Striped Mojarra

Family Gerreidae

Description: body dark olive above; tan to silvery on side, often with a metallic sheen; conspicuous blackish stripe along center of each scale row, except toward belly; all fins except pectoral fins dusky in large adults; and anal fins sometimes dark orange; pelvic spine and first 2 anal spines pale; dorsal and anal spines long and stout; 3 anal spines

Size: to 30 centimeters (1 foot)

Where found: brackish and coastal fresh waters (in limestone regions), grassy areas

Sand Perch

Family Serranidae

Description: body and dorsal fins with many dark brown bars and alternating orange and blue horizontal lines; head with many blue lines; preopercular spines very well developed; grouped in 2 radiating clusters with a deep notch between them; upper lobe of caudal fin prolonged in adults

Size: to 30 centimeters (1 foot)

Where found: bays, coastal grassy areas, and shallow banks

Remarks: popular as a pan fish despite its small size

Jolthead Porgy

Family Sparidae

Description: 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

Size: to 60 centimeters (2 feet) and 3.6 kilograms (8 pounds)

Where found: coastal waters to 45 meters (150 feet)

Common Snook

Family Centropomidae, SNOOKS Centropomus undecimalis

Description: distinct lateral line; high, divided dorsal fin; sloping forehead; large mouth, protruding lower jaw; grows much larger than other snooks; pelvic fin yellow.

Similar Fish: other Centropomus.

Where found: from central Florida south, usually INSHORE in coastal and brackish waters, along mangrove shorelines, seawalls, and bridges; also on reefs and pilings NEARSHORE.

Size: most catches 5 to 8 pounds.

*Florida Record: 44 lbs., 3 ozs.

Remarks: spawns primarily in summer; cannot tolerate water temperatures below 60 degrees F; can tolerate wholly fresh or saltwater; schools along shore and in passes during spawning season; feeds on fish and larrge crustaceans.

* The Florida records quoted are from the Department of Environmental Protection's printed publication, Fishing Lines and are not necessarily the most current ones. The records are provided as only as a benchmark.

Southern Stingray

Identification: Color brownish dorsally and whitish ventrally. Disc broad angular (rhomboid) with pointed corners. Snout moderate, not protrusive. Spine near base of long whip like tail. Well developed ventral fin fold on tail, dark brown to black in color. Dorsal fin fold on tail absent.

Habitat: Inhabits coastal waters including ocean beaches, bays, estuaries, and river mouths. Generally found near shore on grass and sand/mud flats but does venture into deeper coastal waters up to ~200 feet.

Feeding: Benthic feeder. Feeds mainly on bivalves and marine worms and also takes shrimp, crabs, and small fishes.

Reproduction: Aplacental viviparity. Up to seven pups per litter.

Size/Age: Wingspan of 4-5 feet and weigh up to around 200 pounds.

Human Factors: Observed singly, in pairs, and in aggregations. Non-aggressive species of little danger to humans with the exception of their defensive venomous barb located near the base of the tail. Avoid handling or exercise extreme caution. Do the “Stingray shuffle”.

Blacktip Shark

Family Carcharhinidae

Habitat: Common in Florida’s coastal waters, bays and estuaries. A very active, fast-swimming shark often seen at the surface. Often forms large schools during annual migration times. Migrates southward and into deeper coastal waters during winter months. May leap out of the water and, like the related spinner shark, spin around several times before dropping back into the sea.

Feeding: Feeds primarily on fishes but also eat small sharks, some rays and skates, squid, crabs, octopus, and lobster.

Reproduction: Gives birth to live young. Litters contain 1–10 pups. Females swim into shallow bays in spring and early summer to give birth. Size at birth 22–28 inches.

Size/Age: Maximum length about 6 feet. Matures at approximately 6–7 years of age(about 5 feet) and is estimated to live 10 + years.

Human factors: Valuable commercial species with marketable flesh, hide, fins, and liver. One of the most commonly collected sharks in the commercial fishery. Fished for sport on light tackle and often leap out of the water when hooked. Has been implicated in attacks on bathers.

Permit

Family Carangidae, JACKS and POMPANOS Trachinotus falcatus

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.

Similar Fish: pompano, T. carolinus. The permit is deeper bodied; dorsal body profile forms angle at insertion of second dorsal fin; pompano rarely grow larger than 6 pounds, permit common to 40 pounds.

Where found: OFFSHORE on wrecks and debris, INSHORE on grass flats, sand flats, and in channels; most abundant in south Florida, with smaller specimens from every coastal county.

Size: common to 25 pounds.


*Florida Record: 51 lbs., 8 ozs.

Remarks: feeds mainly on bottom-dwelling crabs, shrimp, small clams, and small fish.

* The Florida records quoted are from the Department of Environmental Protection's printed publication, Fishing Lines and are not necessarily the most current ones. The records are provided as only as a benchmark.

Silver Seatrout

Family Sciaenidae, DRUMS Cynoscion nothus

Description: pale straw colored above, silvery sides and white below; no distinctive pigmentation, although faint diagonal lines may be present on upper body; 8 to 9 rays in the anal fin; large eyes; short snout; one or two prominent canine teeth usually present at tip of upper jaw; lower half of tail longer than upper half.

Similar Fish: other seatrouts.

Where found: most common over sand or sandy mud bottoms OFFSHORE along both the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of Florida; migrates into bays during cold months.

Size: usually no more than 1/2 pound (less than 10 inches).

*Florida Record: n/a

Remarks: smallest seatrout; spawns OFFSHORE in deep water during spring, summer and fall; feeds on small fish and shrimp.

* The Florida records quoted are from the Department of Environmental Protection's printed publication, Fishing Lines and are not necessarily the most current ones. The records are provided as only as a benchmark.

Welcome To Sharkbait

Here at Sharkbait, we will go over various Saltwater and Freshwater fish species. Regardless of whether you are a serious angler or a passive caster, this blog will show you where you can find these fish... offshore, on the beach, backwater, or lakes.