Saltwater Game Fish Guide for the Southeast US Coast and Gulf of Mexico

Game fish are fish caught for sport and often eaten, although fishermen are increasingly using the “catch and release” method, especially with more endangered fish species. This list includes some of the more common game fish found in this area, but it’s by no means an exhaustive list of all the game fish found here. Also, many of the fish in this list can be found in other geographical locations.

Fish Basics

What characteristics identify an animal as a fish? It isn’t fins or spending their entire lives in the water because many marine mammals have fins and spend their entire lives in the water. In order for an animal to be a fish it must have all of these attributes…

• Gills. Fish extract oxygen that’s present in water with their gills.
• Bones. Fish are vertebrates.
• Cold-blooded. Fishes’ internal body temperature is the same temperature as the water surrounding them.
• FIns. All fish have fins. Fish fins come in many different shapes and sizes.

Fish List

Sailfish

Photo courtesy of http://planetwild.org/gallery

Blue Marlin

Photo courtesy of http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/blue-marlin/

Yellowfin Tuna

Photo courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowfin_tuna

Blackfin Tuna

Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/34861414@N04/3530003012/

Skipjack Tuna

Photo courtesy of http://www.centralfloridafishingreport.com/FishProfile/126.html

Bluefin Tuna

Photo courtesy of http://www.artsjournal.com/outthere/2008/01/name_that_tuna.html

Red Snapper

Photo courtesy of http://www.mexfish.com/fish/rsnp/rsnp.htm

King Mackerel

Photo courtesy of http://deep-blue-water.com/2009/07/28/good-vis-is-back/

Dolphinfish

Photo courtesy of  http://www.bigfishtackle.com/fishing_articles/Saltwater_Fishing/Mahi_Mahi_Dorado_Dolphin_Fish/Mahi-Mahi_Fishing_163.html

Wahoo

Photo courtesy of http://marinersmenu.org/2010/08/21/atlantic-wahoo/

Tarpon

Photo courtesy of http://www.therioindiolodge.com/reserve_fish.html 

Red Grouper

Photo courtesy of http://www.fsu.edu/news/2010/01/20/red.grouper/

Cobia

Photo courtesy of http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/gallery/Descript/Cobia/Cobia.html

Florida Pompano

Photo courtesy of http://www.gyotakuart.com/custom-gyotaku/custom-gyotaku.html

Amberjack

Photo courtesy of http://floridasportfishing.com/magazine/featured-articles/nov-dec-2005/amberjack-attack-2.html

Blacktip Shark (not to be confused with the blacktip reef shark)

Photo courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blacktip_shark

Atlantic Sharpnose Shark

Photo courtesy of http://quacked.com/l/atlantic+sharpnose+shark.htm

Shortfin Mako Shark

Photo courtesy of http://abcnews.go.com/widgets/mediaViewer/image?id=4919525

Scalloped Hammerhead Shark

Photo courtesy of http://www.virginmedia.com/digital/science/pictures/sharks.php?ssid=4

Bull Shark

Photo courtesy of http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/bull-shark/

To many joyful beach experiences!

— Lisa Dworkin