Description: basic silvery
color; with 5 or 6 distinct vertical black bands on sides, not always the
same on both sides; prominent teeth, including incisors, molars, and
rounded grinders; no barbels on lower jaw; strong and sharp spines on
dorsal and anal fins.
Similar Fish: black drum,
Pogonias cromis; Atlantic spadefish, Chaetodipterus (black
drum have barbels on lower jaw, sheepshead do not; vertical barring on
sides of black drum and spadefish disappear as fish mature; spadefish have
small, brush-like teeth).
Where found: INSHORE
species around oyster bars, seawalls and in tidal creeks; moves NEARSHORE
in late winter and early spring for spawning, gathering over debris,
artificial reefs and around navigation markers.
Size: INSHORE, 1 to 2
pounds; OFFSHORE, common to 8 pounds.
*Florida Record: 15 lbs.,
2 ozs.
Remarks: feeds on
mollusks and crustaceans such as fiddler crabs and barnacles; famed
nibblers, prompting the saying that "anglers must strike just before
they bite."
* The Florida records
quoted are from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's
printed publication, Fishing
Lines and are not necessarily the most current ones. The records are
provided as only as a benchmark.
