ATLANTIC CROAKER

Micropogonias undulatus

English: White trout, sand trout, sand weakfish, white weakfish.
Spanish: corvinata pintada.

This is an elongated fish with a mouthful of teeth. Usually 1 or 2 extra-large teeth are located in the front of the upper jaw. Body is silver, with a yellow cast above and the fins are yellowish. When sand seatrout grow larger than a pound, they develop a beautiful iridescent lavender cast on their heads and the front part of their bodies. Sand seatrout eat fishes and shrimp. They are rated as the number one shrimp predator in the Gulf of Mexico.

Sand seatrout are found Gulfwide, from bay and estuarine waters to offshore waters 300 feet deep. Larger fish are more common in offshore waters of moderate depths and in deep holes inshore. It prefers sand or mud bottoms. In the Gulf of Mexico, the fish is least common in southern Florida. Seasonally, large sand seatrout will congregate at offshore oil and gas platforms in moderately shallow water depths.

They usually average under 1 pound in bays and estuaries, but fish of 3-5 pounds can be caught in deep inshore holes and in offshore waters.

Add Your Photo!