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Family Sphyraenidae
Description: gray, with a greenish cast above, whitish below; many irregular, small black blotches on lower side; 18 to 22 diagonal dark bars on upper side (not always evident); caudal fin dark with white tips; 75 to 87 lateral line scales; no fleshy tip on jaw
Young: dark stripe on side; stripe breaks into dark squarish blotches as fish grows
Size: to 2 meters (6 feet) and 48 kilograms (106 pounds); reports of larger fish unverified
Where found: young live in inshore seagrass beds; adults range from inshore channels to open ocean
Remarks: most attacks on people have occurred when they were wading or swimming in turbid water while wearing bright objects, attempting to spear a barracuda, or carrying speared fish; flesh of smaller fish apparently not poisonous, but larger fish sometimes very toxic due to ciguatera; no safe, reliable way of recognizing toxic fish
Family Carangidae, JACKS and POMPANOS Caranx hippos
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.
Similar Fish: other Caranx.
Where found: common in both INSHORE waters and the open sea.
Size: usually 3 to 5 pounds.
*Florida Record: 51 lbs.
Remarks: tolerates a wide range of salinities; schools corner a school of baitfish at the surface and feed with commotion that can be seen at great distances; feeds mainly on small fish; peak spawning occurs OFFSHORE from March through September.
* 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.
Family Sphyraenidae
