Northeast - Fish Identification

Does anyone know which species this is? It was caught by my seven year old son today in Buzzard's Bay.

channel mullet

northern kingfish

Two different reply's so far has anyone ever caught one like this.

Looks an awful lot lik a redfish.....at least from my upside down vantage point.

Looks like it needs a trip to the orthodontist.

its a northern kingfish

some fish go by diffrent names like stripebass up north and rockfish down south samefish. I don't know if it's a diffrent name for this fish

it's a dorkfish....lol

theres a northern kingfish and southern kingfish, the northern kingfish has the long threadlike fin and the southern ones have stripes

Kingfish are good eating but have a fair amount of bones so be careful if the kids eat the catch.

channel mullet

X2

Whiting, Kingfish, Sea Mullet, lots of names for'em, all the same fish.

Thanks for all the reply's I've been fishing this area for almost 25 years first time I've seen this species.

Whiting, Kingfish, Sea Mullet, lots of names for'em, all the same fish.


x2:thumbsup:

northern kingfish,

Blue marlin if I'm not mistaken

Northern kingfish. Quite common further "south" in NJ.
Good eats also.

Stripeless Bass

SSSHHHHAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!

-Quote: some lady in Jaws.

"Leave the gun, take the canoli's!!"

kingcroaker

It looks like a kingfish but the color is different. The ones we catch in South Jersey are brownish. This looks like its in the drum family possibly a mullet?

definitely a channel mullet aka kingfish. good eating fresh, don't bother trying to freeze.

croaker, they usually grunt/croak when you bring it on deck. related to drum

its a kingfish

Definitely a northern kingfish. Here is some info for you:

The Northern kingfish, Menticirrhus saxatilis, is popular with many saltwater anglers, and it's no wonder. These fish are known to put up a good fight, and their tasty, white meat is well worth the effort.


http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/images/kingfish.jpgCommon Names:
Other names for the Northern kingfish include king whiting, sea mullet, northern whiting, roundhead, sea mink, minkfish, whiting and barb.


Characteristics:
Northern kingfish are part of the drum family, Sciaenidae, which also includes weakfish, spot, Atlantic croaker, red drum and black drum. Since they lack an air bladder, Northern kingfish do notmake typical "drumming" sounds like other members of the drum family, but they can vocalize somewhat by grinding their pharyngeal (throat) teeth.
Notable characteristics are the long spine on the first dorsal fin and a barbel on the chin. Dark, irregular bars are present along the body of the fish. The first two bars form two distinct V-shapes. The bold markings and a dark longitudinal stripe behind the pectoral fins distinguish it from the two other species of kingfish. The markings on Southern kingfish and Gulf kingfish are not nearly as prominent and do not form the V-shaped pattern.



Range:
Northern kingfish are found in the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Yucatan. They are most commonly found from the Chesapeake Bay to New York.



Habitat:
Usually found in schools in shallow coastal waters, Northern kingfish prefer areas with a hard or a sandy bottom. They regularly appear along the Atlantic coast from late April to October. It is unknown where Northern kingfish migrate for the winter, but it is thought to be offshore and in deeper water.



Size:
Northern kingfish can grow 18 inches long and can weigh up to three pounds, but greater lengths and weights have been reported. Commonly, these fish range from 10 to 14 inches long and weigh from one-half to 1.5 pounds. The largest ever recorded anywhere, a three-year-old female caught in a commercial gill net, was more than 21 inches long and weighed 3.3 pounds.

looks like a red fish that has not got his spots