Other Common Names:

Florida Bass

State Record:

17 pounds 4 ounces

Identifying Features:

Florida largemouth bass have a greenish-colored back and a cream colored belly. They have diamond-shaped vertical bars on their sides and a fin along the back that has a notch almost down to the back.

Typical Adult:

Length: Up to 25 inches
Weight: Up to 10 pounds
Life span: Up to 10 years

Habitat:

The Florida largemouth bass inhabits weedy lakes and ponds with firm, sandy bottoms.

Feeding Behavior:

Florida largemouth bass eat other fish, insects, and invertebrates. The young feed on zooplankton.

Reproductive Behavior (Spawning):

When: Spring
Preffered Water Temperature: 63-68 °F
How: The male digs a circular-shaped nest with its tail. The female lays eggs and the male fertilizes them. The male primarily guards the nest and the fry (young) although the female may helps.

Did You Know:

Each Florida largemouth bass nest may contain as many as 43,000 eggs.

Other Common Names:

Sailfish, Sail, Spikefish, Spindlebeak, Spindlesnoot, Mylmeen

State Record:

116 pounds 10 counces

Identifying Features:

Atlantic sailfish have a long bill and a long, slender body of dark blue with silvery flanks and belly. Their blue dorsal fin has dark spots and is two times the height of the fish itself.

Typical Adult:

Length: Up to 84 inches (may reach 100 inches)
Weight: Up to 37 pounds
Life span: Up to 10 years

Habitat:

Sailfish inhabit warm (above 70 °F) Atlantic and Pacific waters.

Feeding Behavior:

Atlantic sailfish feed on smaller fish, squid, and crustaceans.

Reproductive Behavior (Spawning):

When: Summer
How: The female swims near the surface of the water with one or more males and releases over 4 million eggs each year. The male fertilizes them, and the eggs hatch within two days.

Did You Know:

The Atlantic sailfish can swim up to 60 miles per hour over short distances.

In its first year, an Atlantic sailfish can grow up to five feet!