AMERICAN SHAD – Alosa sapidissima
Family Clupeidae, HERRINGS
Description: color of back green or greenish blue with metallic lustre; silvery sides, white underneath (colors darken when fish enters fresh water to spawn); belly with scutes forming distinct keel; one or more dark spots in a row behind operculum; lower jaw with pointed tip that fits into v-shaped notch in upper jaw.
Similar fish: outer species of Alosa (shad and herring) and Brevoortia (menhaden); menhaden, which are often referred to as “shad,” have a rounder lower jaw tip; American shad is an east coast species replaced on the Panhandle coast by Alabama shad.
Where found: OFFSHORE except during late winter spawning run into east coast rivers, notably the St. Johns River.
Remarks: anadromous species, coming into fresh water to spawn; young remain in fresh water to length of 2 to 4 inches, then move out to sea; plankton feeder, but strikes small, bright spoons or flies; their roe (as many as 30,000 in a single female) is prized, the flesh full of fork bones.
- SAILFISH – Istiophorus platypterus
- WHITE MARLIN – Tetrapterus albidus
- BLUE MARLIN – Makaira nigricans
- LONGBILL SPEARFISH – Tetrapturus pfluegeri
- SWORDFISH – Xiphias gladius
- DOLPHIN – Coryphaena hippurus
- BLACKFIN TUNA – Thunnus atlanticus
- YELLOWFIN TUNA – Thunnus albacares
- LITTLE TUNNY – Euthynnus alletteratus
- WAHOO – Acanthocybium solanderi
- SPANISH MACKEREL – Scomberomorus maculatus
- CERO (cero mackerel) – Scomberomorus regalis
- KING MACKEREL – Scomberomorus cavalla
- GREAT BARRACUDA – Sphyraena barracuda
- BAY ANCHOVY – Anchoa mitchilli
- STRIPED ANCHOVY – Anchoa hepsetus
- STRIPED MOJARRA – Diapterus plumieri
- STRIPED (BLACK) MULLET – Mugil cephalus
- FANTAIL MULLET – Mugil gyrans
- ATLANTIC SPADEFISH – Chaetodipterus faber
- GAFFTOPSAIL CATFISH – Bagre marinus
- HARDHEAD CATFISH – Arius felis
- GULF FLOUNDER – Paralichthys albigutta
- SPOT – Leiostomus xanthurus