HERE ARE THE MAIN AND SECOUNDARY SPECIES WE HAVE LOCALLY
THE BIG 3
THESE ARE THE MAIN 3 SPECIES THAT WE TARGET ON OUR TRIPS
REDFISH aka RED DRUM
Appearance:
- Body is copper-bronze, fading to a lighter belly
- One or more dark, ocellated spots at base of tail
- Lack barbels on lower jaw
- Large scales
- Powerful pharyngeal teeth used to crush oysters and other shellfish
State Record: 52 lb 5 oz, caught near Cocoa (1996)
SNOOK
Appearance:
- Large mouth with a protruding lower jaw
- Jaw reaches below the rear portion of the eye
- Sloping forehead
- High dorsal fin that is divided
- Black lateral line extends onto tail
- Pelvic fin yellow in color
State Record: 45 lbs 12 oz, caught near Sebastian
TARPON aka SILVER KING
Appearance:
- Back is dark blue-green or greenish-black, becoming bright silver on the sides
- One dorsal fin; last ray of dorsal fin extended into a long filament
- Very large scales
- Mouth large and points upward
- Size: Up to 8 feet (300 pounds)
State Record: 243 lb, caught near Key West
OTHER FISH SPECIES YOU WILL SEE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
THESE FISH SHOW UP INSHORE DURING DIFFRENT SEASONS. WE ALWAYS KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THEM
FLOUNDER aka FLATTY
Appearance Southern Flounder:
- Bottom-oriented flatfish with both eyes on the left side
- May have five or more dark spots and blotches on the body, but spots are not eyelike
- Strong canine-like teeth
- Wedge-shaped tail, its tip in the middle
SPECKELED SEATROUT
Appearance:
- Back is dark gray or green, fading to a silvery or white belly
- Several black spots on back extend to dorsal fins and tail
- Pair of large canine teeth at tip of upper jaw
- Lack barbels on lower jaw
State Record: 17 lb 7 oz, caught near Ft. Pierce
COBIA aka BROWNIE
Appearance:
- Long, slim fish with a broad, depressed head
- Brown in color, fading to a white
- Lower jaw projects past upper jaw
- Young have alternating black and white horizontal stripes
State Record: 130 lb 1 oz, caught near Destin
TRIPLETAIL
Appearance:
- Upper profile concave at nape
- Elongated dorsal and anal fins give the illusion of three tails
- Head and body typically has blotches of tan to yellow or dark brown
- Edge of preopercle (cheek) very serrated
State Record: 40.8 lbs.
SHEEPSHEAD aka CONVICT
Appearance:
- Body has lightly colored background with vertical black bars on sides
- Prominent teeth, including incisors, molars and rounded grinders
- No barbels on lower jaw
- Dorsal and anal fins with strong, sharp spines
State Record: 15 lb 2 oz, caught near Homosassa
JACK CREVALLE aka JACK
Appearance:
- Back bluish-green to greenish-gold, belly silver or yellowish
- Prominent black spot on gill cover
- Black spot at the base of each pectoral fin
- Second dorsal fin and anal fin almost identical in size
- Body deep, front of head steep
State Record: 57 lb, caught near Jupiter
BLACK DRUM
Appearance:
- Back is highly-arched and gray or black, fading to a lighter belly
- Juveniles have 4 to 6 dark vertical bars on sides (fade with age)
- Barbels on lower jaw
- Large scales
- Powerful pharyngeal teeth used to crush oysters and other shellfish
State Record: 96 lbs, caught near Fernandina Beach
LADYFISH
Appearance:
aka POOR MAN'S TARPON
- Silver color on body, with a blueish back
- Head small and pointed
- Mouth terminal (at the very front of head)
- Slender body with small scales
- Last dorsal ray not extended into long filament
BONEFISH
Appearance:
aka THE GHOST OF THE FLATS
- Silvery color with a bluish or greenish back
- Slender, round body
- Snout long and overhanging lower jaw
- Dark streaks on upper half of body and faint cross-bands extending down to lateral line
- Extremities of dorsal and caudal fins are shaded with black
State Record: 16 lb 3 oz, caught near Islamorada
