Amberjacks

Blue Runner

Bluefish

Learn about identification of the four species of amberjacks that occur in Alabama's Gulf waters.

This hard-hitting fighter has been the first real exciting battle for many a young angler!

Armed with powerful, sharp teeth in large muscular jaws, bluefish have no peer as the preying pack hunters of our coastal waters

Along the Gulf Coast cobia are known as ling, cabio, lemonfish and crabeater.

There is no tougher game fish to be had in shallow, coastal waters with light tackle!

Its name is derived from the croaking sound generated by its gas-filled swim bladder.

(Dolphin, Dorado, Mahi-mahi) - Dolphinfish - the mahi-mahi of restaurant fame is one of our finest food fishes. The flesh is white, mild and ideal for broiling.

This is a big drum - often approaching three feet and weighing 70 - 80 pounds.

(Redfish) - Red drum prefer shellfish such as crabs or shrimp but won't pass up a chunk of fish if it's offered.

Voracious predators, flounders spend most of their time camouflaged snugly on the bottom awaiting their unsuspecting prey. 

The Gag is a modest to large-sized grouper reaching over two feet and at least 30 pounds.

Most abundant in the eastern Gulf, red groupers have expanded their range to our coast.

There is no doubt that the Scamp is one of the most esteemed food fishes of the Gulf!

Gulf (whiting), Southern (ground mullet) - Among the finest flavored fishes of our coast, abundant and excellent for either frying of broiling.

(Skipjack, Ten-pounder) - Many a young angler recalls their first great fishing thrill caused by the tail-walking antics of the ladyfish! 

A favorite offshore gamefish, accessible to thousands of anglers in modest-sized craft

A small fish by mackerel standards, but still reaches two feet and about 12 pounds. 

A fine-flavored panfish, at first glance this member of the grunt family resembles the pinfish. 

Pinfish abound in estuarine and nearshore waters, especially around piling and other large submerged objects.

Pompano command the highest price of any Gulf fish...'nuff said! 

(White snapper) This fine fish frequents hard bottom and patch reef areas along the inner-continental shelf. 

The bill and incredible sail positively identify the magnificent Atlantic Sailfish.

 (White trout) - These fish are highly regarded for their sporting nature and fine eating qualities. 

  (Speckled trout) - The distinctive spotted pattern and formidable fangs are enough to lock in the identification of the famed Speckled Trout"

A good way to appreciate these marvelous fish is to realize why they've changed so little over hundreds of millions of years.

This is one of the largest porgies - sometimes exceeding two feet and weighing over ten pounds.

Though small, this silvery-colored member of the drum family is an excellent panfish.

(Mangrove snapper, black snapper) - This fine-eating fish is one of the few snappers that occurs in shallow estuarine waters.

Like many snappers, this one prefers to night-feed, showing no preference for fish, shrimp, crabs or other palatable shellfish

This is one of the Gulf's most important and finest-eating recreational and commercial fishes. 

(Beeliner) - It feeds mid-water on smaller animals, sometimes even near-invisible planktonic animals, but will take small baits of fish and shellfish parts.

Excellent eating, and when the right spot is found along with a school in the right mood a nice mess of one-pound spadefish is a real possibility.

The spot gets its name from the distinctive eye-sized spot just behind the upper edge of the gill cover.

The Silver King - Alabama's Official State Saltwater Fish - Tarpon cruise shallow, low salinity waters including open bays and may venture upstream in coastal rivers.

The most striking feature of this grunt is the bright red lining on the inside of its mouth, giving it the nickname "rubylips".

Wide ranging from Canada to Argentina and through the Gulf, the Gray triggerfish is an outstanding food fish. 

(Blackfish) - The tripletail is a circumtropical species, found in all the Earth's warm seas, both nearshore as well as blue water mid-ocean regions. A culinary delight!

This is a small tuna, approaching only about three feet in length and weighing about 40 pounds.

Highly prized, this is one on the biggest tunas - reaching six feet and weighing 400 pounds.

(Bonito) - Little tunny are fast-moving tight schooling predators, favoring clear, nearshore coastal areas and shallow shelf surface waters.

Pelagic loners, found well offshore even to mid-ocean regions, wahoo are voracious predators capable of wreaking havoc on light tackle.