FISH COMMONLY USED AS BAIT

Fish Identification by Pictures

Illustrated by Diane Rome Peebles unless otherwise noted. Provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commision, DIvision of Marine Fisheries Management
BLUE MARLIN









LONGBILL SPEARFISH








SAILFISH









SWORDFISH









WHITE MARLIN








GAG GROUPER
AKA: Copperbelly, Gray Grouper,
Grass Grouper










GOLIATH GROUPER









NASSAU GROUPER










RED GROUPER










SCAMP









YELLOWFIN GROUPER









YELLOWMOUTH
GROUPER










BANK SEA BASS









BLACK SEA BASS










ROCK SEA BASS







BLUE RUNNER

AKA:  Hardtail








JACK CREVALLE









GREATER AMBERJACK










LESSER AMBERJACK









FLORIDA POMPANO










PALOMETA









PERMIT

Not common to the Destin area, more of
a tropical fish.











CHUB MACKEREL










FRIGATE MACKEREL










KING MACKEREL









SPANISH MACKEREL










WAHOO





BLACKNOSE SHARK







BLACK TIP SHARK









BONNETHEAD SHARK








BULL SHARK








DUSKY SHARK









GREAT HAMMERHEAD










LEMON SHARK










NURSE SHARK









OCEANIC WHITETIP










REEF SHARK









SANDBAR SHARK










SCALLOPED
HAMMERHEAD











SHORTFIN MAKO










SILKY SHARK










SMALL EYE
HAMMERHEAD









SPINNER SHARK










THRESHER SHARK









TIGER SHARK










WHITE SHARK
AKA: LONGFIN TUNA

RARE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO











BIGEYE TUNA

AKA:

NOT NORMALLY FOUND IN THE
GULF
NORTH OF THE KEYS







BLACKFIN TUNA
AKA: Football











BLUEFIN TUNA










SKIPJACK TUNA
AKA: Oceanic Bonito, Artic Bonito,
Striped Tuna, Watermelon











YELLOWFIN TUNA

AKA: ALLISON TUNA, AHI



BAY WHIFF
AKA: Dab











BLACKCHEEK
TONGUEFISH










BLUEFISH










BONEFISH










BONITO, ATLANIC









BONITO
AKA: Little Tunny, False Albacore,
Little Tuna











CATFISH, GAFFTOPSAIL









CATFISH, HARDHEAD










COBIA










DOLPHIN









FLOUNDER, GULF
AKA: Doormat, Plie, Lenguad












FLOUNDER, SOUTHERN
AKA: Doormat, Plie, Lenguad











HOGFISH









LADYFISH









LEATHERJACKET










LOOKDOWN









TARPON










TRIPLETAIL









SEA ROBIN










SNOOK, COMMON

Not normally found in Destin waters










SPADEFISH










TRIGGERFISH, GRAY










TRIGGERFISH, OCEAN










WEAKFISH









WHITING, GULF
AKA: Gulf Kingfish, Kingfish, Whiting












WHITING, SOUTHERN







AKA: Southern Kingfish, Southern
Whiting, Sea Mullet, King Whiting
Counter
BLACKFIN SNAPPER

AKA: BLACKSPOT SNAPPER

RARE IN THE DESTIN AREA








CUBERA SNAPPER

AKA: CUBAN SNAPPER, CUBAN DOG
SNAPPER

RARE IN THE DESTIN AREA







DOG SNAPPER

AKA: YELLOW SNAPPER, JOCU










LANE SNAPPER

AKA: CANDY SNAPPER, SPOT
SNAPPER, BIAJAIBA









MAHOGANY SNAPPER

AKA: OJONCO

RARE IN THE DESTIN AREA









MANGROVE SNAPPER
AKA: GRAY SNAPPER, BLACK
SNAPPER, MANGO SNAPPER,
CABALLEROTE









MINGO SNAPPER
AKA: VERMILLION SNAPPER*,
BEELINER, CAJON











MUTTON SNAPPER

AKA; MUTTONFISH, REEF KING,
PARGO CRIOLLA

RARE NORTH OF THE KEYS







PINK SNAPPER

AKA: WENCHMAN

RARE IN THE DESTIN AREA








QUEEN SNAPPER

AKA: BALL BAT

DEEP WATER FISH, RARELY
CAUGHT
IN LESS THAN 300'







RED SNAPPER










SCHOOLMASTER

AKA: BARRED SNAPPER, CAJI

RARE IN THE DESTIN AREA








SILK SNAPPER

AKA: YELLOWEYE SNAPPER

DEEPWATER FISH, RARELY
CAUGHT IN LESS THAN 300'








YELLOWTAIL SNAPPER

AKA: TAIL, FLAG, RABIRUBIA

RARE IN THE DESTIN AREA
ATLANTIC CROAKER










BLACK DRUM









RED DRUM








SAND SEATROUT








SPOT








SILVER SEATROUT








SPOTTED SEATROUT










SILVER PERCH









WEAKFISH
GRASS PORGY










JOLTHEAD PORGY









KNOBBED
PORGY










LITTLEHEAD PORGY








PINFISH









RED PORGY










SHEEPSHEAD









SPOTTAIL PINFISH
aka: Crazy Fish











BALLYHOO
aka: Half Beak, Hoo

Not common in Destin, but sometimes can be found in the
summer months







BIG EYE SCAD

AKA: GOG, GOGGLE-EYE JACK










BLUE RUNNER
aka: Hardtail












BULL MINNOWS

AKA: Cocahoe minnow, Gulf Killifish, Killifish, Mud Minnows









CIGAR MINNOWS
AKA: ROUND SCAD












CROAKER









GLASS MINNOWS
AKA: Bay Anchovy, Fry, Bigmouth Fry,
Anchoa











MENHADEN, GULF
AKA: Alewife, Bunker, Fatback, LY, Mossbunker, Pogy, Shad










MENHADEN, YELLOWFIN









PIGFISH









PINFISH










RIBBONFISH
AKA: Silver Eel, Atlantic Cutlass Fish*


















SAND PERCH
aka: Squirrel Fish

SHAD
AKA: Alabama Shad, American Shad









SCALED SARDINE
AKA: Pilchard, Whitebait, Sardina









SPANISH SARDINE
AKA: Herring, Sardine, Shiner









TREADFIN HERRING
AKA: Greenie, Greenback, Hairyback,
Thread, Shiner,








TOMTATE
aka: Ruby Red Lips
BLACK MARGATE









PIGFISH










TOMTATE










WHITE GRUNT

RAYS & SKATES










LEOPARD RAY









MANTA RAY










SOUTHERN STINGRAY










CLEARNOSE SKATE









ROUNDED SKATE

MULLET
BLACK MULLET
AKA: Striped Mullet, Gray Mullet,
Jumping Mullet, Popeye,











FANTAIL MULLET









SILVER MULLET
AKA: White Mullet
GRUNTS

SNAPPERS
TUNAS

CROAKERS (DRUMS)
The Croakers or Drums of the Sciaenidae Family, are named because of the sound they make with their swim
bladders, a "croaking"or "drum"sound.
BIG GAME FISH
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR MORE INFORMATION

GROUPERS & SEABASS

ILLUSTRATED BY DIANE ROME PEEBLES UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.
PROVIDED BY THE FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION,
DIVISION OF MARINE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT

JACKS

MACKERELS

PORGY

SHARKS

MISCELLANEOUS FISH