Credit: Illustration by Diane Rome Peebles

Family Pomatomidae

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 sraight

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

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

---

Save and Share this Article: