This book is a given for recreational and commercial fishermen as well as anyone who loves the outdoors! Since most anglers identify their fish by reviewing illustrations rather than using scientific keys, the authors have succeeded in making fishing easier by providing superb illustrations and detailed diagnostics for fish identification. A valuable, one-stop reference tool for everyday anglers, fisheries experts, biologists, and outdoors writers, this guide includes intensively researched information on 207 species of saltwater fish, essential data on each species’ habitat, identification, typical size, and food value. By Jerald Horst & Mike Lane, illustrated by Duane Raver. 207 species.
Sailfish range Gulfwide in all nearshore and offshore waters except those that are of low salinity or low clarity. They are usually found near the surface.
Identification & Biology :
Impossible to misidentify, the sailfish has a huge black-spotted, blue, sail-like dorsal fin set on an elongated body, and a pointed bill on the upper jaw. Body color is dark blue on the back, going to blue-brown on the sides, then silvery below. Vertical rows of pale blue spots are spaced over the entire length of the fish.
Sailfish are a migratory species. While common year around in the southern Gulf of Mexico, they move into the northern Gulf only during the May-September period. They prefer water temperatures of above 77?F. Food habits studies in the Gulf of Mexico show that cephalopods such as squid, octopus and the paper nautilus form up to 17% of their diet, with the rest being fishes. Mackerel and tuna are the most common fishes consumed. Also eaten are jacks, halfbeaks and needlefish, as well as herrings, cutlassfish and porgies. Interestingly, flying fish were found in their diet only rarely, contrary to what is commonly believed. Sailfish will feed in groups, circling schools of smaller fish with their dorsal fins erect. Individuals will dart in from this “wall” to grab their prey. Sailfish grow rapidly, reaching a length of 4˝ feet and 6 pounds in 6 months, and 6 feet and 20 pounds in one year. Growth then slows down. Sailfish spawn in the summer months and spawning is known to occur in the southern Gulf of Mexico.
Size :
Sailfish average 40-60 pounds, but can reach weights well over 100 pounds.
Food Value :
Excellent, but most are released alive.
Description by: Jerald Horst, Associate Professor, Fisheries - LSU AgCenter
