Cobia
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.
Size: Avg Caught 10-40 lbs Florida Record 103lbs
Redfish
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.
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. Inshore waters; feeds on crustaceans, fish, and mollusks; longevity to 20 years or more.
Size: Avg Caught 8 - 20 lbs Florida Record 51lbs
Snook
Deeper body than other snooks; color yellow-brown to green-brown above, silvery on sides; black lateral line extends onto tail; mouth reaches to or beyond center of eye; usually no dusky outer edge on pelvic fin, as in other snooks; smallest scales of all snook.
usually found inshore; mangrove shorelines serve as nursery grounds for young.
Size: Avg caught 6 -20lbs Florida Record 43lbs
Tarpon
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.
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 surface; feeds mainly on fish and large crustaceans.
Size: Avg caught 40 - 50 lbs Florida Record 243lbs
Spotted Seatrout
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.
INSHORE and/or NEARSHORE over grass, sand and sandy bottoms; move into slow-moving or still, deep waters in cold weather.
Size: common to 4 pounds on west coast, larger on east coast.
Fish Species
