Atlantic Croaker

ATLANTIC CROAKER - Micropogonias undulatus Family Sciaenidae, DRUMS

Description: inferior mouth; 3 to 5 pairs of small barbels on chin; silver-gray or bronze body with dark oblique wavy bars or lines; iridescent especially on head; preopercle strongly serrated.
Similar fish: spot, Leiostomus xanthurus (has no chin barbels and has a dark blotch on shoulder).
Size: usually less than 2 pounds.
Where found: young fish are generally found  found in estuaries; older fish (2 to 3 years) inhabit deep OFFSHORE waters during the winter months and move into bays and estuaries during the spring, summer, and fall.
Remarks: during spawning becomes bronze or yellow in color; spawning apparently occurs OFFSHORE in fall; longevity 2 to 4 years.

Often referred to as Golden Croaker, or just plain Croaker, they get their name from their ability to make croaking sounds. They have a row of small barbels on each side of the lower jaw. Young Croakers are silvery, while the older fish are brassy yellow with short, irregular brown streaks in the middle of the body. They are one of the most common bay fishes. Croaker feed on a wide variety of bottom dwelling marine creatures such as marine worms, shrimp, small fish, small crabs, and other small crustaceans. The best bait for Croakers is fresh dead shrimp fished on the bottom.