How to ID Types of Saltwater Fish
The saltwater angler faces a problem that the freshwater fisherman rarely has. It involves having to identify many types of fish with which she may be unfamiliar since there is a greater variety of species in the ocean. To identify saltwater fish, you must look at a variety of features that each specimen possesses and consider such things as where you caught the fish. In this manner, you can solve the puzzle of exactly what kind of fish you landed.
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Instructions
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Measure the size of the saltwater fish to help ID the type. The length and girth of a fish as well as its weight can help you to eliminate many species. Take the Atlantic cod as an example. It will normally fall within the range of 27 to 34 inches and weigh between 6 lbs. and 12 lbs. if caught close to shore. However, if you catch it offshore in deeper water, cod can be around 40 inches long and can weigh as much as 25 lbs.
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Study the shape of such features as the fish's fins and tail. The top fin on the back of a fish closest to the head is the first dorsal fin. The second fin, if there is one between the first dorsal fin and the tail, is known as the second dorsal fin. The fins behind the gills are the pelvic fins and the anal fin is on the bottom of the fish close to the tail. Note the shape of these as well as the tail.
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Look for specific markings or certain features that some saltwater species possess. For example, the American shad has a darkened spot that sits right behind its head, followed by a series of smaller dark spots. These markings can help you greatly if you can find them. The Atlantic cod has a barbell, an appendage resembling a whisker, hanging from its chin.
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Study the coloring to help identify the saltwater fish type. Note where certain colors end and new ones begin or if the fish is one solid shade. The red snapper is a pinkish red color, with the belly and the area on the lower sides typically lighter than the top portions.
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Utilize where you caught the fish to help you identify it. Take into account such measurements as the water depth and temperature. The albacore tuna typically stays in water between 56 and 77 degrees F and usually swims offshore near the upper levels of the water. Albacore have a range from as far north as Nova Scotia on the Atlantic Coast southward to Brazil. In the Pacific, albacore are found from Alaska to as far south as Mexico.
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Tips & Warnings
Other important measurements that may aid in identifying the fish include the length of its snout, which is the distance from the nose tip to its eye, and the length of its head, measured from the nose to its gills.
A field guide to saltwater fish species can help you as you attempt to identify fish. Studying one or carrying it with you can make the process easier.
