# Need help with identifying this fish



## Bustedknuckle (Feb 11, 2009)

i'm thinking a porgy? but i need the experts opinion....


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## Mullethead (Oct 4, 2007)

Red Porgy 

aka "white snapper" or some even call it a blue nose

A relative of the sheepshead ...a little small but good eating fresh 


Commonly used a grouper/AJ bait - live or butterflied


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## Bustedknuckle (Feb 11, 2009)

sweet that was fast, thanks man. What is the regulations on it?


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## deersniper270 (Apr 29, 2009)

No regs unless you are in the Atlantic. 14" in the Atlantic. I hear if you get them big enough they eat good. I catch them all the time but have never eaten one. Usually only 6-8 inches long so I throw them in the live well.

Use a ballon rig over a wreck and you'll get some good action. I mainly cut them a drop them down. Cut a whole fillet off, hook it twice and burry the hook in it and drop it down for snapper and grouper. 

I have butterflied them a few times starting at the tail and filleting them up to the gill leaving the fillet on the fish. Hardly ever hook up on anything since its a big bait but have hooked up a few times but they broke my line. Must have been something big!

Hope this helps!


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## Mullethead (Oct 4, 2007)

None in the Gulf ... 
there are some regs in the Atlantic seaboard


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## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

FYI, the wildlife sanctuary will take all the Porgies, Redlips etc. that you don't want. They feed the sick and injured seabirds/animals. Thanks, Skip


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## Captain Mickey O'Reilly (Dec 18, 2008)

They are great fish baked or fried, I would keep em for people food!:thumbup:


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## Trophyhusband (Nov 30, 2011)

They make good AJ bait, but then again, I haven't found a live fish that doesn't make good AJ bait.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Captain Mickey O'Reilly said:


> They are great fish baked or fried, I would keep em for people food!:thumbup:


+1 Taste great, just watch out for bones.


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## keperry1182 (Oct 6, 2010)

When I was stationed at Camp Lejeune we'd catch them off the coast there, alot bigger over there. They were really good to eat. Actually on the head boats people would take all of them you'd give away.


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## Snapperking (May 30, 2009)

I have to beg to differ on the white snapper being a people food,Yall can have any I accidentally keep .We call them Iodine fish because of the taste and smell they have after they are cleaned!! The pretty white filets are deceptive as they look like they would rival any fish for taste but they have a very pugnant Iodine aroma before cooking and are very strong compared to almost anything else after cooking.And i have tried them about any way you can cook fish and I just dont like the taste.To each his own.I Make my Fishing bud, Larry very happy as he will take everyone I catch!! IMO they are best parlayed into a legal AJ .


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## Captain Mickey O'Reilly (Dec 18, 2008)

Be sure which fish you are talking about, Jolthead porgy have a slight iodine smell, Red porgy don't, that I have come in contact with, which is hundreds. Even the joltheads can be fixed by a soak in cold water with lime and lemon juice. I've never had any of the Porgies taste bad or like iodine. Thanks for a different thought on it!


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## reelthrill (Oct 3, 2007)

Great hardy bait for Aj's and grouper. I even caught a sailfish on one.


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