CROAKER
Destin Fishing Guide
|
For species that do not have an established bag limit, more than 100 pounds or 2 fish per harvester per
day (whichever is greater), is considered commercial quantities. A saltwater products license and
commercial vessel registration is required to harvest commercial quantities of unregulated species.
ATLANTIC CROAKER
Micropogonias undulatus
The Atlantic croaker, sometimes called drum, golden croaker, or hardhead, inhabits Atlantic coastal
waters from Massachusetts to Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico around Texas. Large concentrations
can be found in the Chesapeake Bay and the Mississippi River delta. From March to October, croaker
will be found over sandy or grassy shallows of the Chesapeake Bay and move into deeper water in the
winter. The bulk of the catch from the Mid-Atlantic is usually taken in July, August, and September.
The names croaker and drum are descriptive of the noise the fish makes by vibrating strong muscles
against its swim bladder, which acts as a resonating chamber, much like a drum. During spawning
season (August to December), croakers turn a distinct golden color, hence the name golden croaker. At
maturity (three to four years), croakers reach between 1-1/2 feet long and 4-5 pounds, with the average
size being 1/2-2 pounds.
FISH SPECIES
CROAKERS
Spotted Seatrout
Weakfish
Sand Seatrout
Silver Seatrout
Red Drum
Black Drum
Atlantic Croaker
Silver Perch
Spot
Northern Kingfish
Southern Kingfish
Gulf Kingfish
The Croaker Family
Despite the unglamorous name, the Croaker family encompasses many of Florida's most popular game
and food fish, including the two that would head any list of statewide inshore favorites - the Spotted
Seatrout and the Redfish. Moreover, all these fish are cooperative strikers, good gamesters and tasty
table fare. And most of them are routinely caught by shorehound anglers as well as boaters. None of
the fish covered in this section are common in the Bahamas or Caribbean Islands.
Back To The Fish Species Directory Index
Fish Species brought to you in association with Wickstrom Publishers Inc.
Excerpts from the book Sport Fish of Florida a must for every tackle box and boat in and around Florida
waters!!! Get your copy now!! Other great titles include Baits, Rigs & Tackle!
1
SPOTTED SEATROUT
(Cynoscion nebulosus)
OTHER NAMES: Trout, Speckled Trout, Speck
RANGE: All Florida coasts.
HABITAT: Spotted Seatrout can be caught in virtually any of Florida's inshore waters, from the outside
surf to far up coastal rivers, and, at times, in fairly deep Gulf water. Most commonly caught from spring
through fall on shallow grassy flats and in grass-lined channels and holes. During cold snaps, they run
for up coastal rivers.
DESCRIPTION: Streamlined shape; large mouth with prominent canine teeth; color gray or silvery with
many prominent black spots on sides. Background may be quite dark, or gold, when fish are in back
bays or streams.
SIZE: Usually 1-2 pounds; common on both coasts to about four pounds. Largest fish, both in average
size and maximum size, come from East Central region, where fish to 10 pounds are taken at times and
where potential is to 15 pounds or more. Gulf Coast trout are considered large at 5-8 pounds, but can
top 10. World and Florida records 17 pounds, 7 ounces.
FOOD VALUE: A table favorite.
GAME QUALITIES: Not exceedingly strong or active, but a hard striker on a variety of baits and quite
sporty on light gear. Showy, surface-thrashing fighter but not a long runner. Sometimes jumps.
TACKLE AND BAITS: Spinning, baitcasting and fly tackle are all effective and sporting. Best natural
baits are live shrimp, live baitfish and strips of cut Mullet or Pinfish. Most popular lures are bait-tail jigs,
swimming plugs and topwater plugs. Poppers are productive flyrod lures over the flats; large streamers
work in all waters
FISHING SYSTEMS: Casting; Drifting; Still Fishing.
Back to top Index
2
WEAKFISH
(Cynoscion regalis)
OTHER NAMES: Gray Trout, Northern Trout
RANGE: From North Florida, south to Cape Canaveral; stragglers perhaps to Fort Pierce on the East
Coast.
HABITAT: Most fishing for Weakfish takes place in the Jacksonville area and Port Canaveral. This
species prefers deeper water, as a rule, than its spotted cousin; channels, deep holes, basins and
harbors.
DESCRIPTION: Silhouette similar to the spotted seatrout, but markings take the form of irregular wavy
lines instead of spots. Prominent canine teeth.
SIZE: Average is 1-3 pounds. Does not grow as large in Florida as in northeastern states, although fish
over 5 pounds are possible. World record 19 pounds, 2 ounces; Florida record 10 pounds.
FOOD VALUE: Very good.
GAME QUALITIES: Less of a surface brawler than the Speckled Trout, but gives a good account of
itself on light gear.
TACKLE AND BAITS: Spinning and baitcasting; fly fishing usually difficult. Weakfish bite best on live
shrimp, but will take live baitfish and strips of fish. Best lures are jigs, worked slow and deep
FISHING SYSTEMS: Casting; Drifting; Still Fishing.
Back to top Index
3
SAND SEATROUT "White Trout"
(Cynoscion arenarius)
OTHER NAMES: Sand Trout
RANGE: All Florida coasts.
HABITAT: Most are caught in deep portions of bays and channels on the Gulf Coast, but are preset on
the Atlantic side as well. Generally prefers hard sand or shell bottom, but sometimes mixes with
Speckled Trout on grass flats.
DESCRIPTION: Often confused with the Silver Trout (see next), and both can be confused with the
Weakfish (previous) but note that, with rare exception, the Weakfish is found in the Atlantic and both
the others in the Gulf. This fish is tan or yellowish above and silver below. No spots. Canine teeth
present.
SIZE: Usually one-half to one pound; rarely exceeds 2. World record 4 pounds, 5 ounces.
FOOD VALUE: Smaller ones with skin on are tasty panfish. Those over a pound or so produce
mild-flavored fillets.
GAME QUALITIES: Short runs. Fun, but no challenge.
TACKLE AND BAITS: Light spinning tackle is best. Favored baits are shrimp, live or dead, and small
strips of fish or squid. Small leadhead jigs are tops as artificials.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Casting; Drifting; Still Fishing.
Back to top Index
4
SILVER SEATROUT
(Cynoscion nothus)
OTHER NAMES: Silver Trout
RANGE: All Florida coasts, but more plentiful in the upper half of the state.
HABITAT: Basically, this is a fish of open water, but most of them are caught by Florida anglers during
colder seasons, when they invade the deep channels of harbors and bays.
DESCRIPTION: Similar in appearance to, and often confused with, the White Trout (preceding), but is
smaller and of a decidedly more silvery hue overall.
SIZE: Average is 6 to 10 inches; an occasional fish may reach or slightly exceed one pound.
FOOD VALUE: A fine panfish, but seldom large enough to make filleting worthwhile. Best prepared by
scaling and drawing, then pan-frying.
GAME QUALITIES: Generally too small to put up much resistance, but can put a bend in a light
spinning rod when being hauled up from deep water.
TACKLE AND BAITS: Light spinning tackle with small hooks and pieces of shrimp or cut fish. Willingly
hit leadhead jigs. A tandem rig works very well - made by using a very small jig as a trailer behind a
larger one that sinks faster. Combine the two by tying a foot of light monofilament line to the eye of the
front jig, then tying the eye of the smaller jig to the other end.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Drifting; Still Fishing.
Back to top Index
5
RED DRUM
"Redfish" (Sciaenops ocellatus)
OTHER NAMES: Red Bass, Channel Bass, Drum
RANGE: All Florida coasts.
HABITAT: Most popular fishing areas are along shell bars and rocky or grassy shorelines and on
shallow flats, where they are usually fished by sight. Reds also forage in the surf of outside beaches
nearly everywhere on the Gulf Coast and along the upper half of the East Coast, especially in the fall.
Adults move offshore to spawn and are sometimes encountered in open water in large schools. They
roam into coastal rivers and creeks at any time of year, and in winter swarm into them, seeking warmer
water.
DESCRIPTION: Usually bronze or reddish with white underside, but sometimes quite pale all over.
Prominent ringed spot or several spots at base of tail fin; occasionally, without the spot. Silhouette is
similar to black drum and colors can sometimes be confusing in very large fish, but the redfish has no
chin barbels and the black drum never has the tail spot.
SIZE: Caught from less than a pound to 10 or 12 pounds; 30-pounders are not rare, and the potential in
Florida is about 60. World record 94 pounds, 2 ounces; Florida record 51 pounds, 8 ounces.
FOOD VALUE: Redfish up to around 10 pounds rank among the favorite fish of most anglers. Red
portions of flesh do not have objectionable taste when fresh. Large Redfish are protected at this
writing, and not the best of fare anyway.
GAME QUALITIES: Fine gamester. Strength, stamina and fairly long, bullish runs are its trademarks.
TACKLE AND BAITS: All kinds of casting tackle, including fly, are successfully used on Redfish of all
sizes. Surf rods and light-to-medium saltwater outfits are good for beach, bridge, pier and offshore
fishing. Redfish are ravenous feeders that will take live baitfish, crabs and shrimp, and also dead or cut
baits from the same sources. Live shrimp and minnows make the very best baits for shallow coastal
fishing; live Pinfish, small Mullet or similar baitfish for angling in deeper water. Most productive artificials
are weedless spoons, plastic-tail jigs and topwater plugs, but many swimming plugs also work. Large
streamers and poppers do the job for fly fishermen.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Casting; Drifting; Still Fishing.
Back to top Index
6
BLACK DRUM
(Pogonias cromis)
OTHER NAMES: Drum, Striped Drum
RANGE: All Florida coasts.
HABITAT: Surf and estuarine areas. Most consistently productive fisheries for big Drum are found in
the St. Marys River estuary of the northeast coast, the Indian River, Tampa Bay and the Suwannee
River estuary. Like Redfish, small Drum forage along shell bars, shorelines and on shallow flats. Big
fish stick mostly to inside channels and surf.
DESCRIPTION: Somewhat similar to the Redfish in shape, but usually distinguishable by color, and
always by the fact that the Drum has barbels, or feelers on the underside of the lower jaw. Juvenile
Drum have black vertical stripes on dusky white sides, as do Sheepshead (which see). Only novices
will be confused, however, because Drum lack the prominent sheep-like teeth that give the
Sheepshead its name. The stripes fade with age and adult Drum are usually blackish above and white
below, although some develop a decidedly bronze hue.
SIZE: Drum over 100 pounds have been caught and specimens weighing 30 to 50 pounds are not rare
in many areas. Striped juveniles generally weigh 1-15 pounds. World record 113 pounds. 1 ounce;
Florida record 93 pounds.
FOOD VALUE: Drum to about 6 or 8 pounds are as tasty as Redfish. Larger ones become quite coarse.
GAME QUALITIES: Strong, bullish fight, but not so tough as the Redfish, size for size.
TACKLE AND BAITS: Surf tackle and saltwater boat rods are used when targeting big fish, but even
the lunkers can be caught rather easily on spinning and casting tackle with a bit of patience. Fly fishing
is a challenge. Any sort of crustacean, from shrimp to cut blue crab to whole small crab, makes fine bait
for Drum. Cut fish and squid work fairly well. Drum are not avid lure-chasers but can be taken on slowly
worked jigs in deep water, and by carefully presented streamer flies and jigs on the flats.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Casting; Still Fishing.
Back to top Index
7
ATLANTIC CROAKER
(Micropogonias undulatus)
OTHER NAMES: Croaker, Hardhead
RANGE: Occurs statewide but is more common in the upper half of Florida.
HABITAT: Likes sand or shell bottom. It's a regular catch in many surf areas but also can be caught
from sloughs and channels of inside waters, particularly those with soft bottom.
DESCRIPTION: Similar to the Black Drum in outline, but a much smaller fish. Overall silvery or gold
background with sometimes indistinct wavy lines on upper sides. Like the Black Drum, it has small
barbels on underside of lower jaw.
SIZE: Averages a pound or less, but sometimes reaches 3 pounds, or perhaps slightly more. World and
Florida records 3 pounds, 12 ounces.
FOOD VALUE: Small ones make good panfish; some are large enough to provide fillets. Either way, the
flesh is of a mild flavor.
GAME QUALITIES: Scrappy on very light tackle but, unfortunately, many are taken on heavy surf gear.
Against a light line, they run fairly well and can also use the waves to good advantage in the surf.
TACKLE AND BAITS: Light spinning or baitcasting; light surf outfits. Top baits include live and dead
shrimp, sand fleas, fiddler crabs, cut squid, cut fish. Croakers will also take small jigs. The combination
of a little jig with a bit of shrimp on the hook is deadly.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Still Fishing
Back to top Index
8
SILVER PERCH
(Bairdiella chrysoura)
OTHER NAMES: Yellowtail, Sugar Trout, Silver Trout
RANGE: Inshore waters, mostly in the upper half of Florida. Seems to be more plentiful on the Gulf
Coast, especially the Panhandle and Big Bend areas.
HABITAT: Abundant in coastal rivers and streams during the winter sometimes schooling so thickly that
catches could be made by the dozens, or even hundreds, if an angler were so inclined.
DESCRIPTION: Grayish or steel back, silvery on sides. Fins and tail yellowish. Confused in name and
appearance with the Silver Trout (which see), but this is not a Seatrout, although related. Absence of
canine teeth is the giveaway.
SIZE: Up to perhaps 10 inches; common at 4-6 inches.
FOOD VALUE: An excellent panfish; seldom large enough to fillet. Rolled in meal and deepfried, they
are delicious.
GAME QUALITIES: Too small to provide much sport, but they at least provide some action on many
winter days when the sought-after Redfish and Trout are hard to find.
TACKLE AND BAITS: Light spinning tackle with small hooks and pieces of shrimp, fish or squid. They
readily hit artificials and are easily hooked on very small jigs.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Casting; Still Fishing.
Back to top Index
9
SPOT
(Leiostomus xanthurus)
OTHER NAMES: Spotted Croaker, Mizzouki Croaker
RANGE: Common on Atlantic Coast, except south of Palm Beach County. Also found in lesser numbers
along most of the Gulf Coast.
HABITAT: Very common in the surf, also bays and inlets.
DESCRIPTION: Easily distinguished from other Croakers and similar panfish by its forked tail and
prominent spot behind the gill cover. Brassy color with wavy or mottled lines above; fading to white on
underside.
SIZE: Averages 6-8 inches; rarely reaches one pound.
FOOD VALUE: One of the most popular panfish.
GAME QUALITIES: Spirited panfish.
TACKLE AND BAITS: Light spinning tackle, small hooks, pieces of cut fish, squid or shrimp.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Still Fishing.
Back to top Index
10
NORTHERN KINGFISH
(Menticirrhus saxatilis)
OTHER NAMES: Northern Whiting
RANGE: All Florida coasts.
HABITAT: Surf, channels, passes, inlets and sand bars.
DESCRIPTION: Dark bars are more vivid than on the Southern Kingfish.
SIZE: Under 1 pound as a rule; sometimes 2 pounds. World record 1 pound, 4 ounces.
FOOD VALUE: Good.
GAME QUALITIES: Scrappy on light tackle.
TACKLE AND BAITS: Light spinning, casting and surf tackle. Best baits are sand fleas and pieces of
shrimp or squid. Readily hits small jigs and flies. On bright, calm days, Whiting can be sight-fished at
the very edge of the surf along many beaches.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Still Fishing.
Back to top Index
11
SOUTHERN KINGFISH
(Menticirrhus americanus)
OTHER NAMES: SouthernWhiting, King Whiting
RANGE: All Florida coasts; more common to Atlantic.
HABITAT: Roams sandy bottom. Abundant surf fish.
DESCRIPTION: Large head with one barbel at tip of lower jaw. Flattened belly. Overall silvery color,
tannish on top. Indistinct dark blotches on side.
SIZE: Usually less than a pound. Sometimes 2 pounds. World record 1 pound, 14 ounces.
FOOD VALUE: Bland but good.
GAME QUALITIES: Runs well against very light tackle.
TACKLE AND BAITS: Light spinning, casting and surf tackle. Best baits are sand fleas and pieces of
shrimp or squid. Readily hits small jigs and flies. On bright, calm days, Whiting can be sight-fished at
the very edge of the surf along many beaches.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Casting; Still Fishing.
Back to top Index
12
GULF KINGFISH
(Menticirrhus littoralis)
OTHER NAMES: Gulf Whiting
RANGE: This is the common Whiting of the Gulf Coast, but occurs on Atlantic side as well.
HABITAT: Surf, channels, passes, inlets and sand bars.
DESCRIPTION: Body shape same as Southern Kingfish, but is silvery all over with no pattern on sides.
Tail black-tipped.
SIZE: Under 1 pound as a rule; sometimes 2 pounds.
FOOD VALUE: Good.
GAME QUALITIES: Scrappy on light tackle.
TACKLE AND BAITS: Light spinning, casting and surf tackle. Best baits are sand fleas and pieces of
shrimp or squid. Readily hits small jigs and flies. On bright, calm days, Whiting can be sight-fished at
the very edge of the surf along many beaches.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Casting; Still Fishing.
Back to top Index
Since the average croaker is relatively small, this fish is usually sold drawn (viscera removed, head on)
or dressed (head and viscera removed). Larger fish will be filleted. The croaker offers a tender meat
with a mild, sweet flavor. The fish can be baked, broiled, or fried to bring out its flavor. The Virginia Sea
Grant Program offers the following tips on how to eat a pan-dressed fish. Be sure to try the recipe that
follows for Cornmeal Fried Croaker.
CULINARY DESCRIPTION
Place the cooked croaker on a plate so that the belly flap is toward you. Remove the skin from the top
side of the fish (unless you prefer to eat it). The meat above the lateral line, between the backbone and
dorsal fine, will flake easily with a fork. This is called the loin section. Remove this portion in pieces
without shredding it by lifting the meat in rows, head end to tail, onto the plate.
The belly flap is the tricky part - you need to look for rib bones and intermuscular bones here. The rib
bones line the belly cavity. The intermuscular bones are in the meat. The rib bones should be visible
but remain on the skeleton. From the ventral fin to the tail, the bones will be as they were in the loin
portion.
When all the meat is removed from the top portion, carefully lift the dorsal and ventral fins and attached
bones. The back bone can then be lifted out along the tail bones and tail fin. Then remove any of the
rib or intermuscular bones that may remain in the belly flap and enjoy the other half of the fish!
CORNMEAL FRIED CROAKER
6 small croakers, pan-dressed 1 tsp. paprika
2 eggs 3 cups yellow corn meal
3/4 cup milk cooking oil or margarine
1/2 cup flour lemon wedges
salt and pepper cherry tomatoes (optional)
Wash croakers, drain, and pat dry with absorbent paper. Season flour with salt and pepper. In a mixing
bowl, blend eggs and milk. Sprinkle additional salt, pepper, and paprika into corn meal and spread on
wax paper. Lightly dredge each croaker in seasoned flour, dip in egg wash, and thoroughly coat in corn
meal. Drop coated fish into deep fat fryer (375 degrees F) until golden brown. Or fry coated fish in 1/2
inch hot cooking oil or margarine for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown on one side; turn and brown
other side, allowing 10-12 minutes total cooking time. Serve with lemon wedges. Garnish with cherry
tomatoes if desired.
http://www.ocean.udel.edu/mas/seafood/croaker.html
44444444444444444444444444444444444
Atlantic Croaker (Micropogonias undulatus)
TPWD ©
Other Names
Hard Heads, King Billies, Grumblers
Description
Atlantic croaker are about 12 inches (30 cm) long and weigh 1/2 to 2 pounds (226 g to 0.9 kg) on
average. Its distinguishing characteristics include three to five pairs of small barbels or "whiskers" on
their chins to help them feel for food on the sea floor; a lateral line that extends to the tip of its caudal
(tail) fin; inferior mouth (located to the bottom of the head facing the ground), and brown vertical stripes
on its sides. Adults are silver with a pinkish cast, while young are silvery and iridescent. Older fish are
brassy in color with vertical brown streaks formed by spots that are on their scales.
Life History
The Atlantic croaker is a very important commercial fish. Millions of pounds are caught and sold every
year in the United States and exported to other countries. The annual catch of croaker has declined in
the past few years, probably due to over fishing. The best times for fishing for Atlantic croaker are from
summer into the fall. They are easily caught on bait (dead shrimp) when fishing on the bottom. Small
Atlantic croaker are used as a bait fish to catch other fish, especially spotted seatrout (Cynoscion
nebulosis) and crabs.
Atlantic croaker "croak" by vibrating their swim bladders with special muscles as part of their spawning
ritual. A swim bladder is a pocket full of air inside the fish that helps keep it afloat and facing upright.
This behavior attracts females. Along the Gulf Coast, they reach sexual maturity at about one year old.
This varies in other areas. Spawning season is in the fall, with a peak between August and October.
During spawning season, females will release between 100,000 and 2 million eggs, each about 0.35
mm in diameter. After hatching, the larvae (immature stage) drift toward land. They are abundant on
soft bottoms, such as mud, where there are large amounts of detritus for them to feed on. The Atlantic
croaker's diet includes shrimp, crabs, and detritus (dead and decomposing plant and animal matter).
Atlantic croaker can live up to eight years. Their predators include striped bass, shark, spotted
seatrout, other croakers, and humans. Croaker that live in the northern part of their range mature later
and live longer than those in the southern part of their range. Because of predation, more than 95% of
the Atlantic croaker population dies every year. Atlantic croaker should not be eaten raw because they
may pass trematodes (parasites) to humans. The croaker is closely related to spotted seatrout and red
drum.
Habitat
Atlantic croaker prefer estuaries and bays through the spring and summer, then travel offshore in the
fall to breed.
Distribution
The Atlantic croaker is found on the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts southward and throughout the
Gulf of Mexico.
Other
The Atlantic croaker is one of the most abundant fishes in North American coastal waters. It is an
important commercial fish as well as an important sport fish.