Fish Species We Catch - Crystal River and Homosassa, FL

Gulf Flounder

Family Bothidae, LEFTEYE FLOUNDERS
Paralichthys albigutta

Inshore on sandy or mud bottoms, often ranging into tidal creeks; occasionally caught on near-shore rocky reefs. Working jigs or live bait near the bottom.

LIMITS: 12" MINIMUM OVERALL, TEN PER PERSON PER DAY.

Spotted Sea Trout

Family Sciaenidae, DRUMS
Cynoscion nebulosus

Inshore and near-shore over grass, sand and mud bottoms. Deeper waters during the warmest and coolest months. Use live shrimp or baitfish fished near bottom by free lining or under a popping cork, or soft-bodied jigs or surface plugs cast while drifting.

LIMITS: 15" MINIMUM OVERALL, 5 PER PERSON PER DAY, INCLUDING ONE OVER 20"

Cobia (ling)

Family Rachycentridae, COBIA
Rachycentron canadum

Both inshore and near-shore around pilings, buoys, and wrecks; along beaches during spring and early summer. Use trolling or casting lures, jigs or live pinfish.

LIMITS: 33" MINIMUM TO FORK OF TAIL, ONE PER PERSON PER DAY

Snook

Family Centropomidae, SNOOKS
Centropomus undecimalis

(Seasonal) Inshore in coastal and brackish waters, along mangrove shorelines, seawalls, bridges, on reefs and pilings. Artificial bait or live pinfish and grunts. Prefer anything that moves on top of the water. Lies motionless in the shadows.

LIMITS: 27" MINIMUM 34" MAXIMUM OVERALL, ONE PER PERSON PER DAY

Red Drum (redfish)

Family Sciaenidae, DRUMS
Sciaenops ocellatus

Inshore near grass beds, oyster bars, docks and pilings; deeper channels during warmest and coolest months. Use live shrimp or pinfish fished on bottom or free-lined, or soft bodied jigs bounced slowly along the bottom.

LIMITS: 18" MINIMUM 27" MAXIMUM OVERALL, ONE PER PERSON PER DAY

Spanish Mackerel

Family Scombridae, MACKERELS and TUNAS
Scomberomorous maculatus

Inshore, near-shore and off-shore, especially over grass beds and reefs; absent from north Florida waters in winter. Free-lining live shrimp or cut bait. Or casting silver spoons or jigs worked in a fast motion.

LIMITS: 12" MINIMUM TO FORK OF TAIL, 15 PER PERSON PER DAY

King Mackerel

Family Scombridae, MACKERELS and TUNAS
Scomberomorous cavalla

Description: color of back iridescent bluish green; sides silvery, streamlined body with tapered head; no black pigment on front of dorsal fin; lateral line starts high and drops sharply below the second dorsal fin; young fish often have yellow spots like those of the Spanish mackerel.

Ladyfish

Family Elopidae, TARPONS
Elops saurus

Inshore fish, in bays and estuaries; occasionally enters freshwater, occurring in tidal pools and canals; often forms large schools and harasses bait at the surface. Will hit just about anything from live bait to all types of artificial either on top-water or fast-moving jigs.

NO LIMITS

Sheephead

Family Sparidae, PORGIES
Archosargus probatocephalus

Inshore species around oyster bars, seawalls and in tidal creeks; moves near-shore in late winter and early spring for spawning, gathering over debris, artificial reefs and around navigation markers. Use shrimp, fiddler crabs or pieces of fresh blue crab fished on the bottom.

LIMITS: 12" MINIMUM TO FORK OF TAIL

Jack Crevalle

Family Carangidae, JACKS and POMPANOS
Caranx hippos

Common in both inshore waters and the open sea. This fish is a veracious feeder and will hit almost anything, including all types of artificial and live bait.

NO LIMITS

Florida Pompano

Family Carangidae, JACKS and POMPANOS
Trachinotus carolinus

Greenish gray on back, shading to silvery sides; fish in dark waters showing gold on throat, pelvic, and anal fins; deep flattened body with small mouth; no scutes; 22 to 27 soft dorsal rays; 20 to 23 soft anal rays; origin of anal fin slightly behind origin of second dorsal.

Black Drum

Family Sciaenidae, DRUMS
Pogonias cromis

Description: high arched back; 10 to 14 pairs of chin barbels; gray or black colored body in adults; young have 4 to 6 vertical bars; has cobblestone-like teeth capable of crushing oysters; scales large

Black Grouper

Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER
Mycteroperca bonaci

Description: olive or gray body coloration with black blotches and brassy spots; gently rounded preopercle.

Gag Grouper

Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER
Mycteroperca microlepis

Description: brownish gray in color with dark worm-like markings on sides; strong serrated spur at bottom margin of preopercle, less noticeable in large specimens; fins dark, with anal and caudal having white margin. Often confused with black grouper; tail of gag is slightly concave, black is square; gag has white margin on anal and caudal fins, black does not; under 10 pounds, gag's spur on preopercle is distinctive, where black is gently rounded.

5 per person per day 22" min.

Goliath Grouper

Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER
Epinephelus itajara

Description: head and fins covered with small black spots; irregular dark and vertical bars present on the sides of body; pectoral and caudal fins rounded; first dorsal fin shorter than and not separated from second dorsal; adults huge, up to 800 pounds; eyes small.

Where found: NEARSHORE often around docks, in deep holes, and on ledges; young often occur in estuaries, especially around oyster bars; more abundant in southern Florida than in northern waters.

Size: largest of the groupers.
Florida Record: 680 lbs.

Red Grouper

Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER
Epinephelus morio

Description: color brownish red; lining of mouth scarlet-orange; blotches on sides in unorganized pattern; second spine of dorsal fin longer than others; pectoral fins longer than pelvic fins; squared off tail; margin of soft dorsal black with white at midfin; black dots around the eyes.

1 per day per person 22" min.

White Grunt (fire mouth snapper)

Family Haemulidae, GRUNTS
Haemulon plumieri

Description: body color light bluish-gray, head with horizontal blue stripes, white underbelly; black blotch on preopercle; margin of each scale bronze; large bright orange mouth; scales above lateral line larger than scales below lateral line.

Fantail Mullet

Family Mugilidae, MULLETS
Mugil gyrans

Description: color olive green with blue tints on back, shading to silvery sides, white below; anal and pelvic fins yellowish; dark blotch at base of pectoral fin; inverted V-shaped mouth; insertion of second dorsal over that of anal fin.

Permit

Family Carangidae, JACKS and POMPANOS
Trachinotus falcatus

Description: color gray, dark or iridescent blue above, shading to silvery sides, in dark waters showing golden tints around breast; small permit have teeth on tongue (none on pompano); no scutes; dorsal fin insertion directly above that of the anal fin; 17 to 21 soft anal rays.

Black Sea Bass

Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER
Centropristis striata

Description: basic color dark brown or black; dorsal fin has rows and stripes of white on black; large males have irridescent blue and ebony markings, and fatty hump in front of dorsal fin; females may have indistinct vertical barrings; topmost ray of caudal fin much elongated in adults; caudal may be tri-lobed; sharp spine near posterior margin of gill cover

Gray Snapper (mangrove snapper)

Family Lutjanidae, SNAPPERS
Lutjanus griseus

Description: color dark brown or gray with reddish or orange spots in rows along the sides; dark horizontal band from snout through eye (young only); two conspicuous canine teeth at front of upper jaw; dorsal fins have dark or reddish borders; no dark spot on side underneath dorsal fin.