Identify Your Fishing Finds

Use this handy list to find out what fish are biting where in the waters surrounding the Fort Myers Sanibel area.

Black drum
High-arch back; 10 to 14 pairs of chin barbells; adults are gray or black. Young have 4 to 6 vertical bars and cobblestone-like teeth; large scales. Found inshore, often around oyster beds, bays and lagoons. Bottom-dweller. Size: 30 pounds. Largest member of the drum family; spawns near shore in winter and early spring, feeds on oysters, mussels, crabs and shrimp and fish; longevity 30 to 40 years.

Cobia
Long, slim fish with broad, depressed head; lower projects past upper jaw; dark lateral stripe extends from eyes to tail; first dorsal fin comprised of 7 to 9 free spines; when young, has conspicuous alternating black and white horizontal. Found both inshore and near shore. Size: 30 pounds. Spawns in spring and early summer.

Flounder
Body color is brown, its shade depending on color of bottom, with numerous spots and blotches; 3 prominent eye-like spots forming a triangle. Numerous white spots scattered over body and fins. They have strong canine-like teeth. Size: 2 pounds.

Grouper
These fish are among the best feeding in the area. Size: 20 pounds, 20 inches.

King mack
Iridescent bluish-green back; sides silvery; streamlined body with tapered head; lateral line starts high and droops sharply below second dorsal fin; young can have yellowish spots like Spanish mackerel. Size: 20 pounds. Schooling fish; migrate from South Florida in winter to more northerly waters in spring; Gulf and Atlantic populations thought to be separate with mixing in winter from Cape Canaveral past Key West.

Permit
Coloring is gray, dark or iridescent blue with shading to silvery sides; in dark waters showing golden tints around breasts; small permit have teeth on tongue, no scutes; dorsal fin insertion directly above that of the anal fin; 17 to 21 soft dorsal rays; 16 to 19 soft anal rays. Size: 25 pounds.

Pompano
Greenish-gray on back with shading to silvery sides; fins in dark waters showing gold on throat, pelvic and anal fins; deep, flat body with small mouth; nose scutes; 22 to 27 soft dorsal rays; 20 to 23 soft anal rays; origin of anal fin slightly behind origin of second dorsal. Size: less than 3 pounds.

Redfish
Chin without barbells; copper bronze body; lighter shades in clear waters; one to many spots at base of tail (rarely no spots); mouth horizontal and opening down worths; large scales. Size: 27 inches; weight 8 pounds.

Sheepshead
Basic silvery color with 5 or 6 distinct vertical black bands on sides; not always the same on both sides; prominent teeth, including incisors, molars and rounded grinders; no barbells on lower jaw; strong and sharp spines on dorsal and anal fins. Size: inshore, 1 to 2 pounds; offshore, 8 pounds.

Mangrove snapper
Color is dark brown or gray with reddish or orange spots in rows along 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. Size: offshore, 8 to 10 pounds.

Snook
Distinct black lateral line; high, divided dorsal fin; sloping forehead; large mouth, protruding lower jaw. Size: 5 to 8 pounds.

Tarpon
Last ray of dorsal fin extended into long filament; one dorsal fin; back is dark blue to green or greenish black with shading into bright silver on the sides; maybe brownish gold in estuarine waters; huge scales; mouth is large and points upward. Size: most anglers catch snook around 40 to 50 pounds.

Tripletail
Resembles a bass; its dorsal, anal and tail fins make it appear to have three tails. These fish sometimes float on their sides at the surface. Size: up to 39 inches and 20 pounds.