Fish species Of Charlotte Harbor And Surounding Waters
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Family Elopidae, 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 estuarine waters; huge scales; mouth large and points upward Similar species: (as juveniles) ladyfish, Elops saurus Where found: primarily inshore fish, although adult fish spawn offshore where the ribbon-like larval stage of the fish can be found Size: most angler catches 40 to 150 pounds Remarks: slow grower, matures at 7 to 13 years of age; spawning occurs between May and September; female may lay more than 12 million eggs; can tolerate wide range of salinity; juveniles commonly found in fresh water; can breathe air at the surfact; feeds mainly on fish and large crustaceans |
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Family Rachycentridae, COBIA 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: remore, Eceneis naucrates Where found: both inshore and nearshore inhabitating inlets, bays, and among mangroves; frequently seen around buoys, pilings, and wrecks. Size: common to 30 pounds Remarks: spawns in spring and early summer; feeds on crabs, squid, and small fish |
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Gulf Flounder - Paralichthys
albigutta Family Bothidae, LEFTEYE FLOUNDERS 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 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 fish |
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Gag - Mycteroperca microlepis Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND 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; most noticeable differences are brassy spots on black grouper; tail of gag is slightly concave, black grouper's tail is square; gag has white margin on anal and caudal fins, black does not; under 10 pounds, gag's spur on preopercle is distnctive, 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 Remarks: forms spawning aggregations in water no shallower than 120 feet in Middle Grounds area, January through March; current research to identify similar aggregations off the Atlantic coast is ongoing; young gags are predominantly female, transforming into males as they grow larger; feeds on fish and squid |
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Crevalle Jack - Caranx hippos Family Carangidae, JACKS AND POMPANOS 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 to both INSHORE waters and the open sea Size: usually 3 to 5 pounds Remarks: tolerates a wide range of salinities; schools corner a pod of baitfish at the surface and feed with commotion that can be seen for great distances; feeds mainly on small fish; peak spawning occurs offshore from March through September |
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King Mackerel - Scomberomorus cavalla Family Scombridae, MACKERELS AND TUNAS Description: color of back iridescent bluish green, sides silvery; streamlined body with tapered head; no black pigment on front of the first dorsal fin; lateral line starts high and drops sharply below the second dorsal fin; young fish often have yellowish spots like those of Spanish mackerel Similar fish: cero, S. regalis; Spanish mackerel, S. maculatus Where found: nearshore and offshore; occasionally taken from piers running into deep water Size: common to 20 pounds Remarks: schooling fish that migrates from south Florida waters in winters to more northerly waters in spring; Gulf population thought to be separate from Atlantic population, with considerable mixing in winter from Cape Canaveral past Key West; spawns in mid-summer offshore; feeds on small fish and squid |
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Cero - Scomberomorus
regalis Family Scombridae, MACKEREL AND TUNAS Description: color of back iridescent bluish green; sides silvery; yellow spots forming lines above and below a bronze stripe from pectoral fin to base of the tail; front of first dorsal is bluish black; lateral line curves gradually to base of caudal fin Similar fish: Spanish mackeral, S. maculatus; king mackeral, S. cavalla Where found: nearshore and offshore fish occurring mainly in south Florida, especially over coral reefs and wrecks Size: common to 5 pounds Remarks: unlike other mackerels, does not stray far from south Florida waters; spawns offshore in mid summer; feeds on small fish and squid |
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Gray (Mangrove) Snapper - Lutjanus
griseus Family Lutjanidae, SNAPPERS Description: color dark brown or gray with reddish or orane spots in rows along the sides; dark horizontal band from snout through eye (young only); two conspicuous canine teeth at front of upper jaw; dorsal fins have dark or reddish borders; no spot on side underneath dorsal fin Similar fish: cubera snapper, L. cyanopterus Where found: juveniles inshore in tidal creeks, mangroves, and grass beds; adults generally nearshore or offshore on coral or rocky reefs Size: offshore catches common to 10 pounds Remarks: spawns June through August; feeds on crustaceans and small fish |
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Red Drum - Sciaenops
ocellatus Family Sciaenidae, DRUMS Other local names: 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 Similar fish: black drum, Pogonias cromis Where found: juveniles are an inshore fish, migrating out of the estuaries at about 30 inches (4 years) and joining the spawning population offshore Size: common to 20 pounds Remarks: red drum are an inshore species until they attain roughly 30 inches (4 years), then migrate to join the nearshore population; spawning occurs from August to November in nearshore waters; feeds on crustaceans, fish, and mollusks; longevity to 20 years or more |
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Common Snook - Centropomus
undecimalis Family Centropomidae, SNOOKS Description: distinct black 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 Size: most catches 5 to 8 pounds Remarks: spawns primarily in summer; cannot tolerate winter temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit; can tolerate wholly fresh or saltwater; schools along shore and in passes during spawning season; feeds on fish and larger crustaceans |
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Spotted Seatrout - Cynoscion
nebulosus Family Sciaenidae, DRUMS 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; no barbels; no scales on the soft dorsal fin; one or two prominent canine teeth usually present at tip of upper jaw Similar fish: other seatrout Where found: inshore and/or nearshore over grass, sand, and sandy mud bottoms; move into slow-moving or still, deep waters in cold weather Size: common to 4 pounds on west coast, larger on east coast Remarks: matures during first or second year and spawns inshore from March through November, often in association with seagrass beds; lives mainly in estuaries and moves only short distances; adults feed mainly on shrimp and small fish; prefers water temperatures between 58 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit, may be killed if trapped in shallow water during cold weather; longevity 8 to 10 years |