What's in your area?

[Tarpon4me]

I know in different parts of the US and the world there are different fish availible at different distances offshore. That could never be more true than on the mid-eastern coast of the united states. My question is what kind of fish can you catch in YOUR local water 10 miles offshore and less. I know I fished for years off the coast never really knowing what to expect, I fished blindly. It's hard to target a particular species of fish unless you know what's availible for the distance you plan on travelling. Alot of anglers also can't afford a boat capable of making far trecks offshore, so this will give some insight for those less capable fishermen and women bound by the size of their boat.

I know in my stretch of water, off the northern coast of South Carolina, there really isn't too much variety of gamefish unless you're able to make the 60 mile hike offshore to the gulfstream. Up to ten miles, there is plenty of good fishing though; wrecks, reefs, and a few deep holes. Some of the more popular species are:

King Mackeral: Caught more in the spring and fall when the water temp isn't above 75 degrees.

Amberjack and Crevalle Jack: All season, inshore and offshore

Tarpon: All season, more so caught around winya bay

Multiple species of shark: all year, species to include: Dusky, Sandbar, Tiger, and Spinner and more

All those plus: Sheepshead, Red and Black Drum, Flounder, Spanish Mackeral, Blue fish, and cobia

There are time of year when you can snagg a Sailfish,Mahi Mahi, grouper, and tuna in closer than 30 miles, however, you really have to know where the holes are, or you'll be wasting your gas and money.

What's the menu look like for all the other sides of the fishing map?
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[tubeN2]

I only submitted 49 species on the 16 species contest last year but there are many more than that.

Lets start with the exotics

Albacore
Yellow Fin Tuna
Blue Fin Tuna
Amberjack Tuna

Dodos
Yellowtail
White Seabass

Pacific Barracuda
Pacific Halibut
California Halibut
Fridgate Mackerel
Spanish Mackerel
Pacific Mackerel
Pacific Bonito

California Sheepshead
Kelp Bass
Barred Sand Bass
Spotted Bay Bass

Ocean White Fish
Sargo
Triggerfish
Needlefish

Lavender Sculpin
Irish Lord Sculpin
Pacific Staghorn Sculpin
California Scorpionfish

White Croaker
Yellowfin Croaker
Spotfin Croaker
California Corbina
Queenfish

Opeleye Perch
Blue Perch
Rhino Perch
Barred Surf Perch
Walleye Surf Perch
Shiner Surf Perch

Pompano
Jacksmelt
Topsmelt
Sardine
Anchovie
Sand Dabs

CO Sole
Pacific Sole

Cabezon
Ling Cod

Boccacio
Red Snapper
Kelp Rockfish
Grass Rockfish
Calico Rockfish
Tree Rockfish
Glag Rockfish
Chucklehead Rockfish
Greenspotted Rockfish
Greenstriped Rockfish


Black Sea Bass
Cowcod
Garibaldi

Leopard Shark
Horn Shark
Spiny Dogfish
Thresher Shark
Shortfin Mako
Blue Shark
Reef Shark
Nurse Shark
Lemon Shark (rare on this side)
Smooth Hammerhead Shark
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark

to be continued........
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[Harpmanr]

South East Florida Boca Raton Area right now:

Bluefish
Pompano
Snook
Permit
Jack Crevelle
Spanish/Cero Mackerel
King Mackerel
Cobia
Ladyfish
Tarpon
Lemon sharks
Mahi Mahi
Sheepshead
Black Drum
Grouper
Assorted Snapper
Some Sailfish
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[Tarpon4me]

Holy cow! All that opportunity with in 10 miles of the hill? I'm jealous now TubeN2. I'm selling the house and moving to Cali.[cool] You west coast guys have it made. The only problem you have is trying to figure out what to fish for. [cool]
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[tomc]

in long isalnd sound,and block island sound

bluefish
striped bass
winter flounder
summer flounder/fluke
tautog
porgy
oyster cracker/toadfish
striped sea robin
white perch
tomcod
northern kingfish
american eel
hickory shad
american shad
smooth dogfish
triggerfish
cunner
false albacore
bonito
bluefin tuna
bunker
mackeral
sperring
clearnose skate
barndoor skate
weakfish
southern stargazer
cusk
brown sandbar shark
atlantic torpedo
windowpane
spanish mackeral
needlefish
banded rudderfish
bluerunner
threser shark
blowfish
pencilfish
ocean sunfisk
sheepshead
butterfish
sand eel
jack crevalle
striped mullet
black sea bass
blueback herring
atlantic herring
monkfish/goosefish/pollack
sculpin
frostfish
lamprey


and the dredded "skunked" fish hey tuben2 you must have this one on the west coast?right?lol.
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[snook.hooker]

There are similar types and amounts of fish in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the two best are snook and grouper.

I see a lot of mention of crevalle jack - does anyone eat them? If so, how do you fix it?

Thanks,
S.H.
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[Tarpon4me]

I've actually tried Jack before, and I wasn't really impressed. It was rather strong, kinda like how a large King Mackeral would taste. I know you have to be careful with them because of the worms they sometimes carry. There are too many other types of good eatting fish around to mess with any species of Jack.
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[tubeN2]

[reply]
Holy cow! All that opportunity with in 10 miles of the hill? I'm jealous now TubeN2. I'm selling the house and moving to Cali.[cool] You west coast guys have it made. The only problem you have is trying to figure out what to fish for. [cool] [/reply]


That's only part of the list. I was getting writers cramp at the time I started the reply. There are still onother 60 species to go. But you do get the idea.[cool]
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[tubeN2]

[reply]

and the dredded "skunked" fish hey tuben2 you must have this one on the west coast?right?lol. [/reply]
They do make a rare appearance from time to time. The only thing is that here on the West coast, the skunkfish are so elusive that no body has ever been able to record a size nor weight on one of them.[]
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