Florida Game Fish the Longbill Spearfish

Florida Fish Identification

Billfishes

Bluefish

Bluefish

Bonefish

Bonefish

Cobia

Cobia (Ling)

Dolphin

Dolphin

Drums

Atlantic Croaker
Black Drum
Red Drum (redfish)
Sand Seatrout
Silver Seatrout
Spotted Seatrout
Silver Perch (yellowtail)
Weakfish

Flounder

Lefteye Flounders
Gulf Flounder

Grouper

Black Grouper
Gag
Goliath
Nassau Grouper
Red Grouper
Scamp
Yellowfin Grouper
Yellowmouth Grouper
Bank Sea Bass
Black Sea Bass
Rock Sea Bass

Grunt

White Grunt

Herring

American Shad

Jacks

Almaco Jack
Banded Rudderfish
Blue Runner
Cervalle Jack
Greater Amberjack
Lesser Amberjack
Florida Pompano
Palometa
Permit

Grunt

White Grunt

Herring

American Shad

Jacks

Almaco Jack
Banded Rudderfish
Blue Runner
Cervalle Jack
Greater Amberjack
Lesser Amberjack
Florida Pompano
Palometa
Permit

Mackerels & Tunas

Cero
King Mackerel
Spanish Mackerel

Mullets

Fantail Mullet
Striped (Black) Mullet

Porgy

Grass
Jolthead
Knobbed
Littlehead
Pinfish
Red Porgy
Sheepshead
Spottail Pinfish

Sharks

Atlantic Sharpnose Shark
Bonnethead Shark
Sandbar Shark
Scalloped Hammerhead
Shortfin Mako

Snappers

Blackfin Snapper
Cubera Snapper
Dog Snapper
Gray Snapper
Lane Snapper
Mahogany Snapper
Mutton Snapper
Queen Snapper
Red Snapper
Schoolmaster
Silk Snapper
Vermilion Snapper
Yellowtail Snapper

Snook

Fat Snook
Common Snook
Swordspine Snook
Tarpon Snook

Spadefish

Atlantic Spadefish

Swordfish

Swordfish

Tarpons

Ladyfish
Tarpon

Florida Fish Identification

The Florida fish is readily identified with its dark blue upper body, silver sides and white underbelly.

As with the blue marlin the upper jaw is elongated and shaped like a spear.

It has two dorsal fins the first and main dorsal fin being long with a point at the front. This dorsal fin is usually blue in color. The second dorsal fin is much smaller and to the rear.

There are two anal fins the rearmost being the smallest

Florida Keys Fish

This Florida game fish is found in the Atlantic and is another Florida Keys fish found offshore in the deeper waters where it likes to feed near to the surface on squid and other pelagic fish.

This fish is relatively small compared to blue marlins and white marlins and the largest biggest Florida fish caught was 61lbs.

This Florida Keys fish is not that common and only live for 5 years.

Marlin Boats

These fish are often caught by fishermen on marlin boats who are on ‘big game’ marlin fishing trips.

Compared to the much larger blue marlins and white marlins these fish are small, however, most Florida marlin fishing boats would be more than happy to land a fish weighing 30 -50lbs!

Longbill Spearfish Video

Here is a close up video of a longbill spearfish being released. Even though these are relatively small fish compared to blue marlin and other game fish these spearfish still provide a powerful reminder of their strength and grace through the water (press the button second right on the bottom of the video player to see it in full screen)...