# Fish I.D. Please



## deersniper270 (Apr 29, 2009)

Not too familiar with grouper so this guy got released just in case. Little bit of yellow around its mouth also that you cannot see. 18in long. Can someone let me know what they think it is? Hope the pic is good enough. And don't link me to myfwc.com or any other I.D. site cuz I've already looked and I still am not sure. Personal advice from those of you experience with these fish will be better.

Thinking scamp because he was a weird light brown color but I'm not sure.

Thanks!


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## redfish0102 (May 25, 2011)

scamp =] yum yum


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## B-Rod (Feb 16, 2010)

Hard to tell from my phone but looking at the tail ill have to say scamp


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## redfish0102 (May 25, 2011)

The, I call it leopard print pattern lol, and the long tips on the tail are what gives it away. Hope this helps =]


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

The tail and colors, It's a Scamp. 16" is legal size and they are really good eating one of the best.


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## jw1973 (Feb 8, 2009)

We caught a few scamp over the weekend. I pulled out the guide to make sure we had a legal size and actually had trouble distinguishing Scamp from Yellow Mouth Grouper. I thought it might be a Yellow mouth because, duh, it had some yellow around the mouth, didn't really see much difference between the 2 species but assumed Scamp because they seem to be more prevalent here.

Anyone have a tip on distinguishing these two?


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## Mullethead (Oct 4, 2007)

I don't know if I have ever seen a true yellow mouth grouper in the North Central Gulf. If it looked like a scamp but did not have the 'broom' tail - I would start thinking yellow-mouth. The spot pattern is a little different but color patterns on groupers do vary and not very relaible indentifiers. On a yellow mouth the photos and ID books show yellow margins/edges on the dorsal and tail fins


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Yellowmouth will look like scamp, but with yellow on the corners and inside their mouth. The way he has the tail pinched it could still be a yellowmouth. They have a slight broomtail, but not as pronounced as the scamp. They aren't typically this far north, but who knows. I've caught plenty of fish where they weren't supposed to be.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

I have not yet met one person that can clearly tell the difference in the two species, i have brought this to the attention of fwc and biologist, i have come to conclusion that they are of the same specie just different color variations, some have worm like markings and others have more of a vertical pattern, they both have yellow mouths i have even sat them side by side to compare them for fwc and it just confuses the shit out of them. if they are subspecies of each other they hybridize with the other​


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## deersniper270 (Apr 29, 2009)

Thank everybody. Gonna guess it was a scamp. Didn't really have any yellow other than in the corners of its mouth. I the I.D. books the yellow mouth had yellow on its fins but not being familiar with them I decided it would be best to release and ask so I know next time.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Yellowmouth has yellow in the mouth and on the corners of the mouth. The yellowfin grouper has yellow on it's pectoral fins.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

No mistaking the yellowfin for the others, but the scamp and yellowmouth are almost identical.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

Legal Scamp.....


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## deersniper270 (Apr 29, 2009)

lobsterman said:


> Legal Scamp.....


Thanks! What do yall catch them on? I caught him on a porgy filet.


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## redfish0102 (May 25, 2011)

They like pinfish =]


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

deersniper270 said:


> Thanks! What do yall catch them on? I caught him on a porgy filet.


They like fresh cut bait like you said, pinfish, small live cigs, whole squid and jigs.


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