Guide to Surf Species

Drum Family: Atlantic croaker, Spot, Kingfish, Weakfish, Black drum and Red drum are members of the drum family, so named because of the drumming sound they make. These fish are identified by a lateral line that extends to the end of the tail fin.

Atlantic Croaker ("hardhead") - silvery with slightly diagonal dark lines or rows of spots along the upper body. Tiny barbels form a row along the inner edge of the lower jaw. Maximum size is 24". Two pounders are considered big.

Spot - distinguished from croakers by their shorter, deeper body and the absence of chin barbels. The body is silvery with 12-15 slightly diagonal yellowish bars along the side. The spot's tail fin is slightly forked; the croaker's is slightly rounded. Maximum size is 14". A 1/2 pound spot is a big surf catch.

Kingfish (whiting, sand mullet) - Both southern and northern kingfish may be taken in the surf. Both species are silvery gray above with 7 to 8 darker diagonal bars (the bars are much darker on northern kingfish). The snouts are conical with a subterminal mouth. The chin has a single barbel. The first dorsal fin is triangular and much higher than the second dorsal fin. Maximum size for northern kingfish is 18" and 15" for southern kingfish. A 1 1/2 pounds is a decent catch.

Weakfish (gray trout, squeteague, yellowfin) - upper body dark olive to bluish, peppered with many small spots of varying color. Occasionally the spots form irregular diagonal lines. The underside is silvery-white. All fins are tinged with yellow. The mouth is large but delicate. Maximum size is 36"; most taken are less than 28". A 4-6 pound fish from the surf is good.

Black Drum (young: puppy drum) - deep bodied with an arched back. There are many long barbels on the chin. When alive the body is silvery with a brassy sheen and 4 or 5 broad black bars. When dead the body turns dark gray. The throat of the black drum is armed with large pavement-like teeth used to crush shellfish. Maximum size is 66"; most taken are under 36". Historically, 38-40 pound black drum were caught regularly along Assateague. Now they are rare.

Red Drum (channel bass, redfish, young: puppy drum) - body more elongated than the black drum's. The upper body is copper-colored above grading to silvery below. May be distinguished from the black drum by the absence of chin barbels and the presence of a black spot at the base of the tail. Maximum size is 60".

Striped Bass (rockfish, striper) - body elongated with a slightly protruding lower jaw. The back is olive-green to dark blue grading into silvery sides and a white belly. Black spots form 6-9 longitudinal stripes extending from behind the head to the tail. The separated first and second dorsal fins are triangular in shape. Maximum size is 72". In the early 1970's, 14-pound stripers were common. Restrictions were imposed to increase population size.

Bluefish (young: snapper blue) - body elongated with a forked tail fin. The body is greenish or bluish above with silvery sides and a white underside. The mouth is large with many razor sharp teeth. The jaw protrudes. The first dorsal fin has 7-8 spines and the taller second dorsal fin is twice as long as the first. Maximum size is 45"; 15-18 pound"chopper" blues are a great catch in the Assateague surf.

Northern Puffer (blowfish, blow toad, swelling toad) - named because they inflate their bodies with air or water when alarmed. The upper body is gray to brown above with many tiny black spots. The sides have 6-7 blackish-gray areas. The mouth is small with two plate-like teeth in each jaw. The dorsal fin is located just ahead of the anal fin and both are taller than they are wide. There are no ventral fins. Maximum size is 14"; most taken are less than 10".

Smooth Dogfish Shark (sand shark) - young smooth dogfish are caught frequently in the surf. These sharks have slender bodies and can be readily identified by a prominent opening behind the eye. The teeth are pavement-like and very small. Maximum size is 60"; most taken are under 24".

Dusky Shark - streamlined gray to bluish gray body. The relatively small first dorsal fin begins above the point behind the pectoral fins. The second dorsal fin is much smaller than the fuss. Maximum size is 12 feet; inshore specimens are 3-4 feet.

Equipment

Surf conditions often dictate the type of tackle necessary for successful fishing. The rod used must be able to cast a sinker of sufficient weight to hold bottom. When ocean currents are strong and wave action is heavy, a very heavy sinker is necessary. Pyramid sinkers or no-roll sinkers are best for holding bottom in the surf. Weights range from two to six ounces. Three or four ounce sinkers are suitable for most surf conditions. Line size depends on wind and surf conditions, type of bait and size of fish. (17-20 lb. test will be satisfactory in most cases.)

All salt water gear should be rinsed with fresh water after use. After rinsing, an application of light-weight lubricant on the moving reel parts is recommended.