Fishing on Flagler: Atlantic Croaker

The Atlantic Croaker gets its name from the unusual croaking noise the fish makes. The Atlantic Croaker makes a sound by vibrating muscles against its swim bladder, creating a resonating chamber that allows it to make its characteristic croaking sound. These fish can be found in the Intracoastal Waterways off of Flagler Ave typically during the spring, summer, and fall.

Appearance:

• Atlantic Croaker are a medium sized fish, usually about 10-12 inches long, averaging 1/2-2 lbs.
• They have a silver-gray or bronze body and turn a bronzey-yellow color during their spawning season in the Fall
• The State record for Atlantic Croaker is 4 lbs 15 oz.

Fishing Tips and Facts:

The fish typically have a lifespan of 2-4 years. They are usually found in deeper waters during the day and closer to the shore during the evening. Good bait choices include fresh cut shrimp, squid, clams, bloodworms, and earthworms.

Make sure you are very careful when you are cleaning croakers because the fish has a sharp gill plate that has the potential to cut you. You can clean small croakers whole, just removing the guts and head, while bigger croakers can be filleted.