Longbill Spearfish
Tetrapturus pfluegeri
90 lbs.
Color of body dark blue shading to silvery, white underneath; dorsal fin bluish, others brown-black; two dorsal fins, the first lengthy, its front forming a peak; two anal fins, the anus well in front of the first; upper jaw prolonged into spear, its cross secttion round.
White Marlin
Tetrapterus albidus
182 lbs.
Color of body dark blue to chocolate brown, shading to silvery white underbelly; noticeable spots on dorsal fin; upper jaw elongated in shape of spear; body covered with embedded scales with a single sharp point; tips of first dorsal, pectoral, and first anal fins rounded; lateral line curved above pectoral fin, then going in straight line to base of tail.
Blue Marlin
Makaira nigricans
1300 lbs.
Color cobalt blue on top shading to silvery white on bottom; upper jaw elongated in form of spear; dorsal fin pointed at front end; pectoral fin and anal fin pointed; lateral line reticulated (interwoven like a net), difficult to see in large specimens; no dark spots on dorsal fin; body covered with embedded scales ending in one or two sharp points.
Sailfish
Istiophorus platypterus
128 lbs.
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.
Swordfish
Xiphias gladius
1300 lbs.
Color of back variable, black, greyish blue, brown, metallic purple, or bronze; sides dusky; underbelly dirty white; long, flat, sword-like upper jaw; lacks scales, teeth, and pelvic fins; single keel on each side of body in front of tail; first dorsal fin high, rigid and short; large eyes.
Dolphin/Mahi-Mahi
Coryphaena hippurus
88 lbs.
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; interior 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.
Wahoo
Acanthocybium solandri
183 lbs.
Numerous dark vertical bands on the side extending to below the lateral line, finlets behind the dorsal and anal fins, long snout, about half the length of the head, gill rakers are absent, first segment of the dorsal fin, with more than 20 spines, is about as high in the mid region as it is in front, upper and lower parts of tail are almost straight up and down
King Mackerel
Scomberomorous cavalla
100 lbs.
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.
Little Tunny
Euthynnus alletteratus
27 lbs.
Steelblue above with silver belly. Several oblique, wavy lines above the lateral line; black irregular blotches below the pectoral fin.good gamefish; hard fighter, but gets low marks in the food-value department.
Atlantic Bonito
Sarda Sarda
19 lbs.
Identified by their color, the conspicuously wavy lateral line, 16 to 22 gill rakers on the first arch and the 3 lateral keels on the caudal peduncle. The species has a steel-blue back and upper sides punctuated by 5 to 11 dark, slightly oblique stripes that run forward and downward. The lower sides are silver. The skipjack tuna, Euthynnus pelamis, is also striped, but the markings are along the lower sides and belly.
Cero
Scomberomorous regalis
11 lbs.
Color of back iridescent bluish green; sides silvery, yellow spots forming lines above and below a bronze stripe from pectoral fin to base of tail; front of first dorsal fin is bluish black; lateral line curves gradually to base of caudal fin.
Spanish Mackerel
Scomberomorous maculatus
12 lbs.
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.
Skipjack Tuna
Katsuwonus pelamis
77 lbs.
Skipjack Tuna are dark blue or purple on the back and silvery on their lower sides and belly. They have three to five prominent, dark longitudinal bands on their lower sides. These tuna have fine, slender teeth, a strong median keel on the caudal fin base between two small keels, and barely separated first and second dorsal fins
Albacore
Thunnus alalunga
93 lbs.
The body of the albacore tapers at both ends (cigar-shaped). The head is long and the mouth fairly large. The color is dark gray to metallic blue on the back becoming white to gray below. Albacore are easily distinguished from the other tunas occurring off California, with exception of the bigeye, by the extreme length of their pectoral fins (they extend well past the anal fin). Albacore and bigeye can best be distinguished by the characteristics of their livers. The albacore has a heavily striated (covered with blood vessels) liver while the liver of the bigeye is only lightly striated along the edges.
Yellowfin Tuna
Thunnus albacares
400 lbs.
The body of the yellowfin tuna tapers at both ends (cigar-shaped), and the head is conical. The color is dark brownish blue to dark yellow on the back becoming gray or whitish below. Identifying tunas can be difficult, especially when yellowfin and bigeye tuna are involved. In most cases, the length of the pectoral fins can distinguish each species. The yellowfin has pectoral fins which do not extend past the anal fin; while in bigeye, the pectoral fins extend well past the anal fin. Tuna which cannot be distinguished by external characteristics can be positively identified by liver characteristics.
Bluefin Tuna
Thunnus thynnus
1500 lbs.
The body of the bluefin tuna is cigar-shaped and robust. The head is conical and the mouth rather large. The color is dark blue above and gray below. Bluefin tuna can easily be distinguished from other members of the tuna family by the relatively short length of their pectoral fins. Their livers have a unique and definitive characteristic in that they are covered with blood vessels (striated).
Bigeye Tuna
Thunnus obesus
435 lbs.
The body of the bigeye tuna is cigar-shaped (tapered at both ends). The head is pointed and the eye is relatively large. The color is dark metallic brownish blue to dark yellow on the back becoming gray or whitish below. There often is a bluish stripe on the side. In most individuals, the length of the pectoral fins should enable one to identify the species properly. Both bigeye and yellowfin tuna look similar, but bigeye tuna have pectoral fins which extend well past their anal fin, while yellowfin tuna have much shorter pectoral fins.
Blackfin Tuna
Thunnus atlanticus
42 lbs.
Black dorsally and siver on the ventral side. Bronze stripe running down the side. Size: They average 4-10 lbs and are caught up to 30-35 pounds with some frequency. Habitat: Located throughout the entire gulf offshore. They may be caught while trolling, drifting. Chumming while drifting seems to be the best bet. These fish are warriors on all but the heaviest gear. Medium spinning and casting gear seems to be the most popular.
Bluefish
Pomatomus saltatrix
32 lbs.
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.
Red Drum/Red fish
Sciaenops ocellatus
92 lbs.
The red drum is a member of the drum family whose cousins include the Atlantic croaker, spot, spotted seatrout, and black drum. The most distinguishing mark on the red drum is one large black spot on the upper part of the tail base. Having multiple spots is not uncommon for this fish but having no spots is extremely rare. The color of red drum ranges from a deep blackish, coppery color to nearly silver. The most common color is reddish-bronze.
Permit
Trachinotus falcatus
60 lbs.
A greenish gray on back, shading to silvery sides; fish in dark waters showing gold on throat, pelvic, and anal fins; deep flattened body with small mouth; no scutes; 22 to 27 soft dorsal rays; 20 to 23 soft anal rays; origin of anal fin slightly behind origin of second dorsal.
Palometa
Trachinotus goodei
2 lbs.
Grayish-blue-green on top of head and along the back; bright silvery sides; yellow on breast; elongated dorsal and anal fins; dusky or black with bluish edges; deep body, with four narrow bars high on the sides, and traces of a fifth fin nearer the tail; no scutes.
Great Barracuda
Sphyraena barracuda
100 lbs.
Barracudas have a projecting lower jaw with several large, sharp-edged teeth and an elongate body with two widely separated dorsal fins. Approximately five species occur at Guam, most of which are small, schooling species found in protected harbors, bays, and channels. Sphyraena jello occurs in compact schools in relatively clear water and attains a size of about 100 cm. It is distinctive in possessing chevron-shaped bars and in lacking the dark blotches of S. barracuda
Florida Pompano
Trachinotus carolinus
8 lbs.
The Pompano is a feisty fish that puts up a good fight on light tackle. The Pompano belongs to the same family as the Permit, its body is not as high but it is still oval and compressed. It has a short snout with a small and oblique mouth and tiny teeth. The first dorsal is composed of six short spiny rays. The second dorsal fin is almost an inverted mirror image in size and shape to the anal fin. The caudal fin is notched with long pointed lobes. Color is gray – green on the back and slivery on the sides. There are usually 3 – 5 vertical dark green spots along the front and top of the lateral line.
Snook
Centropomus undecimalis
50 lbs.
Snooks have long, sleek bodies and an exaggerated underbite combining for a menacing profile that suits their aggressive nature. Their distinguishing feature is a black line that runs laterally along both flanks. Most snook caught fall between 18 and 30 inches, but large specimens have pushed well beyond the 52-inch mark and weighed in at over 50 pounds. They’re generally olive in color with silver sides and belly, though ocean-going snook tend to be more silver, and backwater snook more dark.
Cobia
Rachycentron canadum
150 lbs.
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.
Ladyfish
Elops saurus
10 lbs.
Terminal mouth, slender body, small scales; last dorsal ray not elongated; head small and pointed.
Spotted Seatrout
Cynoscion nebulosus
16 lbs.
The fish is a member of the croaker family (Sciaenidae)and is a first cousin to the Atlantic croaker, red drum, black drum, and sand seatrout. Its abundance, willingness to hit natural and artificial baits, and fine eating qualities make the species extremely popular with rod and reel anglers.
Bonefish
Albula vulpes
13 lbs.
Silvery color with bluish or greenish back; slender, round body; snout long, conical, aiming downward and overhanging lower jaw; dark streaks between scales on upper half of body and faint crossbands extending down to lateral line; extremities of dorsal and caudal fins shaded with black.
Tarpon
Megalops atlanticus
300 lbs.
Tarpon are large, silvery fishes with a darker, greenish back. Underwater, they appear to shimmer like huge gray ghosts as they swim sedately by. The last ray of the dorsal fin is greatly elongated. The scales are huge but very thin. Between the arms of the lower jaw, their is a large, flat bone called the gular plate. Of Gulf fishes, only the related ladyfish has such a structure, but this latter species has no elongate last ray on the dorsal, and is much slimmer and smaller than tarpon.
Rainbow Runner
33 lbs.
The Rainbow Runner is an elongate fish. It has a large deeply forked tail and two separate finlets behind both the dorsal and anal fins. There are no scutes on the lateral line. This species is green to blue above and white below. It has two light blue stripes on the sides separated by a wider yellow to greenish stripe.
Greater Amberjack
Seriola dumerili
180 lbs.
The coloration of the greater amberjack is characterized by a dark stripe on the head which extends from the origin of the first dorsal gin through the eye. The back is blue or olivaceous, and the sides and belly are silvery-white. Occationally there is an amber or pinkish cast to the body. Juveniles have have five or six dark verticle bars along the sides.
Yellow Jack
Seriola lalandi
19 lbs.
The body of the yellowtail is elongate, somewhat compressed, tapering to the sharp snout and the slender tail. The head is more or less conical. The color is olive brown to brown above, with a dark streak along the side of the body. The fins are yellowish. Yellowtail are easily distinguished from other fishes by the darker horizontal stripe along the side of the body, as well as a deeply forked yellow tail.
African Pompano
Alectis ciliaris
50 lbs.
The African Pompano is an awesome fish silver in color and a hard fighter. They can range in size from 25-50 lbs and the Treasure coast accounts for several World Records. They are caught while fishing over several of the area’s wrecks and are also considered good table fare. Live bait and large jigs account for most “AP” catches. The months of Dec thru April are considered to be the best, weather permitting.
Horse-eye Jack
Caranx latus
24 lbs.
The horse-eye jack has a deep and compressed body similar to a jack crevalle, but the horse-eye jack’s head is more rounded. Known for its large eyes, the horse-eye is gray to bluish-black above and a silvery-white on its sides and below. A row of dark-colored scutes extends from the middle of the body to the center of the forked tail fin.
Blue runner
Caranx crysos
7 lbs.
color light olive to bluish green above; silvery gray to golden below; frequently black spot on operculum; readily distinguished from crevalle jack by lack of black blotch on pectoral fin; tail tips blackish.
Bar Jack
Caranx ruber
16 lbs.
The bar jack has a body depth 3.2-3.5 times larger than its fork length. It is moderately compressed and has medium sized eyes. Unlike the crevalle jack, its chest is completely scaled. The pectoral fins of the bar jack are longer than its head. In the Bahamas, the bar jack has more gillrakers than any other Caranx species. Also, unlike most members of the genus, the bar jack has scutes on the straight part of the lateral line.
Crevalle Jack
Caranx hippos
52 lbs.
CrevCrevalle Jack are bluish green to greenish gold on the back and silvery or yellowish on the belly. They are compressed, and the deep body has a high rounded profile as well as a large mouth. The tail and anal fin may be yellowish, and the ends of the dorsal and upper tail are occasionally black. There is a prominent black spot on the gill cover and another black spot at the base of each pectoral fin. Young fish usually have about five broad, black bands on the body and one on the head. The soft dorsal and anal fins are almost identical in size, and there are 18 to 21 soft rays in the dorsal fin and 16 to 19 gill rakers on the lower limb of the first arch. The crevalle jack bears a resemblance to the Florida pompano but has a larger mouth.
