1 Striped Anchovy - Anchoa hepsetus Bluefish - Pomatomus saltatrix Bay Anchovy - Anchoa mitchilli Great Barracuda - Sphyraena barracuda Pictures Descriptions Anchoa hepsetus – ANCHOVIES Anchoa mitchilli – ANCHOVIES Description: snout length somewhat less than Description: body relatively deep; head short; eye diameter; silver stripe on body narrow - width snout very short, only slightly overhanging mouth; less than eye diameter or snout length throughout; silvery stripe narrow, often faint or absent toward back greenish; some yellowish about the head; front; stripe fades after death; body grayish, with melanophores outline all dorsal scales, especially few melanophores above; dorsal fin far back - the those behind the dorsal fin; dorsal fin begins only U.S. species in which that fin begins above or above a point well in front of anal fin, and ends only very slightly in front of anal fin; 11 to 14 above front rays of anal fin; 14 to 17 dorsal fin (usually 12 to 13) pectoral fin rays; 23 to 31 rays (usually 16), 15 to 18 pectoral fin rays (usually 24 to 29) anal fin rays (usually 16 to 17), and 20 to 24 anal fin rays (usually 21 to 23) Size: to 10 centimeters (4 inches) Size to 15 cm (6 in.) Where found: in shallow bays and estuaries, but found in water up to 120 feet; common in brackish waters Pomatomus saltatrix – BLUEFISHES Sphyraena barracuda – BARRACUDAS Description: color blue or greenish blue on back, Description: gray, with greenish cast above, sides silvery; mouth large; teeth prominent, sharp, whitish below; many irregular small black blotches and compressed; dorsal and anal fins nearly the on lower side; 18 to 22 diagonal dark bars on same size; scales small; lateral line almost sraight upper side (not always evident); caudal fin dark with white tips; 75 to 87 lateral line scales; no Similar fish: blue runner, C. crysos fleshy tip on jaw Where found: young usually inshore spring and Young: dark stripe on side; stripe breaks into dark summer, moving offshore to join adults fall and squarish blotches as fish grows winter; strong migration of northeast Atlantic stock to Florida east coast in winter Size: to 6 ft and 106 lbs; reports of larger fish unverified Size: most west coast catches under 3 pounds, much larger on east coast Where found: young live in inshore seagrass beds; adults range from inshore channels to open Remarks: travels in large schools, following ocean schools of baitfish; cannibalistic; all members of a given school about the same size; spawning Remarks: flesh of smaller fish apparently not occurs offshore in spring and summer poisonous, but larger fish sometimes very toxic due to ciguatera; no safe, reliable way of recognizing toxic fish 2 3 Black Drum - Pogonias cromis Spot - Leiostomus xanthurus Atlantic Croaker - Micropogonias undulatus Red Drum - Sciaenops ocellatus Pictures Descriptions Pogonias cromis – DRUMS Micropogonias undulates – DRUMS Description: high arched back; 10 to 14 pairs of Description: inferior mouth; 3 to 5 pairs of small chin barbels; gray or black colored body in adults; barbels on chin; silver-gray or bronze body with young have 4 to 6 vertical bars; has cobblestone- dark oblique wavy bars or lines; iridescent like teeth capable of crushing oysters; scales especially on head; preopercle strongly serrated large Similar fish: spot, Leiostomus xanthurus (no chin Similar fish: red drum; the vertical bars on barbels with a dark blotch on shoulder) juvenile black drum are somewhat similar to those on sheepshead; and spadefish Size: usually less than 2 pounds Where found: inshore fish common to bays and Where found: generally found north of Tampa lagoons; bottom dweller often found around oyster Bay on the west coast, and north of Cape beds; also offshore Canaveral on the east coast; young fish found in estuaries; older fish (2 to 3 years) inhabit deep Size: common to 30 pounds offshore waters during the winter months and move into bays and estuaries during the spring, Remarks: largest member of the drum family; summer, and fall spawns nearshore in winter and early spring; feeds on oysters, mussels, crabs, shrimp, and Remarks: during spawning becomes bronze or occasionally fish; longevity to 35 or more years yellow in color; spawning apparently occurs offshore in fall; longevity 2 to 4 years Leiostomus xanthurus – DRUMS Sciaenops ocellatus – DRUMS Description: the only drum in our region with a Other local names: redfish distinctly forked caudal fin; bluish to brownish above; brassy on side; silvery to white below; Description: chin without barbels; copper-bronze distinct brownish spot on shoulder; 12 to 15 body, lighter shade in clear waters; one to many narrow, diagonal dark lines on upper body spots at base of tail (rarely no spots); mouth horizontal and opening downward; scales large Size: to 36 centimeter (14 inches) Similar fish: black drum, Pogonias cromis Remarks: a popular pan fish Where found: juveniles are inshore fish, migrating out of the estuaries at about 30” (4 years) to join the spawning population offshore Size: common to 20 pounds Remarks: spawning occurs from August to November in nearshore waters; feeds on crustaceans, fish, and mollusks; longevity to 20 years or more 4 5 Atlantic Silverside – Menidia menidia Atlantic Thread Herring - Opisthonema oglinum Spotted Seatrout - Cynoscion nebulosus PIgfish - Orthopristis chrysoptera Pictures Descriptions Menidia menidia – SILVERSIDES Cynoscion nebulosus – DRUMS Description: Body firm and opaque, two dorsal Description: dark gray or green above, with sky- fins, snout pointed, mouth small and oblique, blue tinges shading to silvery and white below; silvery white ventrally, with bright silver mid lateral numerous distinct round black spots on back, stripe, between 43 and 55 lateral scales, 23-25 extending to the dorsal fins and tail; no barbels; anal fin rays. no scales on the soft dorsal fin; one or two prominent canine teeth usually present at tip of Where found: Tidal creeks and grass flats in upper jaw summer, deeper waters in winter. Spawns in intertidal or shallow estuarine waters. Where found: inshore and/or nearshore over grass, sand, and sandy mud bottoms; move into Size: maximum 5 inches slow-moving or still, deep waters in cold weather Size: common to 4 pounds on west coast, larger on east coast Remarks: matures during first or second year and spawns inshore from March through November, often in association with seagrass beds; lives mainly in estuaries and moves only short distances Opisthonema oglinum – HERRINGS Orthopristis chrysoptera – GRUNTS Other local names: gizzard shad Description: gray, often with a bluish cast; many bronze to yellowish spots, dashes, and other Description: back dark blue/gray, sides silvery, small markings; mouth small, ending below front belly white; small head nostril Where found: in salt water from Cape Cod to Size: to 38 centimeters (15 inches) Brazil, including Gulf of Mexico Where found: bay and banks; not on reefs in Size: up to 16" water less than 60 feet Remarks: has scales on ridge of back before dorsal fin 6 7 Striped Burrfish – Chilomycterus schoepfi Crevalle Jack - Caranx hippos Southern Puffer – Sphoeroides nephelus Spanish Mackeral - Scomberomorous maculatus Pictures Descriptions Chilomycterus schoepfi – PUFFERS Sphoeroides nephelus – PUFFERS Description: Oval, broad, slightly depressed; Description: Brown body, paler below, adorned covered with stout, 3-rooted, immovable spines. with a variety of darker and lighter spots and Back green to olive green or brownish; upper blotches and often pale tan rings and semicircles. sides with irregular, oblique, narrow to wide, black Larger dark splotches along the lower sides are or brown lines; lower sides whitish; belly whitish or variable and dark slashes may occur on the lower golden yellow; dark blotches with light halos at cheek. Dark interorbital (between the eyes) bar dorsal and anal fin bases and above and behind and a distinctive dark spot at the axil of the pectoral fin base. 1 tooth in each jaw, fused to pectoral fins. Mature, ripe males may be covered form parrot-like beak. Pectoral and caudal fins with small, bright red or orange spots. well developed; dorsal and anal fins short-based. Similar fish: Northern puffer, S. maculatus; these Where found: shallow sea-grass beds in congeners are similar in appearance, although summer; to depths of 225 feet (69 m) in winter. southern puffers lack the dark spots and diffuse gray bars characteristic of the northern puffer Size: to 10 inches Where found: benthic inhabitant of bays, estuaries, and protected waters to a depth of 11 m, and is frequently encountered in and around seagrass beds Size: commonly reach a length of 20 cm Caranx hippos – JACKS Scomberomorous maculates - MACKERELS Description: color bluish-green to greenish-gold back and silvery or yellowish belly; soft dorsal and Description: color of back green, shading to anal fins almost identical in size; prominent black silver on sides, golden yellow irregular spots spot on operculum (gill cover); black spot at the above and below lateral line; front of dorsal fin base of each pectoral fin; no scales on throat black; lateral line curves gently to base of tail Similar fish: other Caranx Similar Fish: cero, S. regalis; king mackerel, S. cavalla Where found: common to both INSHORE waters and the open sea Where found: inshore, nearshore and offshore, especially over grass beds and reefs; absent from Size: usually 3 to 5 pounds north Florida waters in winter Size: average catch less than 2 pounds (20 Remarks: tolerates