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Species |
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These are just a few species of fish you can see and catch in south Florida's shallow water bays and estuaries:
Bonefish
Description: silvery color with bluish or greenish back; slender, round body; snout long, conical, aiming downward and overhanging lower jaw; dark streaks between scales on upper half of body and faint crossbands extending down to lateral line; extremities of dorsal and caudal fins shaded with black. Size: 3 to 5 pounds. Florida Record: 15 lbs., 6 oz.
Permit
Description: color gray, dark or iridescent blue above, shading to silvery sides, in dark waters showing golden tints around breast; small permit have teeth on tongue (none on pompano); no scutes; dorsal fin insertion directly above that of the anal fin; 17 to 21 soft anal rays. Size: common to 25 pounds. Florida Record: 51 lbs., 8 oz.
Tarpon
Description: last ray of dorsal fin extended into long filament; one dorsal fin; back dark blue to green or greenish black, shading into bright silver on the sides; may be brownish gold in estuarien waters; huge scales; mouth large and points upward. Size: most angler catchs 40 to 50 pounds. Florida Record: 243 lbs.
Common Snook
Description: distinct lateral line; high, divided dorsal fin; sloping forehead; large mouth, protruding lower jaw; grows much larger than other snooks; pelvic fin yellow. Size: most catches 5 to 8 pounds Florida Record: 44 lbs., 3 oz.
Spotted Seatrout
Description: dark gray or green above, with sky blue tinges shading to silvery and white below; numerous distinct round black spots on back, extending to the dorsal fins and tail; black margin on posterior of tail; no barbels; no scales on the soft dorsal fin; one or two prominent canine teeth usually present at tip of upper jaw. Size: common to 4 pounds on west coast, larger on east coast. Florida Record: 15 lbs., 6 oz.
Red Drum (redfish)
Description: 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. Size: one of 27 inches weighs about 8 pounds Florida Record: 51 lbs., 8 oz.
Florida Pompano
Description: 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. Size: usually less than 3 pounds Florida Record: 8 lbs, 1 oz.
Black Drum
Description: high arched back; 10 to 14 pairs of chin barbels; gray or black colored body in adults; young have 4 to 6 vertical bars; has cobblestone-like teeth capable of crushing oysters; scales large. Size: common to 30 pounds. Florida Record: 93 lbs.
Fat Snook
Description: deeper body than other snooks; color yellow-brown to green-brown above, silvery on sides; black lateral line extends onto tail; mouth reaches to or beyond center of eye; usually no dusky outer edge on pelvic fin, as in other snooks; smallest scales of all snooks. Size: a small species, rarely more than 20 inches.
Swordspine Snook
Description: smallest of the snooks; profile slightly concave; prominent lateral line outlined in black (not solid), extends through caudal fin; color yellow-green to brown-green above, silvery below; giant second anal spine, hence the name; largest scales of all snook. Size: usually less than 1 pound (12 inches).
Tarpon Snook
Description: only snook with 7 anal fin rays (others have 6); lower jaw curves upward; compressed body; prominent black lateral line extends through tail; tips of pelvic fin reach beyond anus. Size: usually less than 1 pound (12 inches).
Ladyfish
Description: terminal mouth, slender body, small scales; last dorsal ray not elongated; head small and pointed. Size: 2 to 3 pounds Florida Record: 4 lbs., 10 oz.
Cobia (ling)
Description: long, slim fish with broad depressed head; lower jaw projects past upper jaw; dark lateral stripe extends through eye to tail; first dorsal fin comprised of 7 to 9 free spines; when young, has conspicuous alternating black and white horizontal stripes. Size: common to 30 pounds Florida Record: 103 lbs., 12 oz.
Triple Tail
Upper body dark brown to black
with light brown to gray edges on scales. Lower body bronze with gray
to white edges on scales. Long black rounded dorsal and anal fins,
extending almost to the tail. Florida Record Triple Tail: 42.5 lbs.
Crevalle Jack
Description: 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. Size: usually 3 to 5 pounds Florida Record: 51 lbs.
Bonnethead Shark
Description: 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. Size: commonly 3 to 4 feet.
Scalloped Hammerhead
Description: fifth gill slit shorter than 4 preceeding 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. Size: common to 6 feet and can reach 14 feet.
Atlantic Sharpnose Shark
Description: long and flattened snout; white trailing edge of pectoral; black-edged dorsal and caudal fins, especially when young; may have small whitish spots on sides; furrows in lips at the corners of the mouth; outer margin of teeth notched; second dorsal fin originates over middle of anal fin; brown to olive-gray in color with white underside; slender body. Size: small species, 2 to 4 feet.
Fresh Water Species These are some of the fresh water species in south Florida. Butterfly Peacock
Florida Bass
Description - The largemouth is the largest member of the sunfish family. It generally has light greenish to brownish sides with a dark lateral line which tends to break into blotches towards the tail. Often confused with smallmouth and spotted bass, it is easily distinguishable because the upper jaw extends beyond the rear edge of the eye. Also, its first and second dorsal fins are almost separated by an obvious deep dip, and there are no scales on the soft-rayed second dorsal fin or on the anal fin.
Warmouth
Description - The warmouth closely
resembles a bass or a bream. It has a stout, deep body similar to
that of a bluegill or redear sunfish, yet has a large bass-like
mouth. The red eye and large mouth are the first conspicuous field
marks of mature warmouth. They vary from brassy to dark-olive green
and often have a purple tint overall. Broad, irregular dark bars
give it a mottled appearance. The soft-rayed portions of the dorsal
and anal fins are marked with rows of dark spots. Three or four
conspicuous dark stripes radiate back from the eye across to the
cheek and gill cover.
Bluegill
Description - Bluegills have small mouths and oval-shaped, almost rounded, bodies. Body coloration is highly variable with size, sex, spawning, water color, bottom type, and amount of cover. In general, they are somewhat lavender and bronze with about six dark bars on their sides. Males tend to have a copper-colored bar over the top of the head behind the eyes. The breast is silver to slightly blue most of the year, with some yellow or orange during spawning season. Females are generally lighter colored than males. Two distinctive characteristics are the prominent black spot on the rear edge of the gill-cover and a black spot at the base of the posterior portion of the dorsal fin.
Redear Sunfish
Description - The redear is similar in shape to the bluegill, but lacks the dark spot at the base of the posterior portion of the dorsal fin and has a red or orange border around the "ear" flap. The body coloration is light olive-green to gold, with red or orange flecks on the breast. The breast of a mature redear is typically a rather bright yellow. The body is heavily spotted and they have long, pointed pectoral fins. Five to 10 vertical bars are more or less evident on the sides, depending on the size of the fish. Males and females are similar in appearance, although the male is generally more colorful.
Black Crappie
Description - The black crappie is a silvery-green to yellowish fish with large dorsal and anal fins of almost identical shape and size. The sides are marked with black blotches which become more intense towards the back. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins also are marked with rows of dark spots. Crappies have compressed bodies, small heads and arched backs. It has a large mouth with an upper jaw extending under the eye. |
