J. P.'s Fish Ratings
- SPECIES
- TYPE
- HABITAT
- TACKLE
- EDIBILITY
- Greater
Amberjack - Game
- Pelagic. Offshore in deep water. Sometimes over wrecks or reefs.
- Heavy. AJ's can run large and are real tackle busters. Usually caught on live bait such as blue runners or cigar minnows, but they will hit dead baits and even streamers.
- If keepers are bled after being caught and the entire red strips on each side are totally removed, the amberjack is epicurean. Best grilled. The meat is firm, with a consistancy like chicken.
- Bluefish
- Game
- Near shore or in larger bays.
- Medium spinning. Blues will hit whitebait, shrimp, jigs, and spoons.
- Good if eaten while meat is still fresh. Some people hate it, some love it. Used frequently as crab substitute.
- Blue Runner
(Hardtail) - Sport
- Everywhere
- Light. Good fighters. Usually caught when fishing for some other species. Tossem or use as bait for larger species.
- None. Meat is unpalatable and the fish are hard to clean.
- Cobia
- Game
- Under or near buoys, pilings, floating flotsam, jetties.
- Medium-heavy. Cobia are usually large and strong. Shrimp, clam, whitebait, jigs.
- Excellent. Meat is creamy-white with a yellow tinge when fresh. Grill, broil, bake, fry.
- Cravalle Jack
- Sport
- Near shore, inshore, bays, inlets.
- Medium spinning. Jacks will hit most anything; whitebait, shrimp, jigs, spoons, streamers. Good fighters. Sport only. Tossem.
- None, unless starving. Meat is oily and strong tasting.
- Dolphin
- Game
- Under or near floating objects in open water.
- Medium to heavy. May weigh up to 30 lbs. Cigar minnows, whitebait, steamers.
- Delicious. Best grilled. Can be broiled. Meat is reddish-cream colored with white banding. Cooked meat is cream colored. This is the famous Mahi Mahi found in restaurants.
- Grouper
- Game
- On bottom in deep water.
- Heavy. Cut or live bait.
- Delicious. There are several varieties of grouper. All are good; some are delicious. (Gag, Black) Best grilled.
- Gulf Kingfish
(Whiting) - Game
- Surflines along beaches out to dropoff.
- Light. Mole crabs (sandfleas), cut squid, jigs.
- Good eating. Mild flavor. Best fried. Dip filets in buttermilk, coat with Fry Krisp, and deep fry in canola oil.
- King Mackerel
- Game
- Near shore to off shore
- Heavy. Strong fighters. Usually caught while trolling. Cigar minnows, ballyhoo, streamers, etc.
- Good, but a little fishy for some. Quite good when smoked.
- Mangrove
Snapper - Game
- Jetties, piers, mangrove islands, offshore near reefs.
- Medium-light. Mangroves average about two pounds but can reach six or more. Preferred bait is whitebait. Also, shrimp. Rarely, but sometimes will hit jigs.
- Excellent. Grilling preferred. Broil, bake, sautee, or fry.
- Pompano
- Game
- Surf lines, oyster beds, sand bottoms near grass beds.
- Light. Good fighters. Shrimp, clams, jigs.
- Delicious. Usually atop all culinary lists for best tasting piscine. Grill, bake, broil, sautee.
- Permit
- Game
- Sand flats, grass flats, surf lines, oyster beds, reefs.
- Same as above. Mostly sight fished while poling the flats. Flyrodding very productive.
- Same as above but most are released to fight again.
- Red Drum
(Redfish) - Game
- Around bridges and pilings, channels near grass flats, canals.
- Medium. Crabs, shrimp, whitebait.
- Good. Famous in blackened form but can be prepared in any fashion.
- Sheepshead
- Game
- Bridges, pilings, piers, docks, jetties, seawalls, etc.
- Medium-light. Clams, shrimp, mole crabs.
- Good eating but hard to skin and fillet.
- Snapper
- Game
- Bottom near rocks, reefs, piers, etc.
- Medium to heavy. Live bait, cut bait, jigs (esp. tipped with squid), etc.
- Red considered best but all pelagic snapper are good eating.
- Snook
- Game
- Docks, piers, bridges, rocks, jetties, surf line on beaches.
- Medium. Similar to largemouth bass. Jigs, shrimp, whitebait. Many caught at night around lighted structures.
- Good. Tastes like bass. Large ones tend to have less flavor. Grill, broil, bake.
- Spanish
Mackerel - Game
- Near shore and off surf lines
- Medium. Jigs, plugs, streamers, whitebait. Move artificials fast. Spanish attack quickly and like the bait moving.
- Good. Grill or fry. Can be smoked like Kings.
- Spotted
Seatrout - Game
- Seaward of surf line on beaches, oyster beds, grass flats, etc. in bays.
- Light. Whitebait, shrimp, clams, jigs, spinners.
- Very good. Cook any way but do not over handle it while cooking.
- Tarpon
- Sport
- Channels, tidal runs, inlets.
- Heavy. Real tackle busters. Jigs, shrimp, crabs, whitebait.
- No food value. Tarpon are for sport only. A $50.00 stamp is required to kill a tarpon.
- Tripletail
- Game
- Near shore around floating or fixed objects. Located by sighting. Calm water and polarized sunglasses a necessity.
- Medium spinning. Live bait best. Mole crabs, shrimp, crabs, whitebait, jigs tipped with shrimp.
- Excellent. The flavor of Tripletail lends itself to broiling with lemon butter, grilling, baking, and in the Keys, frying.