The fish of SW Florida

RedFish
Similar Fish: black drum, Pogonias cromis.
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.
Where found: juveniles are an INSHORE fish, migrating out of the estuaries at about 30 inches (4 years) and joining the spawning population OFFSHORE.

Note: Easily noticed by the black spots near the tail

Food: good

Fun: good

Snook
Similar Fish: other Centropomus.

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

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.

Note: Easily noticed by the black stripe down the side

Food: Excellent
Fun: Good

Cobia
Similar Fish: remora, Echeneis naucrates.

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.
Where found: both INSHORE and NEARSHORE inhabiting inlets, bays, and among mangroves; frequently seen around bouys, pilings, and wrecks.
Food: excellent
Fun: Excellent

Black Drum
Similar Fish:Sciaenopsocellatus,Sheep head                                                                                         

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.
Where found: INSHORE fish common to bays and lagoons; bottom dweller often found around oyster beds; also OFFSHORE.
Food: Good
Fun: Good

Sea Trout
Similar Fish: other seatrouts

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; black margin on posterior of tail; no barbels; no scales on the soft dorsal fin; one or two prominent canine teeth usually present at tip of upper jaw.
Where found: INSHORE and/or NEARSHORE over grass, sand and sandy bottoms; move into slow moving or still, deep waters in cold weather.
Food: Good
Fun: Medium

Tarpon
Similar Fish: (as juveniles) ladyfish, Elops saurus.
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 estuarien waters; huge scales; mouth large and points upward.
Where found: primarily INSHORE fish, although adult fish spawn OFFSHORE where the ribbon-like larval stage of the fish can be found.
Food: good
Fun: Excellent

LadyFish
Similar Fish: juvenile tarpon, Megalops atlanticus.
Description: terminal mouth, slender body, small scales; last dorsal ray not elongated; head small and pointed.
Where found: INSHORE fish, in bays and estuaries; occasionally enters freshwater, occurring in tidal pools and canals; often forms large schools and harasses bait at the surface.
Note: will jump continuously after hooked
Food: Bad
Fun: Excellent


Blue Fish

Similar Fish: blue runner, C. crysos.

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.

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.
Food: Bad
Fun: Excellent

Crevalle Jack, (Jack)

Similar Fish: other Caranx.

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.

Where found: common in both INSHORE waters and the open sea.
Food: Bad
Fun: Ecellent

Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)

Similar Fish: pompano dolphin, C. equisetis.

Description: bright greenish blue above, yellow on sides, with capability of flashing purple, chartreuse, and a wide range of other colors; body tapers sharply from head to tail; irregular blue or golden blotches scattered over sides; anterior profile of head on adult males is nearly vertical; head of females more sloping; the single dark dorsal fin extends from just behind the head to the tail; anal fin margin concave and extending from anus to tail.
Where found: OFFSHORE in warm waters.
Food: Good
Fun: Excellent

King Mackerel

Similar Fish: cero, S. regalis; Spanish mackerel, S. maculatus.

Description: color of back iridescent bluish green; sides silvery, streamlined body with tapered head; no black pigment on front of dorsal fin; lateral line starts high and drops sharply below the second dorsal fin; young fish often have yellow spots like those of the Spanish mackerel.
Where found: NEARSHORE and OFFSHORE, occasionally taken from piers running into deep water.
Food: Good
Fun: Excellent

Spanish Mackerel

Similar Fish: cero, S. regalis; king mackerel, S. cavalla.

Description: color of back green, shading to silver on sides, golden yellow irregular spots above and below lateral line; front of dorsal fin black; lateral line curves gently to base of tail.
Where found: INSHORE, NEARSHORE and OFFSHORE, especially over grass beds and reefs; absent from north Florida waters in winter.
Food: Good
Fun: Excellent

Snapper

Similar Fish: gray snapper.

Description: color dark brown or gray, may have a reddish tinge; broad-based triangular tooth patch on roof of mouth without a posterior extension; despite its specific name, which translates to "blue-fin," the fins have only a slight tinge of blue; canine teeth in both jaws very strong; one pair of canines enlarged and visible even when mouth is closed.
Where found: juveniles INSHORE in grass beds; adults OFFSHORE or NEARSHORE over wrecks, reefs, and ledges.
Food: Excellent
Fun: Good

Gag Grouper

Similar Fish: black grouper M. bonaci.

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.
Where found: adults OFFSHORE over rocks and reefs; juveniles occur in seagrass beds INSHORE.
Food: Excellent
Fun: Good


Sailfish
Similar Fish: white marlin, Tetrapterus albidus; young blue marlin, Makaira nigricans

Description: color dark blue on top, brown-blue laterally, silvery white underbelly; upper jaw elongated in form of spear; first dorsal greatly enlarged in the form of a sail, with many black spots, its front squared off, highest at its midpoint; pelvic fins very narrow, reaching almost to the anus; body covered with embedded scales, blunt at end; lateral line curved above pectoral, then straight to base of tail.

Where found: OFFSHORE species, in south Florida associated with waters near the Gulf Stream; off the Panhandle near the 100 foot fathom line.

Food: Bad
Fun: Excellent


These are just a few fish that you might come across but there are hundreds of different species of fish in the gulf and Atlantic ocean




Hear is a list of a few more:

Tripletail
Flounder
sea bass
many types of catfish
Pompano
Sheepshead
Blow toad
many types of snapper

And the list goes on and on but I will post some more pics when I have them and also some videos..

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