# yet another fish ID...



## WNCRick (Sep 24, 2007)

Caught a couple weeks ago(been busy) out of ICW. Any Ideas?









.


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## gshivar (Aug 29, 2006)

juvenile rock sea bass perhaps. some call it sand sea bass as it is not usually associated with rocky bottom like the black sea bass. best - glenn


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Squirrelfish, Diplectrum formosum ....


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## wskitchen (Jun 23, 2011)

What ever it is, it is beautiful. It kind of reminds me of a pumpkinseed.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

The black blotches on the body give it away... Several fish have the blue lines, but the combo of the lines and blotches make it a squirrelfish. No doubt about it.

Just out of curiosity, how big was he? I don't really get a good sense of scale, with your foot being so far removed from the photo.


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## gshivar (Aug 29, 2006)

Solid7, I should have used scientific name. common names vary and are numerous. Same fish called rock/sand sea bass up here. What we usually call squirrel is a small reddish / pinkish fish caught offshore that has large eyes. I googled "diplectrum formosum" and you hit it on the head. Largest I have seen ~9 maybe 10"; usually ~6". Using common names can complicate Id. best - glenn


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Yep, right you are, gshivar. I'm still trying to figure out how them up North fellas came up with "sea mullet". 

Squirrelfish are usually in the family of fishes commonly called "red fishes", ironically, and most of them look nothing like this one...


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## Hop (Jun 29, 2009)

I was always told it was a Sand Perch.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Hop said:


> I was always told it was a Sand Perch.


I have heard them called that too. Problem is, there are about a dozen different things people call "sand perch", depending on where you live...


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## Hop (Jun 29, 2009)

I think I'll just start calling them "Grouper Bait."


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## Daddydobber (Mar 28, 2006)

http://www.centralfloridafishingreport.com/FishProfile/124.html


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

A stripped badoodle hopper


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## Bullred (Mar 13, 2010)

rock bass


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## Oldmulletbreath (Jan 7, 2006)

Bait


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## ncsharkman (Mar 12, 2011)

if it bleeds it's a shark bait!


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## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

ncsharkman said:


> if it bleeds it's a shark bait!


you bleed. How big of a hook will I need?


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## wskitchen (Jun 23, 2011)

narfpoit said:


> you bleed. How big of a hook will I need?


Dam*


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## drum81 (May 25, 2009)

Sc game warden told us he was a sand bass...... Battered , fried , taste kinda like shrimp ( in my opinion )............


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## jakuka (Oct 12, 2009)

narfpoit said:


> you bleed. How big of a hook will I need?


Not cool. Not even funny.


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

jakuka said:


> Not cool. Not even funny.


I laughed


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## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

jakuka said:


> Not cool. Not even funny.


Its ok I would not actually use him for bait DMF prohibits the use of mammals for bait or chum.


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## Dr. Bubba (Nov 9, 1999)

narfpoit said:


> Its ok I would not actually use him for bait DMF prohibits the use of mammals for bait or chum.


well, what about those folks you tell you were using fatback for bait, and they show up with salt pork the next day?


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## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

Dr. Bubba said:


> well, what about those folks you tell you were using fatback for bait, and they show up with salt pork the next day?


Tell the officer it is a snack for you and keep on fishin.


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## ncsharkman (Mar 12, 2011)

narfpoit said:


> Its ok I would not actually use him for bait DMF prohibits the use of mammals for bait or chum.


 Thanks for that narfpoit, i don't want to be "bait'! I'll even buy the beer if we don't use ME for bait!


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## speckhunter80 (Oct 3, 2011)

solid7 said:


> Squirrelfish, Diplectrum formosum ....


Winner...also called Sand Perch by most. That is the problem with common names.


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## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

ncsharkman said:


> Thanks for that narfpoit, i don't want to be "bait'! I'll even buy the beer if we don't use ME for bait!


Fair enough. I usually get to be the bait as I am always the one paddling out our shark baits, only ever bumped into one while doing the drop but that will get you to pucker fast.


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## ncsharkman (Mar 12, 2011)

narfpoit said:


> Fair enough. I usually get to be the bait as I am always the one paddling out our shark baits, only ever bumped into one while doing the drop but that will get you to pucker fast.


 Amen to that, been there and done that! i went into the surf at hatterass to tailrope one [10footer] a few years ago and he smacked me in the legs with his tail. i think i peed myself!


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## gshivar (Aug 29, 2006)

solid7. You mentioned how we came up with "sea mullet". In Morehead City NC till I was 12. Sea mullet distinguished them from jumping mullet (striped / silver). More mild for eating. Other names: Va mullet, whitings, round heads (inclucive for northern, southern, and gulf kingfish) and I am sure there are other common names. best - glenn


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

gshivar said:


> solid7. You mentioned how we came up with "sea mullet". In Morehead City NC till I was 12. Sea mullet distinguished them from jumping mullet (striped / silver). More mild for eating. Other names: Va mullet, whitings, round heads (inclucive for northern, southern, and gulf kingfish) and I am sure there are other common names. best - glenn



What is a jumping mullet? Is that an actual mullet?

As for the kingfish, there's nothing even remotely "mullet-y" about them.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

solid7 said:


> What is a jumping mullet? Is that an actual mullet?
> 
> As for the kingfish, there's nothing even remotely "mullet-y" about them.


 Yeap,striped or silver mullet... Yeah, the "kingfish" nickname always threw me too...

Had never seen the fish in the pic before.. To me it looked like a cross between a seabass,sandperch,and pinfish...


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## cobia_slaya (Jan 19, 2010)

jakuka said:


> Not cool. Not even funny.


i thought it was quite funny myself


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## originalhooker (Nov 26, 2009)

not sure if it was covered, but to clarify - it is a sand perch =common name, Diplectrum formosum=genus species, as to the squirrelfish reference, that may be a local name, but would not be accepted in the scientific community.
so, to any students, write sand perch on the exam.
on a practical side, beware of the preopercular spines on the gill plate, they'll stab you.


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