin
• Front of head not notched at midline
• Gray or grayish-brown in color

Habitat:


Bonnethead sharks are an inshore species found in bays and estuaries.





Behavior:


These sharks mature at about 3 feet in length and bear 6 to 12 young at one time. They feed chiefly on crabs and other crustaceans.



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

Fishing Tips and Facts:


Additional Information

 

Sandbar Shark


Sandbar Shark: Carcharhinus plumbeus
Appearance:

• Snout broadly rounded and short
• First dorsal fin triangular and very high
• Poorly developed dermal ridge between dorsal fins
• Brown or gray in color with white underside
• Upper and lower teeth finely serrated

Habitat:
Sandbar sharks are a nearshore fish typically found at depths ranging from 60 to 200 feet.

Behavior:
These sharks are both predators and scavengers. Feeding occurs chiefly near the bottom on fish and shellfish. Sandbar sharks migrate long distances and they mature at about 6 feet in length.

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

Fishing Tips and Facts:


Additional Information:
Sandbar sharks are similar in appearance to the dusky shark, Carcharhinus obscurus; and the bull shark,Carcharhinus leucas.

 

Scalloped Hammerhead Shark


Scalloped Hammerhead Shark: Sphyrna lewini
Appearance:

• Fifth gill slit shorter than 4 preceding ones and located posterior to pectoral fin base
• Flattened head extending to hammer-like lobes on each side
• Distinct indentation of the front margin of the head at its midpoint
• Second dorsal fin longer than tail
• Gray-brown to olive in color with white underbelly
• Teeth smooth-edged
• Pectoral fins tipped with black on the undersurface
• Tips of first and second dorsal lobes and caudal also may have dusky tips
• Pelvic fin with nearly straight hind margin

Habitat:
The scalloped hammerheard shark is found both offshore and inshore.

Behavior:
Scalloped hammerhead sharks are predatory fish and they feeding mainly on fish, squid, and stingrays. Males mature at about 6 feet in length.

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

Fishing Tips and Facts:


Additional Information:

 

Shortfin Mako Shark


Shortfin Mako Shark: Isurus oxyrinchus
Appearance:

• Lunate tail with similarly sized lobes
• Lateral keel at the base of the tail
• Deep blue back and white underside
• Underside of sharply pointed snout white
• Origin of first dorsal entirely behind base of pectoral fins
• Second dorsal fin slightly in front of anal fin
• Slender, recurved teeth with smooth edge

Habitat:
Shortfin mako sharks are an offshore fish, often seen near the surface of the water.

Behavior:
These fish are active and strong swimming. Shortfin mako are known for leaping out of the water when hooked. They feed on mackerel, tuna, sardines, and some much larger fish.

State Record:
911 lb 12 oz, caught near Palm Beach

Fishing Tips and Facts:


Additional Information:


These sharks are similar in appearance to the white shark,Carcharodon carcharias and the longfin mako, I. paucus.