What's that fish?

Over the course of the year there are many fish in the waters in and around Fairfield Harbour. Here are some of the fish likely to be caught or seen. The illustrations are by Duane Raver, Jr. from the book Fisherman's Guide: Fishes of the Southeastern United States (Raleigh: N.C. State Museum of Natural History, 1984) and used with his kind permission. The photographs show actual fish caught by members of the Fairfield Harbour Fishing Club.

If you have any photos of fish caught in and around Fairfield Harbour that show their distinguishing characteristics, please send them to fhfc@suddenlink.net.

© Duane Raver BLACK DRUM	A nice specimen caught by Bob Bruggeworth from his dock on Spring Creek. The stripes fade as the Black Drum mature. The stripes are much more pronounced on the smaller fish like this one caught by Larry Knapp in the Inner Harbour. They're sometimes confused with the Sheepshead. Click here to compare.

© Duane Raver BLUEFISH	An early August "Snapper" from Upper Broad Creek Young "Snapper" Bluefish will enter the Harbour and surrounding creeks in the summer. They are often found chasing schools of baitfish--particularly Finger Mullet and Menhadden. Baits slashed in half and lines bitten off are good signs you may be dealing with snappers.

BOWFIN	A Bowfin caught in the Inner Harbour in September.

© Duane Raver CROAKER	An Upper Broad Creek Croaker

© Duane Raver FLOUNDER	A nice flounder caught in May by Harvey Pye at the NW Creek Marina circle. He caught it about 6 pm on a Rattler.

© Duane Raver GAR	A large Gar being reeled into the dock (before the line was cut).

LARGEMOUTH BASS	A Largemouth caught in the Inner Harbour by Larry Knapp

© Duane Raver MULLET	The "Jumping Mullet" won't take a hook but they can be caught with a cast net or snagged with a treble hook.

© Duane Raver PINFISH	The aptly named Pinfish can inflict serious puncture wounds to the unwary angler who mistakes it for a pumpkinseed. It's one of the better bait-stealers and commonly caught.

PUMPKINSEED

© Duane Raver RED DRUM	Bob Bruggeworth's eighteen inch, four spotted "Slot" fish from Spring Creek.

© Duane Raver Skate, aka Clear Nose Skate	Skates have many "thorns" on their back and can inflict a wound is stepped on or held. When they are in the Harbour their wings often appear as two fish swimming side by side.

© Duane Raver SPOT

© Duane Raver STRIPED BASS	Eighteen inches or better is fairly common in Fairfield Harbour as shown above by Bob Bruggeworth on his dock. The fish below was caught by Frank Picco.

© Duane Raver TROUT, SPECKLED	Speckled Trout caught by Ed Trott & Wayne Pearson. They really show the color variations and speckles.
© Duane Raver TROUT, GRAY aka WEAKFISH	Speckled and Gray Trout are quite similar in appearance. Grays are more mottled than speckled with irregular or uneven wavy lines of smaller spots rather that the Specks' more colorful spots. You can see the smaller spots on Frank Picco's citation size (over 6 pounds) Gray.

© Duane Raver WHITE (Silver) PERCH	A White Perch caught from a dock on Hawksbill.

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