FISH ID  >> TROUT AND DRUMS

Seatrout, Drums And Drum-like Fishes

Red Drum
(Redfish, Channel Bass, Poisson Rouge, Spottail)

Reddish orange to bronze above, creamy below. Conspicuous black spot near tail, sometimes more spots, usually concentrated toward tail. 

                                                     Average 3-5 pounds

Black Bar Drum

Body color tan to dark brownish black with a broad dark bar extending from spiny dorsal to abdomen. Very long second dorsal fin. Young adults have large dark spot above eyes. No barbels on chin.

Average 1-2 pounds

Southern Kingfish
(Channel Mullet, Black Mullet, Ground Mullet, Whiting)

Body elongate, silvery, faint dusky bands above, whitish below. Small barbel on lower jaw. Pectoral fin dark. Lower lobe of Caudal fin larger than upper. Gill cavity dusky.
Average up to 1 pound

Gulf Kingfish (Channel Mullet, Whiting, Ground Mullet)

Body elongate, totally silver. Tip of caudal fin and first dorsal fin dark, pectoral fin light. Small barbel on lower jaw. No dark bars or bands on back. Gill cavity whitish.

Average up to 1 pound

Spotted Seatrout
(Speckled trout, Spec, Yellowmouth)

Silvery with conspicuous black spots. Prominent canin teeth, inside of mouth yellow in older specimens. Body elongate.

Average 1-3 pounds

Sand Seatrout (White Trout, Sand Trout)
Silvery with yellow tint above, silver below. Dorsal fins compltely separate, 10 to 11 rays in anal fin. Fins usually yellowish. No spots. Darkened area at base of pectorals. Small canine teeth present. Eyes moderate. Normally confused with silver seatrout and both referred to as white trout.
Average up to 1 pound

Silver Seatrout (Whitey, Sand Trout, Silver Trout)

Totally silver, tending to gray above lateral line. Anal fin more pointed, with 8 to 9 rays. Dorsal fins almost touching. Fins usually grayish to blackish, canine teeth present Eyes large. Usually confused with sand seatrout and both referred to as white trout. Average 1-3 pounds

Atlantic Croaker (Croaker, Granier)

Body totally bronze to silvery with brownish yellow spots above. Diagonal dark, wavy lines on sides, small barbels on lower jaw. Caudal fin slightly pointed. Small spines on rear edge of gill cover.

Average up to 1 pound

  Spot
 (Spot, Sand Digger)

 Silvery with faint dark bands above, creamy below.
 Body deep. Prominent dark spot on shoulder, tail
 slightly forked.

 Average up to 1 pound

Black Drum
(Drum, Tambour)

Silvery with dark vertical bars that disappear with age, barbels on lower jaw. Older fish uniformly broze-gray to dark gray. Body deep. No noticeable teeth.

Average 5-15 pounds

Sheepshead
(Sheephead, Convict Fish)

Silvery with 6 to 7 conspicuous black vertical bars. Body deep. Very prominent human like protruding teeth. Strong dorsal and anal spines.

Average 2-4 pounds

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