White croaker
Encyclopedia
White croaker is a species of croaker
occurring in the Eastern Pacific. White croakers have been taken from Magdalena Bay
, Baja California
, to Vancouver Island
, British Columbia
, but are not abundant north of San Francisco. White croakers swim in loose schools at or near the bottom of sandy areas. Sometimes they aggregate in the surf zone or in shallow bay
s and lagoon
s. Most of the time they are found in offshore areas at depths of 3 to 30 meters (10 to 100 feet). On rare occasions they are fairly abundant at depths as great as 200 meters (600 feet).
The white croaker is the only species of in the genus Genyonemus. Other common names for the fish include Pasadena trout, tommy croaker, and little bass.
The body of the white croaker is elongate and somewhat compressed. The head is oblong and bluntly rounded, with a mouth that is somewhat underneath the head. The color is incandescent brownish to yellowish on the back becoming silvery below. The fins are yellow to white. The white croaker is one of five California croakers that have mouths located under their heads (subterminal). They can be distinguished from the California corbina
and yellowfin croaker
by the absence of a single fleshy projection, or barbel
, at the tip of the lower jaw. The 12 to 15 spines in the first dorsal fin
serve to distinguish white croakers from all the other croakers with sub-terminal mouths, since none of these has more than 11 spines in this fin.
White croakers eat a variety of fishes, squid
, shrimp
, octopus
, worm
s, small crab
s, clam
s and other items, either living or dead. While the ages of white croakers have not been determined conclusively, it is thought that some live as long as 15 or more years. Some spawn
for the first time when they are between 2 and 3 years old. At this age they are only 12 to 15 cm (5 to 6 inches) long and weigh less than 45 grams (0.10 pound). Also have barbels on the lower lip. The largest recorded specimen was 41.4 cm (16.3 inches), no weight recorded; however, a 36.8 cm (14.5 in) white croaker weighed 640 grams (1 lb 6½ oz).
that is fished from pier
s or jetties in sandy or sandy mud areas. In fact, they are so easily hooked that most anglers consider them a nuisance of the worst sort. If a person desires to fish specifically for white croakers a tough, difficult-to-steal bait, such as squid
, is recommended. When hooked, they put up little or no fight. Fishing and catching is good throughout the year.
Sciaenidae
Sciaenidae is a family of fish commonly called drums, croakers, or hardheads for the repetitive throbbing or drumming sounds they make...
occurring in the Eastern Pacific. White croakers have been taken from Magdalena Bay
Magdalena Bay
Bahía Magdalena is a 50 km long bay in Comondú Municipality along the western coast of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. It is protected from the Pacific Ocean by the sandy barrier islands of Isla Magdalena and Isla Santa Margarita....
, Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, to Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, but are not abundant north of San Francisco. White croakers swim in loose schools at or near the bottom of sandy areas. Sometimes they aggregate in the surf zone or in shallow bay
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
s and lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
s. Most of the time they are found in offshore areas at depths of 3 to 30 meters (10 to 100 feet). On rare occasions they are fairly abundant at depths as great as 200 meters (600 feet).
The white croaker is the only species of in the genus Genyonemus. Other common names for the fish include Pasadena trout, tommy croaker, and little bass.
Description
California corbina
The California corbina is a saltwater fish and member of the croaker family. California corbina occur from the Gulf of California, Mexico, to Point Conception, California. It is a bottom fish found along sandy beaches and in shallow bays. This species travels in small groups along the surf zone in...
and yellowfin croaker
Yellowfin croaker
Yellowfin croaker is a species of croaker occurring from the Gulf of California, Mexico, to Point Conception, California. They frequent bays, channels, harbors and other nearshore waters over sandy bottoms...
by the absence of a single fleshy projection, or barbel
Barbel (anatomy)
A barbel on a fish is a slender, whiskerlike tactile organ near the mouth. Fish that have barbels include the catfish, the carp, the goatfish, sturgeon, the zebrafish and some species of shark...
, at the tip of the lower jaw. The 12 to 15 spines in the first dorsal fin
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
serve to distinguish white croakers from all the other croakers with sub-terminal mouths, since none of these has more than 11 spines in this fin.
White croakers eat a variety of fishes, squid
Squid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
, shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
, octopus
Octopus
The octopus is a cephalopod mollusc of the order Octopoda. Octopuses have two eyes and four pairs of arms, and like other cephalopods they are bilaterally symmetric. An octopus has a hard beak, with its mouth at the center point of the arms...
, worm
Worm
The term worm refers to an obsolete taxon used by Carolus Linnaeus and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck for all non-arthropod invertebrate animals, and stems from the Old English word wyrm. Currently it is used to describe many different distantly-related animals that typically have a long cylindrical...
s, small crab
Crab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
s, clam
Clam
The word "clam" can be applied to freshwater mussels, and other freshwater bivalves, as well as marine bivalves.In the United States, "clam" can be used in several different ways: one, as a general term covering all bivalve molluscs...
s and other items, either living or dead. While the ages of white croakers have not been determined conclusively, it is thought that some live as long as 15 or more years. Some spawn
Spawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
for the first time when they are between 2 and 3 years old. At this age they are only 12 to 15 cm (5 to 6 inches) long and weigh less than 45 grams (0.10 pound). Also have barbels on the lower lip. The largest recorded specimen was 41.4 cm (16.3 inches), no weight recorded; however, a 36.8 cm (14.5 in) white croaker weighed 640 grams (1 lb 6½ oz).
Fishing information
These fish can be caught on almost any kind of animal baitBait (luring substance)
Bait is any substance used to attract prey, e.g. in a mousetrap.-In Australia:Baiting in Australia refers to specific campaigns to control foxes, wild dogs and dingos by poisoning in areas where they are a problem...
that is fished from pier
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
s or jetties in sandy or sandy mud areas. In fact, they are so easily hooked that most anglers consider them a nuisance of the worst sort. If a person desires to fish specifically for white croakers a tough, difficult-to-steal bait, such as squid
Squid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
, is recommended. When hooked, they put up little or no fight. Fishing and catching is good throughout the year.