Dolphin (aka Mahi-Mahi or Dorado)
Bright greenish blue with yellow on sides and a variety of other colors. Irregular blue or golden blotches scattered over sides; anterior profile of head on adult males is nearly vertical; head of females more sloping.
Where Habitat: Offshore in warm waters. Around weed lines or floating objects. One of the fastest growing fish, thought to live no more than 5 years; swimming at speeds up to 50 knots.
Feeding: Feeds mostly on ballyhoo, flying fish, grass minnows, squid, and crustaceans. Trolling skirted dead bait or artificial rigs proven to be very successful method of angling. Known to change colors to all gold or yellow when feeling threatened, causing them to stop feeding.
Size: from 8-40lbs. Current Florida state record 77 lbs.
Bag/Size Limit: 10 per person per day – no size limit on this fish.
Eat: Outstanding table fare. Nice white fillets, with a very light fish taste. Found on the menu at most restaurants and known as a “Florida Favorite”.
Blue Marlin
Also called sailfish, marlin have an elongated body, a spear-like snout or bill, and a long rigid dorsel fin, which extends forward to form a crest. Its common name is thought to derive from its resemblance to a sailor’s marlinspike. Marlin are incredibly fast swimmers, reaching speeds of about 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph).
Habitat: A highly migratory species, blue marlins are usually found offshore in deep blue tropical or temperate waters.
Feeding: Blue marlin’s prey includes octopuses, squid and pelagic fishes such as blackfin tuna and frigate mackerel. They hunt during the daytime rarely gathering in schools, preferring to hunt alone. Blue marlins have been reported to use their long, sharp bills to slice or stun prey.
Size: The larger species include the Atlantic blue marlin, which can reach 16.5 in length and 1,800 lb in weight and the black marlin, which can reach in excess of 16.4 ft in length and 1,500 lb in weight.
Bag/Size Limit: 99″ from lower jaw. 1 per vessel per trip.
Eat: Marlin are rarely table fare, appearing mostly in fine restaurants. Most sport fishermen release marlin after unhooking.
Greater Amberjack
The largest of all the Jacks. Silver and black skin separated by a yellowish stripe down the mid-section of the body. They usually have a dark stripe from their nose to the front of dorsal fin.
Habitat: Offshore at structure like rocky reefs, debris, and wrecks. Typically in 60 – 240 feet of water; juveniles associated with floating objects and may occur in water less than 30 feet deep.
Feeding: Feeds best on live bait (pinfish, cigar minnows, croakers, Grunts, spadefish and squirrelfish). Also feeds on dead bait (spanish sardines, threadfin and finger mullet) squid, and crustaceans.
Size: From 20-100 lbs. Current Florida state record 142 lbs.
Bag/Size Limit: 1 Greater Amberjack per person per day – amberjack must be 28 inches in length from nose to fork of tail.
Eat: Good table fare when cooked properly. Thick white fillets, with a medium to strong fish taste. Served in restaurants as a main dish. Often used as a key ingredient in fish spread.
Great Barracuda
Scary looking fish. Elongated lower jaw display it’s rows of large razor sharp teeth. Bluish backs, with silver sides. Distinguishing black spots randomly scattered on lower body. A great fighting fish when hooked, offering
frenzied runs in all directions around the boat.
Habitat: They are everywhere and in large numbers bith offshore and inshore along the Florida coast and Keys, the Bahamas, Central and South America. Found near reefs, wrecks, hard bottom, mud flats or inshore estuaries.
Feeding: A topof the food chain, fast, aggressive predator, barracuda feed on a wide variety of fish, favoring silvery or shiny characteristics. They will eat Sardines, herring, snapper, groupers, jacks, tuna, and more.
Size: From 5-35 lbs.
Bag/Size Limit: No size or bag limits are currently in place.
Eat: Only if the liver is sweet. Generally not recommended for human consumption.
Blackfin tuna are the most abundant tuna species. They are equally shaped from the head and tail from their midsection, making look in shape like a football. Silver side, dark blue on the back and white on the stomach. Small gray finlets run from the second dorsal fin to the anal fin. Eyes are large size.
Habitat: Found offshore in warmer water during summer months, on or near the surface usually near offshore reefs, along current lines over reefs and banks .
Prefers water above 67 F.
Feeding: Feeds in schools by surrounding prey or “corraling up” bait schools. Also feeds on small crustaceans, squid and small food organisms in the water through straining.
Size: From 10-35 lbs. Current Florida state record 45 lbs. 9 oz
Bag/Size Limit: No size or bag limits are currently in place.
Eat: Outstanding table fare. Found on the menu at many restaurants. Excellent raw as Sushi, or cooked very rare. The “filet mignon” of fish.
The conspicuously black-tipped fins give this species its name. It is dark gray, bluish or blacktip shark dusky bronze above, white or yellowish white below.
Habitat: Offshore and inshore. Abundant in the Gulf of Mexico. Often found in over reef, humps and ledges, or sharp drop offs where sudden changes in current are present. Usually stays in the 100ft. or less water column.
Feeding: The blacktip feeds on small schooling fishes like sardines, threadfin, menhaden, mullet, and anchovies, but also eats many other including catfishes, groupers, jacks, snook, porgies, grunts, croakers, and triggerfish. They are also known to consume dogfish, sharpnose sharks, young dusky sharks, and stingrays.
Size: from 15-90 lbs.
Bag/Size Limit: n/a
Eat: Fair table fare. Fillets/steaks are light grey and flaky when cooked. Very strong fish taste.
Cobia
Strong fish with broad depressed head; lower jaw projects past upper jaw; dark lateral stripe extends through eye to tail sometimes mistaken for a shark. When young, has a conspicuous alternating black and white horizontal stripe.
Habitat: Around wrecks, pilings, channel markers, both inshore and offshore inhabiting inlets, bays, frequently seen around buoys.
Feeding: Feeds best on live bait (pinfish, cigar minnows, croakers, grunt, blue runners and squirrelfish). Also feeds on dead bait (spanish sardines, threadfin and finger mullet) squid, and crustaceans.
Size: From 15-70 lbs. Current Florida state record 103 lbs.
Bag/Size Limit: 1 cobia per person per day, 6 per boat max. Cobia must be 33 inches in length from nose to fork of tail.
Eat: Good table fare. Thick white fillets, with a light to mild fish taste.
Gag Grouper
Brownish gray in color with dark patch-like markings on sides.
Habitat: Both offshore and nearshore. Larger gags usually migrate further offshore in the Summer time and move closer Inshore during the winter months.
Feeding: Fees on dead bait (spanish sardines, threadfin and finger mullet) and live bait (pinfish, cigar minnows, croakers and grunts).
Size: From 10-60 lbs. Current Florida state record 71.3 lbs.
Bag/Size Limit: 5 Grouper (gag, black or red) per person per day – gag & black grouper must be 22 inches in overall length.
Eat: Outstanding table fare. One of the most sought after eating fish in the Gulf of Mexico. Fillets are white, and flaky when cooked. Very light fish taste. Found on the menus of most Florida seafood restaurants.
Jolthead Porgy
Generally silvery to brassy, with a bluish cast. Front of head brown, with blue line along lower rim of eye; a whitish stripe below eye, and another between eye and mouth; corner of mouth orange.
Habitat: Offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, around rocky reefs, debris, and wrecks, typically in 30-180 feet of water.
Feeding: Feeds best on dead bait (spanish sardines, threadfin, finger mullet) squid, and crustaceans.
Size: from 2-10lbs. Current Florida state record n/a.
Bag/Size Limit: no bag limit or size limit on this species.
Eat: Good table fare. White fillets, with a light to medium fish taste.
King Mackerel (aka Kingfish)
Streamlined body with tapered head. Silver color on the side of body, with a greenish blue color on their back. A spectacular fighting fish, known for long, steady, high speed runs.
Where found: Offshore and nearshore, in depths from 30 feet to 200 feet. During spring and fall migrations often found nearshore.
Feeding: Feeds best on live bait (blue runners, pinfish, cigar minnows, ladyfish, ribbonfish, mullet and threadfin hearing). Also feeds on dead bait (spanish sardines, threadfin and finger mullet) squid, and crustaceans.
Size: from 10-60lbs. Current Florida state record 90 lbs.
Bag/Size Limit: 2 per person per day including captain and crew of for-hire vessels – kingfish must be 24 inches in length from nose to fork of tail.
Eat: Good table fare if cooked properly. Fillets are grayish in color, with a medium to strong fish taste. Can be grilled, smoked, broiled or used as supplemental ingredient in fish spread.
Lane Snapper
Description: Silvery-pink to reddish with short pink and yellow lines running down its side. Visible black spot near posterior of fish.
Habitat: Juveniles inshore over shallow reefs; adults offshore; most common in West Central and South Florida.
Feeding: Feeds on bottom, eating crustaceans, mollusks, and fish.
Size: from 1-2 lbs.
Bag/Size Limit: 20 per person per day (as part of 20 per day limit of all reef fish combined). Must be at least 8 inches in total overall length.
Eat: Very good table fare. White fillets, flaky when cooked with a light fish taste.
Mangrove Snapper
Dark brown or gray with reddish or orange spots along the sides; two outstanding canine teeth at front of upper jaw; dorsal fins have reddish borders. A known to anglers as “bait stealers” and require quick reaction to successfully land.
Habitat: Larger adults generally offshore on coral or rocky reefs. Spawns June through August
Feeding: Feeds best on dead bait (spanish sardines, threadfin, finger mullet) squid, and crustaceans. Also feeds on live bait (small pinfish, or cigar minnows)
Size: Offshore catches common 8 to 10 pounds current Florida state record 16 lbs. 8oz.
Bag/Size Limit: 10 per person per day (as part of 10 per day limit of all snapper combined). Must be 12 inches in total overall length
Eat: excellent table fare. Fillets are white and flaky when cooked. Very light fish taste.
Mutton Snapper
Olive green on back and upper sides, all fins below the mid-section having reddish tinge; bright blue line below eye. Small black spot below dorsal fin.
Habitat: Larger adults found offshore in deeper water. Hard bottom, rock piles, wrecks, potholes. Some near shore.
Feeding: Feeds on small fish and crustaceans. Best caught on dead bait (spanish sardines, threadfin, finger mullet) squid, and crustaceans. Also feeds aggressively on live bait (small pinfish, or cigar minnows).
Size: common to 15 lbs. Current Florida state record 27 lbs., 6 oz.
Bag/Size Limit: 10 per person per day (as part of 10 per day limit of all snapper combined). Must be 16 inches in total overall length.
Eat: Outstanding table fare. Fillets are white and flaky when cooked. Very light fish taste with a sweet flavor. Similar in taste to red snapper.
Red Grouper
Brownish red; lining of mouth scarlet-orange; blotches on sides in unorganized pattern.
Habitat: Bottom dwelling fish associated with hard bottom; juveniles offshore along with adults greater than 6 years old; fish from 1 to 6 years occupy nearshore reefs.
Feeding: Feeds on dead bait (spanish sardines, threadfin, finger mullet) and live bait (pinfish, cigar minnows, croakers, grunts) squid, and crustaceans
Size Range: from 10-60 lbs. Current Florida state record 71.3 lbs.
Bag/Size Limit: 5 grouper (gag, black, or red) per person per day – red grouper must be 20 inches in overall length.
Eat: Outstanding table fare. Fillets are white, and flaky when cooked. Very light fish taste. Found on the menus of most Florida seafood restaurants.
Red Snapper
Color reddish pink over entire body. Lower portion of body off-white in color. Fierce biters and fierce fighters. Offer a good strong fight from hook set to gaff.
Habitat: Offshore in deeper water. Hard bottom, rock piles, wrecks, potholes. Some near shore.
Feeding: Feeds best on dead bait (spanish sardines, threadfin and finger mullet) squid and crustaceans. Also feeds on live bait (small pinfish, or cigar minnows)
Size: Adults may live more than 20 years, and attain 35 pounds or more current Florida State Record 46 lbs., 8 oz
Bag/Size Limit: 4 per person per day (as part of 10 per day limit of all snapper combined). Must be 16 inches in total overall length.
Eat: Outstanding table fare. Fillets are white and flaky when cooked. Very light fish taste with a sweet flavor.
Dark blue on top, brown-blue laterally, silvery white underbelly; upper jaw elongated in form of spear; first dorsal greatly enlarged in the form of a sail, with many black spots, body covered with embedded scales, blunt at end; lateral line curved above pectoral, then straight to base of tail.
Habitat: Offshore species, in South Florida and Gulf of Mexico associated with waters near the gulf stream; off the panhandle near the 100-foot fathom line. Rapid growing species, reaching 4 to 5 feet in a single year; swims at speeds up to 50 knots
Feeding: feeds on the surface or at mid-depths, on ballyhoo, flying fish, smaller pelagic fishes and squid. Known for their spectacular out of water aerial leaps when hooked.
Size: from5-7 feet, and around 40-80lbs. Current Florida state record 116 lbs.
Bag/Size Limit: 1 per person per day, sailfish must be 63 inches from tip of lower jaw to fork and all landed fish must be reported to NOAA within 24 hours 1-800-894-5528. Offshore hustler practices no kill catch and release on all species off sail or billfish.
Food Value: Poor
Scamp Grouper
Light gray or brown, reddish brown spots on sides that tend to be grouped into lines; some yellow around corners of mouth. Spawns in late spring undergoes sex transformation from female to male as it becomes older. Habitat: Offshore around rocky reefs, debris, and wrecks, typically in 40-150 feet of water.
Feeding: Feeds best on live bait (pinfish, cigar minnows, croakers, grunt, squirrelfish) . Also feeds on dead bait (spanish sardines, threadfin, finger mullet) squid, and crustaceans.
Size: from 5-15lbs. Current Florida state record 28 lbs.
Bag/Size Limit: Scamp is included in the 5 grouper per person daily bag limit. Scamp must be 16 inches total overall length.
Eat: Good table fare. Flaky white fillets, with a light to medium fish taste.
Black Sea Bass
Black or dark brown skin with black on white stripes. Distinguishable fatty hump no top of head.
Habitat: Offshore found on hard bottom and rubble.
Feeding: Aggressive bottom feeders. Eat small fish, shell fish, and crustaceans.
Size: from 1.5 to 3.5 lbs. Florida record 5.1 lbs.
Bag/Size Limit: No bag limit. Must be 12 inches in overall length.
Eat: Excellent table fare. Very white, flaky meat with a light fish taste.
Spanish Mackerel
Silver sides with green color on back. Golden yellow irregular spots above and below mid-section; front of dorsal fin. A great fighting fish on light to medium tackle.
Habitat: Inshore, nearshore and offshore – especially over grass beds and reefs; absent from North Florida waters in winter.
Feeding: Feeds best on live bait (small pinfish, glass minnows, greenbacks). Also feeds well on dead bait (chunked spanish sardines, threadfin and finger mullet) squid, and crustaceans. Artificial flash spoons and jigs.
Size Range: from 2-10 lbs. Current Florida state record 12 lbs.
Bag/Size Limit: 15 per person per day. Must be 12 inches in length from nose to fork of tail.
Eat: Good table fare if cooked properly. Fillets are grayish in color, with a medium to strong fish taste. Can be grilled, smoked, broiled or used as supplemental ingredient in fish spread.
Grey Triggerfish
The body of the gray trigger is light gray to brown. The dorsal and anal fins are marked with spots and lines. Their skin is tough in texture with an almost leather feel to it.
Habitat: Found in a wide range of habitats offshore and nearshore. Harbors, lagoons, rock and coral reefs ,or in the water column, especially around sargasso mats
Feeding: feeds on hard bodied prey such as scallops, clams, barnacles, starfish, and dollars. Triggers are equipped with very strong jaws and teeth used to crush their prey.
Size: from 2-10 lbs. Current Florida state record 12 lbs.
Bag/Size Limit: none
Eat: good table fare. Fillets white and flaky when cooked. Considered a delicacy by many.
Wahoo
A member of the mackerel family. Head is pointed sharply. Distinguishable dark blue coloring along its back. Light blue vertical “Tiger Stripes” down the side which become more visible or “light up” when fish is feeding or becomes aggressive.
Habitat: Found offshore in clear warm tropical waters near the surface. Prefers water temperatures of 71-79 degrees. Often found in deeper water, over reef, humps and ledges, or sharp drop offs where sudden changes in current are present.
Feeding: A high speed, aggressive feeder, and known to reach speeds in excess of 50 mph when feeding. Prefers small fish, sardines, threadfin, cigar minnows, and squid, Often hover near bottom and shoot up near surface at high speed to attack bait.
Size: From 15-90 lbs.
Bag/Size Limit: N/A
Eat: Excellent table fare. Fillets/Steaks are white and flaky when cooked. Mild to medium fish taste. Know to have a “sweet” flavor to meat.
White Grunt (aka Key WestGrunt)
Bluish-gray, head has horizontal blue stripes, white underbelly; large bright orange mouth
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.
Feeding: feeds on squid, crustaceans, mollusks and small fishes. Provides a good little fight for its size. Average catch per angler is around 15-20 fish.
Size: Most common catches 1-2 lbs.
Bag/Size Limit: There are currently no bag or size limits on this species.
Eat: Excellent table fare. Fillets are small, but make a great meal in quantity. Best if breaded and pan-fried. Famous Florida dish “grits and grunts”.