FWC Home : Wildlife & Habitats : Species Information : Saltwater Fish Identification :  Bluefish

Bluefishes: Bluefish

Family Pomatomidae, BLUEFISHES
Pomatomus saltatrix

Illustrations and Copyright by Diane Rome Peebles
Illustrations are for viewing purposes only.

Description: color blue or greenish blue on back, sides silvery; mouth large; teeth prominent, sharp, and compressed; dorsal and anal fins nearly the same size; scales small; lateral line almost straight.

Similar Fish: blue runner, C. crysos.

Where found: young usually INSHORE spring and summer, moving OFFSHORE to join adults fall and winter; strong migration of northeast Atlantic stock to Florida east coast in winter.

Size: most west coast catches under 3 pounds, much larger on east coast.

*Florida Record: 22 lbs., 3 ozs.

Remarks: travels in large schools, following schools of baitfish; cannibalistic; all members of a given school about the same size; spawning occurs OFFSHORE in spring and summer.

* 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.