Florida fish questions

GlennM

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I have some questions for you Southerners. We’re vacationing in Florida and I’ve been doing some fishing from the beach. We’ve had excellent results catching pompano, sheepshead, sea trout, whiting, bluefish, small sharks, etc

i realize all the Pompano are prized but what about the other species? Someone told us to try the whiting and it was really good, we filleted at some and panfried them and they were really delicious. Any suggestions on the recipes and ways to cook them, we did these fillets on the egg last night and they were fantastic!

JethroVA

Awesome - two thoughts come to mind. Broil with salt pepper butter and herbs/garlic. And fish tacos!

BugFreak72

Not sure where you are but grilled snapper with a light oil and cajun seasoning is my favorite fish cook. If you can get some fresh caught snapper where you are you won't be disappointed.

Where in FL are you?

Sea2Ski

Sheepshead and sea trout are excellent as you would cook any other white fleshed fish which is on the delicate side.

Blues? Blah... we either toss them back or if they are up to about 14” we cut them for bait. If you do eat them, smaller is better and make sure you get all the bloodline out of it.

Lowcountrygamecock

https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/2422807#Comment_2422807

Agree. Sheepshead and sea trout are two of my favorites. Trout don’t freeze as good as some fish do so we only eat them fresh.

GlennM

We are in Naples. More pompano again today!

nolaegghead

Doesn't get much better than sheepshead. But if you clean them you will need a saws-all, they have an armor like skin. Yield is among the lowest at around 20%

Lowcountrygamecock

https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/2422874#Comment_2422874

Truth. And those teeth are so freaky looking for a fish.

GlennM

Unfortunately the sheepshead are mostly too small to keep. We have caught about 50 and only 2 we over the 12” minimum

Webass

If you've caught 50 sheepshead you're a pretty good fisherman. My dad used to tell me you have to set the hook about a second before they bite. We fished for them around the pilings with fiddler crabs and they could crush the crab with those bit front teeth, suck it clean and you'd never feel it.

When we lived on the gulf we liked to scale and gut trout, and rub with olive oil and S&P and cook them direct on the grill. Turn often and they're done with the skin is crispy.

We took our boat to Captiva often and had great fishing for reds, snook, and tarpon in the pass. Sounds like you're doing most of your fishing in the surf and from a pier. I miss the Gulf.

TideEggHead

What part of Florida?? @GlennM Just be careful of regulations on what/how many you keep, it varies by what zone you are in. Sheepshead and specks are delicious! Are you fishing in the gulf or bay? I've never caught specks fishing off the beach (Destin, PC, Grayton etc...). If you find some structure you may also catch some mangrove snapper which I like eating too (can cook whole, panfried with some garlic herb butter and lemon).

SouthGaSmoker

Sheephead is one of my fav fish to eat.

GlennM

We are fishing off the beach and have the regulations in hand. Only had 2 sheepshead big enough to keep. We are fishing mostly with sand fleas

BugFreak72

Killer snook fishing in Naples. Too bad it's shutdown rover there right now from what I've read. Try to find a pier near you for the nice sheepshead. Good luck with the fishing either way.

ColbyLang

Smashed the sheepshead the other day. Live shrimp on the bottom......

GlennM

We had our best luck with sand fleas

GlennM

nolaegghead

Pompano, spec, sheephead....what's the other fish?

fishlessman

https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/2423640#Comment_2423640

not good with florida fish but it looks like a snapper bluefish, time for some chowdah

GlennM

Pompano, bluefish, sheepshead and spotted sea trout

JethroVA

@GlennM where are you? Looks like Southwest FL

Sea2Ski

@nolaegghead do you not have bluefish in the gulf? I thought they were all over in the Atlantic around Florida and in the gulf. Maybe the gulf gets a bit too warm for them?

Great fighters, aggressive as hell, hit like a ton of bricks, when schooled up and feeding you can catch them on bare hooks. Otherwise they will take anything you throw at them. They routinely get up to 15 lbs around here, though I think they can get into the low 30’s. Largest was 21 or 22 lbs. I have never seen one that big personally. I see them anywhere from 8” in the back bays up to 15 lbs in the ocean all the time. Great sporting fish with a wicked set of teeth.

GlennM

https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/2423936#Comment_2423936

Naples Fl. You are correct

nolaegghead

@Sea2Ski Mark, we have them but I have never seen one and we don't eat them here. The Gulf bluefish taste horrible.

fishlessman

https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/2424005#Comment_2424005

have caught one over 40 inches up here, have watched giant bluefin chasing them in a frenzy. the one over 40 took a small white bucktail, was sick of watching my expensive lures get bit in half