Pinfish

    Pinfish, or Lagodon rhomboides, are silver fish with yellow stripes down their side. Pinfish have a definite dark spot right behind the gills. Pinfish are bait-fish and rarely grow to be bigger than a human hand. The average Pinfish grows to be around 4.5 inches long (Pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) Para 1-2). 
     The method used for catching Pinfish is called bottom fishing. When bottom fishing you should use a rig that holds two hooks and one weight. The weight size will depend on where you are fishing. If you are fishing in strong currents then you should use a heavier weight. Pinfish are not picky, therefore most dead bait will work, although shrimp is known as the best bait for Pinfish. Once you throw your line out you will not have to wait long until you get a bait. Pinfish will not pull your line hard because of their little size, but Pins do have a specific bite. Once you feel the bite you should tug on your rod and then reel the fish in. 
     Pinfish are common in many areas and a boat is not needed to fish for them. Many Pinfish are caught while surf fishing in the ocean. Another common spot to catch Pinfish is the sound. Fishing off docks and piers will almost guarantee that you catch a Pin. Fishing off a boat in the sound is also an automatic for catching Pin. Unlike many ocean fish, the farther out you go into the ocean, the less Pinfish you will find. 
     Pinfish are not good fish to eat. Most fisherman fish for Pinfish so that Pinfish can be used as bait to catch bigger fish. 

Works Cited

"Pinfish (Lagodon Rhomboides)." Texas Parks & Wildlife Department | Welcome. Web. 31 Oct. 2010. <http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/pinfish/>.

Speckled Trout

       Speckled Trout or Cynoscion nebulosus, are also known as specks. Specks bodies are green, their backs are silver, and they have black spots on their sides as well. Specks are not what you fish for when your looking for a heavy fish to catch. The average Speck weighs only 1 to 3 pounds (Lake 1). The world record Speck was caught in east Florida and weighed 17.7 pounds.
      There are four techniques for catching specks; drift fishing, bottom fishing, surf fishing, and wading. The most effective method is drift fishing. Using artificial minnows drop your line into the water. Have your bait start near the surface and gradually allow it to go towards the bottom. When bottom fishing you should use live bait such as mud minnows and menhaden. Hook the bait through the lips and place your bait in the water, without using a weight.  The key to surf fishing, according to Lake, is "reading the water." What this means is watching to water for any hint of gamefish, Signs would include, feeding seagulls, feeding pelicans, and slicks. A slick is an oily spot that comes to the surface of the water when Specks are feeding (Lake 1).
       When drift fishing and bottom fishing for Specks there are many places to fish. According to Captain Lake, the best places to fish for include fishing "over oyster beds, sand flats, rocky bottoms" and also "structures." When surf fishing, you of course fish from the beach into the surf. Speckled Trout are known to go into deep holes when the water gets cooler, making the spring and summer the best time to fish for Specks.
     Though Specks are not the biggest fish in the world, they still make for "good eatin'." Here is a recipe courtesy of "Cooks.com":

Ingredients:

• Flour
• 6 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. parsley
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 lb. speckled trout fillet

Directions:

Roll in seasoned flour lightly. In a heavy skillet saute fillets in hot butter for 5 minutes. When brown, turn and cook 3 minutes. Put in warm dish; season if needed. Put lemon juice in pan with butter, parsley, onions and mushrooms. When foamy pour over fish.

Works Cited

"Florida Speckled Trout Fishing." Florida Game & Fish Magazine. Web. 28 Oct. 2010. <http://www.floridagameandfish.com/fishing/saltwater-fishing/FL_0506_01/#cont>.

Lake, Bill. "TIPS AND TACTICS FOR SPECKLED TROUT." Fishing-Boating Online. Fishing Reports, Fihsing Guides and Captains, Tackle Shops, and Marine Supplies. Web. 28 Oct. 2010. <http://www.fishing-boating.com/articles/lake/speckledtrout.htm>.

"Speckle Trout - Pan Fry." Recipe Search. Cooks.com. Web. 28 Oct. 2010. <http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1917,154161-253198,00.html>.

Sandbar Shark

     Sandbar Shark, or Carcharhinus plumbeus is commonly known as a Sand Shark. Sand Sharks have a short, wide, and broad snout. Most Sand Sharks are brown and gray with a white belly. The average male Sand Shark weighs 110 pounds, and the average female Sand Shark weighs 160 pounds. The world record for Sand Sharks weighed 260 pounds (Marine Bio 1). 
     Catching Sand Sharks can be done in two ways: Fishing on a boat or fishing from the beach. When fishing from the boat you should use a method called chumming to attract the sharks. Chumming is when you take fish guts and blood and dump it into the water. After you have thrown your chum into the water, throw your bait into the water, making sure it lands in the middle of the chum. Your bait should consist of cut bait, whole dead bait, or bleeding live bait. If you are fishing from the beach then you should use a surf rod. A surf rod is a long fishing rod, usually surf rods are about 10 ft long. You need a surf rod so you are able to throw your bait a long distance into the ocean. When fishing off the beach you should use the bleeding live bait as your bait because you cannot chum off the beach. 
     When fishing for Sand Shark it is not necessary to go far out into the ocean. Sand Sharks are commonly found in waters that are 74 degrees to 80 degrees. Sand Sharks are also found in water that are 65 to 215 feet deep (Marine Bio 1). When fishing for Sand Shark on the boat, you can fish during anytime of the day and most likely catch one. Sand Shark come up to the beach to feed when it turns into night time, therefore the best time to fish for shark on the beach is during the night. 
     Though it is not common, you can eat Sand Shark. Here is a recipe courtesy of "cdkitchen".

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound shark, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon crushed red hot pepper

Directions:

Saute garlic in olive oil until golden; discard garlic. Pat shark dry on paper towels. Cook shark in oil over medium heat until it flakes easily when tested with a fork, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove to a warm plate. 

Add soy sauce and lemon juice to pan, let cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add shark to pan, sprinkle with the crushed red pepper. 

Heat stirring for 1 minute. Note: For a spicier flavor, tabasco sauce, green onions and more red pepper may be added.

Works Cited

"Cajun Shark Recipe." LoveTheCock - Free Gay Porn Movies & Gay Sex Videos XXX Tube. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/811/Cajun-Shark98661.shtml>.

Marine Bio. "Sandbar Shark, Carcharhinus Plumbeus at MarineBio.org." MarineBio.org - Marine Biology, Ocean Life Conservation, Sea Creatures, Biodiversity, Oceans Research... Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=380>.

"Sandbar Shark, Fish Identification." Indian River County, Florida - Home Page. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://indian-river.fl.us/fishing/fish/sharksan.html>.

"SHARKS." ELECTRIC BLUE FISHING CHARTERS. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://www.electricbluefishing.com/fish/sharks.htm>.

Yellowfin Tuna

     The Yellowfin Tuna or Thunnus albacares consists of many colors including dark blue, silver and yellow. The Yellowfin, like other Tuna, is shaped like a torpedo. The characteristic the separates the Yellowfin from other Tuna is the elongated dorsal and anal fin (Council 1). The average size of a Yellowfin Tuna is 5 to 20 kg, or 11 pounds to 44 pounds. The world record Yellowfin came in weighing 388 pounds and 12 ounces. 
     Most people take charters when fishing for Yellowfin due to the distance you have to travel to catch them. If you decide to go on a private boat you need to have some serious gear on board to haul in the Tuna. Your rod should have the same width as a broom stick, and for line you should use 25-50 pounds test. If you are live or dead bait fishing you will need large size No. 9 or No. 10 hooks with barbed ends, to keep the Tuna from getting off as easily. Yellowfin also bite artificial lures. When using an artificial lure it is common to use a lure that is bigger than most freshwater fish (Largent 1). 
     Yellowfin Tuna are scarcely found closer than ten miles to the shore. It is easy to spot schools of Yellowfin because of the ruckus the Tuna make in the water. According to one observer of a Yellowfin school, they look like "a fish blender" in the water, speaking of all the left over dead fish floating towards the surface (Largent 1). If you are fishing for Yellowfin and you see a large disturbance in the water and there are birds flying over head, you have most likely located your Tuna. Yellowfin Tuna are commonly found in tropical waters of 70 to 84 degrees. 
     Yellowfin Tuna are commercially fished for, for the quality of their meat. Here is a recipe courtesy of "Cooks.com".


Marinade Ingredients: 

1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 clove crushed garlic (for each steak)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
small amount of sea salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

In a shallow 9 X 13 inch glass dish, prepare all of the marinade ingredients. Remember, if you have more than 2 8 oz tuna steaks, you might need to adjust the ingredients to marinate. Marinate both sides (dredge steaks and get marinade on both sides). Let sit in refrigerator for 30 minutes before grilling. *Soy sauce will overpower tuna if you marinate for too long!Light the grill while tuna is marinating. Once coals are white (30 minutes) spread them and clean the grill, then wipe with oil so steaks don't stick.
Grill for 4 minutes or less per side for 1 inch steaks, depending on how you like them. Steaks should be firm with pink in the middle. If you prefer steaks to be more rare, grilling time should be 2 1/2 minutes on each side.

Cited

Atuna.com. Web. 26 Oct. 2010. <http://www.atuna.com/species/species_datasheets.htm>.

Council, South Atlantic Fishery Management. "Yellowfin Tuna." SAFMC Home. Web. 26 Oct. 2010. <http://www.safmc.net/FishIDandRegs/FishGallery/YellowfinTuna/tabid/257/Default.aspx>.

Largent, Floyd. "Tuna Fishing Techniques: Catching Yellow Fin Tuna." Essortment Articles: Free Online Articles on Health, Science, Education & More.. Web. 26 Oct. 2010. <http://www.essortment.com/hobbies/fishingtechniqu_sfoz.htm>.

Swaney, Lori. "Grilled Ahi Steaks." Cooks.com. Web. 26 Oct. 2010. <http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1617,133179-245195,00.com>.

"Yellowfin Tuna Fish Identification." LandBigFish - Fishing Tackle Martketplace. Web. 26 Oct. 2010. <http://www.landbigfish.com/fish/fish.cfm?ID=87>.

Great Barracuda

     Syphraena barracuda or Great Barracuda is a piscivorous fish, meaning that it eats other fish. Barracuda are long skinny fish with blue scales near the top of their sides, and black spots on their belly. Barracuda are known to be a dangerous fish when provoked, their razor sharp teeth have caused many divers and swimmers injuries. The average weight of a Barracuda is 5 to 20 pounds. The all tackle world record for Barracuda is 85 pounds. 
     Cast fishing is the best method to use when fishing for Barracuda. Once you are at your desired location you should create a disturbance in the water, attracting curious Barracuda to your location. Tube lures are known " to be the bane of Barracuda." These tube lures are said to make Barracuda strike faster than anything else. Tube lures are made to look like needle fish "snaking" through the water. You should work your lure just under the surface of the water in order to land the most Barracuda. 
     Barracuda are found in almost all seas with warm water. Most Barracuda are found at water temperatures of about 75 degrees, but it is not rare to find them in cooler water. Most Barracuda are found offshore, more than 3 miles out. The higher the water temperature, the closer the Barracuda will come to the shore. During hot summers Barracuda can sometimes be caught off the beach or even in the sound. 
     Ciguatera is a fish poisoning that affects mainly barracuda. To avoid eating a contaminated Barracuda here are some tips

• Do not eat fish weighing more than 5 or 6 pounds
• Do not eat anything but the good meat
• Listen to local knowledge about the fish 

Here is a recipe courtesy of "essortment.com"


Ingredients 
1/2 lb. potatoes, peeled, diced and boiled
1/2 lb. cooked barracuda, skinned, deboned and chopped
1 cup Asiago cheese, grated
1 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. parsley
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup breadcrumbs
salad to serve
buttered rolls to serve

Directions 

Preheat grill to hot and put oven rack in top middle of oven. Meanwhile, heat butter. Add onion and garlic. Fry gently until starting to go golden. Add parsley and cook until dark green, about 4 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Using a food processor, puree potatoes, half the barracuda meat, Asiago cheese, onion mixture (including butter) , salt, black pepper and 1 egg in a bowl. Fold in remaining barracuda meat for texture.

Divide mixture into 24 portions. Dust hand with flour and make each portion into a ball. Dust each portion with flour and brush with remaining egg. Dip each one in breadcrumbs and put on a non-stick pan. Grill for 5 minutes each side until golden. Serve hot with a salad and buttered rolls to serve as a great accompaniment to meat and poultry for a tasty dinner.

Works Cited

"Barracuda Fishing Tips from the Experts." Inshore Fishing and Boating in SE Florida. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.inshore.com/tips-cuda.html>.

"Barracuda Recipe: Barracuda Asiago." Essortment Articles: Free Online Articles on Health, Science, Education & More.. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.essortment.com/all/barracudaasiag_rwsu.htm>.

"Ciguatera Is a Fish Poisoning That Affects Mainly Barracuda Caught in the Florid." The Florida Keys... Follow along with a Local for Many True Keys Adventures. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.n-the-florida-keys.com/ciguatera.html>.

"Great Barracuda ( Sphyraena Barracuda ) - Great Barracuda Information - Great Barracuda Facts - WildAnimalsOnline.com." Wild Animals Online - An Online Encyclopedia of Wild Animals - Facts, Photos, Pictures, Information. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.wildanimalsonline.com/fish/greatbarracuda.php>.

"Great Barracuda Fishing | GoFISHn." Fishing Reports, Fishing Maps, Pictures, Fishing Tips, and More on GoFISHn. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.gofishn.com/content/great-barracuda#Size>.

"How to Fish for Barracuda | EHow.com." EHow | How To Do Just About Everything! | How To Videos & Articles. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.ehow.com/how_2078009_fish-barracuda.html>.

Red Grouper

     Epinephelus morio, or Red Grouper is a brownish red, bottom dwelling fish. The patterns on the sides of the Grouper are unorganized and like DNA, no two fish have the same pattern. The common weight of a Red Grouper is 15 pounds. Not much higher than the average, the record Red Grouper came in weighing 39 pounds and 8 ounces. Some Red Grouper go through a sex reversal, young females turn into males as they age. 
     There are many ways to catch Red Grouper including trolling, and flat lining but the most common method is bottom fishing. Bottom fishing is simply putting your bait on a hook with a heavy weight and dropping it too the bottom, and waiting for a fish to bite. A common saying when fishing for Grouper is "Big bait, big fish, small bait, small fish. Many Grouper fisherman fish with live baits such as pinfish and large grunts. One of the biting characteristics of a Grouper is that as soon as they bite, they take the bait down to the bottom of the ocean. 
     When you are bottom fishing for Grouper you should fish at depths of 4 to 12 feet. When trolling for Red Grouper you should be at depths of 14 to 25 feet. Water temperatures between 66 and 77 degrees is the best temperatures to catch Grouper. Grouper are commonly found near structures due to their tendency to hide once they get hooked. 
     Grouper are known for their large meats in proportion to their body. Here is a recipe courtesy of "FoodNetwork.com"

Ingredients

• 1 (6-ounce) grouper fillet (or other thick fish fillet)
• Salt and pepper
• Paprika
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 large ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 slices medium-thick white bread, lightly toasted
• 2 large tomato slices
• Bean sprouts
• 4 slices thick bacon, cooked until crisp

Directions

Season grouper with salt, pepper, and paprika. In a medium-sized skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Sear fillet on both sides, cooking until fish is done throughout; be careful not overcook. Remove from heat and set aside.

Slice avocado and squeeze lemon juice over avocado to prevent browning. To assemble club, spread mayonnaise on first slice of toast, face up. Place 1 slice tomato, sprouts, and grouper on top. Spread mayonnaise on second slice of bread and put on top ofgrouper, mayonnaise side down. Spread mayonnaise on top of second slice. Top that with avocado slices, 1 tomato slice, more sprouts, and the bacon. Spread mayonnaise onto third slice of bread and top the sandwich. Cut into fourths and place a toothpick in each piece.

Works Cited

3mariposas_8924114, By. "Grouper Club Recipe : Paula Deen : Food Network." Food Network - Easy Recipes, Healthy Eating Ideas and Chef Recipe Videos. Web. 24 Oct. 2010. <http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/grouper-club-recipe/index.html>.

"How to Catch Grouper - Grouper Fishing for the Beginner." Key West Hotels Key West Hotel Florida Keys Fishing Key West Hotels Diving Key West Fishing Charters Key Largo Hotel Islamorada Hotels Fishing Charter Marathon Fishing Charters. Web. 24 Oct. 2010. <http://www.flkinfo.com/fishing-articles/GrouperFishing.htm>.

"Red Grouper, Fish Identification." Indian River County, Florida - Home Page. Web. 24 Oct. 2010. <http://indian-river.fl.us/fishing/fish/groupred.html>