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GAME FISH
SAILFISH
Istiophorus platypterus
Other Names:
Atlantic Sailfish
Spindlebeak
Pez Vela
Volador
Description:
Upper surfaces are usually dark blue to black; silvery below; vertical
stripes often visible on sides. There’s no mistaking this Billfish,
thanks to its magnificent sail-like dorsal fin.
Size:
Averages 30-60 pounds, but many under 30 pounds and a few up to 100
pounds are also taken. Potential maximum is less than 150 pounds.
Game Qualities:
Unsurpassed in its size range for combined strength and spectacle.
Range:
Gulf wide; common of the northern Gulf Coast in warm seasons.
Habitat:
Like the other Billfishes, the Sailfish is considered an ocean
species, but often can be found closer to land than the rest, seeming
to prefer areas where coral reefs and/or freshwater runoffs mingle
with ocean water.
RED SNAPPER
Lutjanus campechanus
Other Names:
Pargo Colorado
North American Red Snapper
Genuine Red Snapper
Description:
Overall rosy red. Canine teeth less prominent than those of most other
Snappers. Red eye. Anal fin is triangular.
Size:
Common from a pound or so to about 8 or 10 pounds. Usual maximum is
about 20 pounds, although the Red Snapper can run as high as 30 or 40
pounds.
Game Qualities:
A hard-fighting fish that uses strong, head-shaking tactics rather
than long runs.
Range:
A temperate fish rather than tropical, it is most plentiful in the
northern Gulf.
Habitat:
Along the northern Gulf Coast, Red Snappers are sometimes found in
fairly shallow water off the beaches, and even in deep holes of the
larger bays: however, the chief grounds for Gulf anglers are located
over offshore banks, wrecks, uprisings and drop-offs.
KING MACKAREL
Scomberomorus cavalla
Other Names:
Kingfish
Sierra
Cavalla
Description:
Adults are heavy bodied, with large mouth and razor teeth. Elongated
body is greenish above but mostly silvery and unmarked, except in
juveniles, which have spots that can cause confusion with Spanish
Mackerel.
Size:
School fish may run from 4 to around 20 pounds; individuals to 50
pounds, or slightly more, are not rare. Potential is from 75 to
possibly 100 pounds.
Game Qualities:
Kinds are about as fast as Wahoo, although they seldom get that
acknowledgment. Regardless, they are strong and sizzling fighters at
any size.
Range:
All Gulf areas.
Habitat:
Widely distributed from the edge of the blue water all the way to the
beaches. Separate runs occur at about the same time on opposite sides
of the Gulf in spring and fall. Action continues throughout the summer
in waters that are more northerly. The very biggest fish are often
hooked very close to the beach, even from piers, and are often
referred to as “Beachcombers.”
WAHOO
Acanthocybium solandri
Other Names:
Peto
Ono
Description:
Long, slender body marked with zebra-like strips of white and deep
blue or black. Mouth is elongated and narrow.
Size:
Common at 10-50 pounds; often grows to 80 or 90 pounds, and the
potential maximum is 150 or more.
Game Qualities:
May strike surface bait in spectacular, greyhounding fashion, but
seldom jumps after being hooked. Several sizzling runs, usually at or
near the surface, characterize wild fight. One of the fastest of all
game fish.
Range:
Offshore waters of the entire Gulf.
Habitat:
Freely roams anywhere in deep blue water, but anglers can find them by
working drop-offs, seamounts, weed lines and other favorable feeding
locations.
DOLPHIN
Coryphaena hippurus
Other Names:
Dorado
Mahi Mahi
Dolphinfish
Description:
The most colorful of pelagic game fish, the Dolphin is a blasé of blue
and yellow or deep green and yellow when in the water; and sometimes
shows dark vertical stripes as well when excited. Small dark spots on
sides. Dorsal fin extends nearly from head to tail. Head is very blunt
in males (bulls); rounded in females (cows).
Size:
Schooling fish run in similar sizes, from around a pound to nearly 20
pounds at times; larger fish are loners, or else pairs – bull and cow.
Big bulls often reach 50 pounds in weight and can exceed 80 pounds on
rare occasion. Large cows generally top out at 40 pounds or so.
Game Qualities:
Top of the heap in any weight class – speedy, strong and acrobatic.
Range:
All offshore waters of the Gulf; sometimes can be found fairly close
to shore.
Habitat:
Dolphins roam the Gulf in a continuous hunt for food. Can be found
along weed lines and around any sort of large floating object.
Locations are sometimes given away by feeding birds, particularly
frigate birds.
COBIA
Rachycentron canadum
Other Names:
Ling
Crab Eater
Lemonfish
Cobbeo
Slob
Description:
Cobias are very shark-like in appearance, being dark, and torpedo
shaped and usually large. But unlike the shark, its head is
flattened, the frontal jaws are different and there is an absence of
teeth. The usual color is brown or dark gray above, whitish on the
underside, with a dark stripe funning from gills to base of tail. The
striped appearance is more vivid in juveniles.
Size:
Common from 20 to 50 pounds; sometimes over 100 pounds.
Game Qualities:
A strong but unpredictable fighter. Usually clicks off long, fast
runs, and can fight with great stamina.
Range:
Gulf wide
Habitat:
Cobia can be found anywhere from shallow inshore flats to the deep
sea. They migrate northward in the spring. Dramatic runs occur
beginning in March and peaking in April and May. They love to hang
around navigation markers, wrecks and artificial reefs. Many are
caught from fishing piers.
BLACKFIN TUNA
Thunnus atlanticus
Other Names:
Football
Description:
Dark overall but with a bronze stripe down the side that can cause
confusion with the more golden stripes of the Yellowfin Tuna. The
finlets, however, are dark.
Size:
Common from 2 to 20 pounds; exceeds 40 pounds.
Game Qualities:
Among the best.
Range:
Gulf wide
Habitat:
The open sea.
BARRACUDA
Sphyraena barracuda
Other Names:
Cuda
Sea Pike
Picuda
Description:
Elongated body with narrow head and pointed lower jaw bearing large
teeth. Color is grayish above, with silvery sides marked by dark
blotches. Tail widely forked and has pointed lobes.
Size:
Ranges from foot-long juveniles on shallow southern flats to
individuals weighing 50 pounds or more offshore. Usual maximum around
30 pounds.
Game Qualities:
On appropriate tackle, the Barracuda is one of our most spectacular
and able fighters, frequently mixing fast runs with jumps.
Range:
Entire Gulf.
Habitat:
The Barracuda is at home from shorelines and bays out to blue water.
In northern Gulf areas, it is usually found over wrecks and reefs.
GREATER AMBERJACK
Seriola dumerili
Other Names:
Amberfish
AJ
Coronado
Cavilla
Description:
The heavy body is brownish or gold-hued overall. A dark, oblique line
through the eye ends at the first ray of the dorsal fin.
Size:
Schools of young fish are common at 5-20 pounds. Average size over
deep wrecks and reefs is 30-60 pounds, but 100-pounders are not too
rare and the potential maximum exceeds 150 pounds.
Game Qualities:
A strong, punishing fighter that powers deep and defies lifting.
Fairly long runs can also occur early in the fight. A great deal of
stamina matches their strength. Novices may fight Amberjacks of
average size for an hour or longer, even on heavy tackle.
Range:
Entire Gulf.
Habitat:
Adults are common at various depths, ranging from reefs several
hundred feet deep to fairly shallow wrecks and reefs. Big ones also
come close to shore at times. Artificial reefs and wrecks all along
the Gulf Coast often harbor huge schools of small AJs and many Gulf
wrecks are home to big ones as well.
SHARKS
SHORTFIN MAKO
Isurus oxyrinchus
Other names:
Bonito Shark
Blue Pointer
Description:
The Shortfin Mako is the fish known to offshore anglers as, simply, “Mako”.
It is heavy-bodied shark with a huge mouthful of bulging teeth that
are long and pointed, as contrasted to the wide Vee-shape of most
large Sharks’ teeth. The Makos are blue above and white below.
Size:
Usual range is 200-600 pounds, although they can attain weights of
more than 1,000 pounds.
Game Qualities:
Considered by many big-game anglers as deserving of rank among big
Billfishes.
Range:
Gulfwide
Habitat:
The open sea. Shortfin Makos frequently cruise, and strike at the
surface.
BLACKTIP SHARK
Carcharhinus limbatus
Other Names:
Small Blacktip
Description:
Gray above, white below. Tips of dorsal and pectoral fins are black,
as is the lower lobe of the caudal fin. Short snout and stout body.
Dorsal fin begins at a point above the rear portion of the pectoral
fin.
Size:
Common from 5-30 pounds; seldom reaches 100 pounds, but reported to
200 or more.
Game Qualities:
Pound for pound, probably the scrappiest of sharks. Wages a wild
battle on light tackle, marked by long runs and frantic jumps,
especially in shallow water.
Range:
Gulfwide
Habitat:
One of the most familiar shallow-water sharks nearly everywhere in the
Gulf, but it also is encountered well offshore at times.
ATLANTIC SHARPNOSE SHARK
Phizoprionodon terranovae
Description:
The snout is longer than the mouth is wide. Color is brown or dark
gray above; white below. Dorsal and caudal fins are edged in black.
Size:
Averages 2 feet; maximum about 4 feet. World record is 16 pounds.
Game Qualities:
Energetic and strong on light tackle.
Range:
Gulfwide
Habitat:
Coastal, including surf, shallow flats and streams, often in schools.
All
deposits are non-refundable, but are transferable to originating
person, for up to one year.
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