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10 Cards in this Set
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What is it?
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Atlantic Croaker Drum
Description: inferior mouth; 3 to 5 pairs of small barbels on chin; silver-gray or bronze body with dark oblique wavy bars or lines; iridescent especially on head; preopercle strongly serrated. Similar Fish: spot, Leiostomus xanthurus (has no chin barbels and has a dark blotch on shoulder). Where found: generally found north of Tampa Bay on the west coast and north of Cape Canaveral on the east coast; young fish found in estuaries; older fish (2 to 3 years) inhabit deep OFFSHORE waters during the winter months and move into bays and estuaries during the spring, summer and fall. Size: usually less than 2 pounds. *Florida Record: n/a Remarks: during spawning becomes bronze or yellow in color; spawning apparently occurs OFFSHORE in fall; longevity 2 to 4 years. |
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What is it?
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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. Similar Fish: the vertical bars on juvenile black drum are somewhat similar to those on sheepshead, Archosargus probatocephalus; spadefish, Chaetodipterus faber; red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus. Where found: INSHORE fish common to bays and lagoons; bottom dweller often found around oyster beds; also OFFSHORE. Size: common to 30 pounds. *Florida Record: 93 lbs. Remarks: largest member of the drum family; spawns NEARSHORE in winter and early spring; feeds on oysters, mussels, crabs, shrimp and occasionally fish; longevity to 35 or more years. Not less than 14 or more than 24. 5/harvester/day. One over 24" |
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What is it?
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Bluefish
Description: color blue or greenish blue on back, sides silvery; mouth large; teeth prominent, sharp, and compressed; dorsal and anal fins nearly the same size; scales small; lateral line almost straight. Similar Fish: blue runner, C. crysos. Where found: young usually INSHORE spring and summer, moving OFFSHORE to join adults fall and winter; strong migration of northeast Atlantic stock to Florida east coast in winter. Size: most west coast catches under 3 pounds, much larger on east coast. *Florida Record: 22 lbs., 3 ozs. Remarks: travels in large schools, following schools of baitfish; cannibalistic; all members of a given school about the same size; spawning occurs OFFSHORE in spring and summer. 12" fork. 10/harvester/day. |
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What is it?
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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. Similar Fish: remora, Echeneis naucrates. Where found: both INSHORE and NEARSHORE inhabiting inlets, bays, and among mangroves; frequently seen around bouys, pilings, and wrecks. Size: common to 30 pounds. *Florida Record: 103 lbs., 12 ozs. Remarks: spawns in spring and early summer; feeds on crabs, squid, and small fish. 33" fork. 1 per harvester or 6 per vessel per day whichever is less |
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What is it?
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Gulf Flounder
Description: body color brown, its shade depending on color of bottom, with numerous spots and blotches; 3 prominent eye-like spots forming a triangle; one spot on lateral line, one above, one below; numerous white spots scattered over body and fins (albigutta, white-spotted); strong canine-like teeth; caudal fin in shape of wedge, its tip in the middle. Similar Fish: southern flounder, P. lethostigma (no eye-like spots; color pattern is key to distinguishing the two species). Where found: INSHORE on sandy or mud bottoms, often ranging into tidal creeks; occasionally caught on NEARSHORE rocky reefs. Size: common to 2 pounds, generally smaller than southern flounder. *Florida Record: n/a Remarks: hatches into usual fish form, but right eye migrates over to left side early in life; a bottom dweller; thought to spawn OFFSHORE; feeds on crustaceans and small fishes. 12". 10/harvester/day. May be harvested by spearing. Snatching prohibited. |
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What is it?
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Gag Grouper
Description: brownish gray in color with dark worm-like markings on sides; strong serrated spur at bottom margin of preopercle, less noticeable in large specimens; fins dark, with anal and caudal having white margin. Often confused with black grouper; tail of gag is slightly concave, black is square; gag has white margin on anal and caudal fins, black does not; under 10 pounds, gag's spur on preopercle is distinctive, where black is gently rounded. Similar Fish: black grouper M. bonaci. Where found: adults OFFSHORE over rocks and reefs; juveniles occur in seagrass beds INSHORE. Size: common to 25 pounds. *Florida Record: 71 lbs., 3 ozs. Remarks: forms spawning aggregations in water no shallower than 120 feet in Middle Grounds area, January through March; current reseach to identify similar aggregations off Atlantic coast is ongoing. Young gags are predominantly female, transforming into males as they grow larger; feeds on fish and squid. 22" Gulf. Closed in Gulf from Feb. 1 - March 31. 2/harvester/day.No more than 2 fish may be Gag or Black grouper, either individually or in combination in Atlantic and Monroe County Gag and Black Grouper are included within the 5 per harvester per day Grouper aggregate bag limit. Gulf-zero daily bag and possession limit for captain & crew on for-hire vessels. |
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What is it?
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Red Grouper
Description: color brownish red; lining of mouth scarlet-orange; blotches on sides in unorganized pattern; second spine of dorsal fin longer than others; pectoral fins longer than pelvic fins; squared off tail; margin of soft dorsal black with white at midfin; black dots around the eyes. Similar Fish: Nassau grouper, E. striatus. Where found: 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. Size: common to 15 pounds. *Florida Record: 39 lbs., 8 ozs. Remarks: spawns in April and May; prefer water temperatures between 66 and 77 degrees F; undergoes sex reversal, young individual females becoming males as they age; lifespan of at least 25 years; feeds on squid, crustaceans, and fish. 20". 2/harvester/day Gulf. Included within 5 per harvester per day Grouper aggregate bag limit. Gulf—zero daily bag and possession limit for captain & crew on for-hire vessels. |
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What is it?
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Black Grouper
Description: olive or gray body coloration with black blotches and brassy spots; gently rounded preopercle. Similar Fish: gag M. microlepis; yellowfin grouper, M. venenosa. Where found: OFFSHORE species; adults associated with rocky bottoms, reef, and drop off walls in water over 60 feet deep; young may occur INSHORE in shallow water. Size: common to 40 pounds, may attain weights exceeding 100 pounds. *Florida Record: no Florida record because of identity confusion with gag, which are mistakenly called "black grouper." Remarks: spawns between May and August; protogynous hermaphrodites, young predominantly female, transforming into males as they grow larger; larger individuals generally in greater depths; feeds on fish and squid. 24” Atlantic & Monroe County; 22” Gulf (excluding Monroe County). 2 per harvester per day Atlantic & Monroe County; 5 per harvester per day Gulf (excluding Monroe County). No more than 2 fish may be Gag or Black grouper, either individually or in combination in Atlantic and Monroe County Gag and Black Grouper are included within the 5 per harvester per day Grouper aggregate bag limit. Gulf-zero daily bag and possession limit for captain & crew on for-hire vessels. |
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What is it?
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Yellowfin Grouper
Description: color highly variable greenish olive or bright red with longitudinal rows of darker black blotches over entire fish; outer one third of pectoral fins bright yellow; lower parts of larger fish with small bright red spots. Similar Fish: black grouper, M. bonaci; other grouper. Where found: OFFSHORE on reefs off southern portions of Florida. Size: common to 20 pounds. *Florida Record: 34 lbs., 6 ozs. Remarks: undergoes sex reversal from female to male in latter part of life; specific name translates to "venomous," alluding to the fact that this fish, perhaps more frequently than other groupers, is associated with ciguatera poisoning; feeds on fish and squid. 20". Included within 5 per harvester per day Grouper aggregate bag limit |
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What is it?
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Scamp Grouper
20” Atlantic & Monroe County; 16” Gulf (excluding Monroe County). Included within 5 per harvester per day Grouper aggregate bag limit. Description: color light gray or brown; large adults with elongated caudal-fin rays; reddish brown spots on sides that tend to be grouped into lines; some yellow around corners of mouth. Similar Fish: yellowmouth grouper, M. interstitialis. Where found: NEARSHORE reefs off the northeastern coast, and on OFFSHORE reefs in the Gulf. Size: generally smaller than gags or blacks. *Florida Record: 28 lbs. Remarks: spawns in late spring; feeds on small fish, squid, and crustaceans; undergoes sex transformation from female to male as it becomes older. |
