Species

Black Drum

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Pogonias Cromis

Common Names:

Black Drum...Drum...Big Ugly

Comments :

Black Drum are found nearshore as well as offshore , and regularly venture into bays. If you are after large inshore wintertime fish, this is it. The large fish move from offshore into the bays and nearshore to breed.

Table Fare:

Smaller members of the family are good eating. Once they get larger (30"+), they are not so good and should be released, as they are the breeding stock anyway.

Catch Method:

Caught while bottom fishing with dead shrimp, crabs, mantis shrimp (sea lice).

Catch Season:

Late winter, especially February-March for the big ones.

Bluefish

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Pomatomus Saltatrix

Common Names:

Bluefish

Comments :

Use of a wire leader is recommended when fishing for these toothy critters to keep from being bitten off.

Table Fare:

Best when eaten fresh with blood line removed.

Catch Method:

Primarily caught with live bait or lures, although they can also be taken with cut bait.

Catch Season:

Summer-Fall

Cobia

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Rachycentron Canadum

Common Names:

Cobia, Ling, Lemon Fish

Comments :

Nearshore and offshore species regularly venturing in close to jetties and piers.

Table Fare:

Excellent

Catch Method:

Primarily caught with live bait.

Catch Season:

Summer

Croaker

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Micropogonias Undulatus

Common Names:

Croaker

Comments :

Smaller live croaker are commonly used as bait, primarily for Speckled Trout.

Table Fare:

Considered excellent by many anglers. Larger fish may be fileted. The more commonly caught sizes are easiest to just pan fry whole.

Catch Method:

Primarily caught with dead shrimp fishing on the bottom; also cut bait will often work.

Catch Season:

Throughout the summer; with the best time being during the fall croaker run. This is triggered by the first couple of good cold fronts, which compels the croaker and it's cousin, the red drum, to make their annual trek to offshore breeding waters.

Flounder

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Paralichthys Albigutta - Gulf Flounder; Paralichthys Lethostigma - Southern Flounder

Common Names:

Flounder...Flatfish

Comments :

Not a frequent visitor of jetties, but can occasionally be caught on the bottom with live shrimp or by dangling live shrimp just over submerged jetty rocks. There are actually two species of flounder along the gulf coast. The gulf flounder is usually smaller and can be distinguished from the southern flounder by 3 dark spots arranged in a triangular pattern, such as shown above.

Table Fare:

Very good baked or fried.

Catch Method:

Live shrimp on the bottom or soft plastic jigs bounced along the bottom. (Not the best idea around jetty rocks!)

Catch Season:

Spring thru Fall with the best time being during the fall run.

Gafftop

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Bagre Marinus

Common Names:

Gafftop

Comments :

Usually caught as by-catch while bottom fishing for other species such as redfish.

Table Fare:

Fair eating, but not usually sought after. Fry like any freshwater catfish.

Catch Method:

Can be caught on the bottom with dead shrimp or cut bait.

Catch Season:

Summer-Fall

Gag Grouper

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Mycteroperca Microlepis

Common Names:

Gag Grouper

Comments :

Juvenile gags occasionaly frequent nearshore and inshore waters.

Table Fare:

Good eating.

Catch Method:

Caught on fish and squid.

Catch Season:

Gray Snapper

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Lutjanus Griseus

Common Names:

Gray Snapper...Mangrove Snapper...Mango

Comments :

Nearshore and offshore species frequently visiting jetty rocks.

Table Fare:

Good. Larger fish may be fileted and smaller ones may be pan fried whole.

Catch Method:

Live or dead shrimp in close to the rocks.

Catch Season:

Summer

Jack Crevalle

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Caranx Hippos

Common Names:

Jack Crevalle...Jackfish...Cavalla

Comments :

Strong running, hard fighting fish, often used as shark bait. Common to nearshore and offshore waters.

Table Fare:

Due to it's very oily meat it is not considered good to eat and is not sought after as a food fish.

Catch Method:

Can be caught with live shrimp and fish as well as cut bait.

Catch Season:

Fall

King Mackerel

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Scomberomorus Cavalla

Common Names:

King Mackerel...Kingfish

Comments :

Nearshore and offshore species targeted by many pier and jetty anglers because of it's fierce fighting and high speed swimming abilities when hooked.

Table Fare:

Best to eat when smoked.

Catch Method:

Can be caught off jetties and piers in deep water using live fish such as pinfish, menhaden shad, ribbonfish. Will hit large spoons, also.

Catch Season:

Summer

Lane Snapper

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Lutjanus Synagris

Common Names:

Lane Snapper...Candy Snapper

Comments :

Smaller member of the snapper family.

Table Fare:

Good.

Catch Method:

Caught with cut bait and dead shrimp on the bottom.

Catch Season:

Summer-Fall

Pompano

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Trachinotus Carolinus

Common Names:

Pompano

Comments :

Often found right in the surf or at the edges of the rocks.

Table Fare:

Very good broiled.

Catch Method:

Use small sea lice or ghost shrimp for best results. Can also be caught with dead or live shrimp usually as by-catch while fishing for other species.

Catch Season:

Summer-Fall

Red Drum

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Sciaenops Ocellatus

Common Names:

Red Drum...Redfish...Rat Red...Bull Red

Comments :

One of the more sought after inshore fish species on the Gulf Coast, second only to Speckled Trout. Smaller, slot sized redfish are commonly called rat reds. The larger, oversized redfish are commonly called bull reds.

Table Fare:

Good eating. Can be fried, baked, broiled and grilled. Oversized bull reds tend to be tougher and more coarse textured than the smaller reds and should probably be released as they are the breeding population anyway.

Catch Method:

Can be caught with live or dead shrimp, cut or whole dead mullet, live mullet, menhaden shad and pigfish as well as many varieties of cut bait and many types of lures.

Catch Season:

Summer-Fall. The best time for the bull reds is during the fall when they are making their annual migration from the bays to the nearshore breeding waters. This is the best time to get them from jetties as they must pass through jetty channels in order to reach their breeding grounds.

Red Snapper

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Lutjanus Campechanus

Common Names:

Red Snapper

Comments :

Primarily an offshore fish, but occasionally venture in close to deep water jetties.

Table Fare:

Excellent

Catch Method:

Commonly caught with cut bait on the bottom.

Catch Season:

Summer

Sand Trout

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Cynoscion Arenarius

Common Names:

Sand Trout...White Trout

Comments :

Often found in the same areas around jetties as speckled trout. They will hit dead shrimp as well as live.

Table Fare:

Good to eat, but not generally sought after because of their smaller size compared to Speckled Trout and the fact that the meat turns mushy after being frozen for a while. Best when pan fried whole and cooked fresh.

Catch Method:

Can be caught with live or dead shrimp fished at or near the bottom.

Catch Season:

Spring-Summer

Sea Trout

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Cynoscion Nebulosus

Common Names:

Spotted Sea Trout...Speckled Trout...Speck...Trout

Comments :

THE most sought after inshore game fish on the entire Gulf Coast.

Table Fare:

Very good. Can be fried, baked and broiled. Most common as fried filets.

Catch Method:

Can be caught with live shrimp, croaker, small pinfish, small pigfish and many types of lures.

Catch Season:

Year-round, but generally less active in colder weather and water temperatures.

Sheepshead

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Archosargus Probatocephalus

Common Names:

Sheepshead

Comments :

These fish have teeth that look a lot like human or sheeps in order to chew off barnacles and crunch through fiddler crab shells. They are famous for nibbling the bait off the hook without the angler even knowing they are there. Can be found near pilings, piers and jetties.

Table Fare:

Very good.

Catch Method:

Can be caught with small hooks and pieces of dead shrimp, barnacles, crabs and mollusks.

Catch Season:

Late Winter

Snook

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Centropomus Undecimalis

Common Names:

Snook

Comments :

Mostly a Florida fish that prefers warm water.

Table Fare:

Good

Catch Method:

Caught with lures and live bait.

Catch Season:

Summer

Spadefish

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Chaetodipterus Faber

Common Names:

Spadefish

Comments :

Nearshore fish occasionally frequenting jetty rocks.

Table Fare:

Very good.

Catch Method:

Primarily caught with dead shrimp just off the edge of the jetty rocks.

Catch Season:

Summer

Spanish Mackerel

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Scomberomorus Maculatus

Common Names:

Spanish Mackerel

Comments :

Good fighters and fast swimmers.

Table Fare:

Good eating, especially when cooked fresh.

Catch Method:

Can be caught with live shrimp, small bait fish and squid as well as lures and spoons.

Catch Season:

Summer-Fall

Tarpon

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Megalops Atlanticus

Common Names:

Tarpon...Silver King

Comments :

Known for it's hard runs and spectacular leaps from the water when hooked.

Table Fare:

Not considered good eating and in fact is illegal to harvest in some states.

Catch Method:

Can be caught with ribbonfish, live pinfish, mullet, menhaden shad, crabs and occasionally with large live shrimp as well as various lures.

Catch Season:

Summer-Early Fall

Triggerfish

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Balistes Capriscus

Common Names:

Triggerfish

Comments :

Usually caught as by-catch when fishing for other species.

Table Fare:

Good

Catch Method:

Notorius bait stealers, caught with dead bait along the jetty rocks.

Catch Season:

Summer

Whiting

Jetty

Scientific Name:

Menticirrhus Americanus - Southern Kingfish...Menticirrhus Littoralis - Gulf Kingfish

Common Names:

Whiting...Kingfish

Comments :

Common along beaches in the surf. Often used as cut bait or whole for sharks.

Table Fare:

Good eating, but tend to be small.

Catch Method:

Can be caught with dead shrimp and pieces of cut bait on the bottom.

Catch Season:

Year round.