Game Fish Native to Area

Sail Fish
The sailfish is a very popular billfish with the marine game fish anglers. The sailfish is dark blue along the upper half of the body, fading to brownish-blue on the lower sides to silver white on the belly. The first dorsal fin is high, sail-like, blue-black and covered with many small black spots. All related billfish have a high dorsal fin as juveniles, but only sailfish retain the high fin throughout life. The other fins are silver-blue. On the sides there are 15 to 20 vertical bars consisting of several small blue spots.

Blue Marlin
Cobalt blue on top shading to silvery white on bottom, upper jaw elongated in form of a 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 imbedded scales ending in one or two sharp points.

 

Black Marlin

Color dark blue to black on back, vertical bars occasionally present, may not be obvious after death, belly silvery white, first dorsal fin low and rounded, less that 1/2 of body depth, second dorsal fin begins in front of second anal fin, pectoral fin is rigid in adults, more flexible in juveniles but will not lay flat against body without the joints breaking (only marlin with this characteristic), pelvic fin is short.

Dorado
Upper body green or electric blue. Sides gold with flashes of green. The male has an upright head. Female has a rounded head. Dorsal fin runs almost full length of the body. The male is larger and heavier than the female.

 

Yellow Fin Tuna
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. The surface of a yellowfin's liver is smooth while the liver of the bigeye is striated, containing many with small blood vessels along the trailing edge.

 

Wahoo
Wahoo occur in tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans including the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. They are short-lived fish and grow rapidly, reaching lengths of up tp 60.1 inches and weights of up to 45 pounds. Both sexes are capable of reproducing during the first year of life, with males maturing at 34 inches and females at 40 inches. Spawning in the United States takes place from June to August. Wahoo are voracious predators that feed primarily on fishes such as frigate mackerel, butterfish, porcupinefish, and round herring.

 

Rooster Fish

Snook

Red Snapper

Mackerel

Pompano