Thread: local lingo for fish ID

i am reading a few terms on this forum for specie identification. looking for meaning: LY? is that shorthand for ailwives? hardtails? is that the same as blue runners? and the new one i seen today big uglies? i have no clue. i know different regions have different names. looking for clarification. and any more you. an think of. have a great memorial weekend tightlines. gooseboy out

"Big Ugly" = a face only an angler could luv ;-)


You got the others right.
Here's a few more:
skipjack = Ladyfish
crazyfish = Atlantic bumper
bonita = False albacore
ling = cobia
whiting = Gulf kingfish
ground mullet = southern or northern kingfish
white trout = silver or sand seatrout

You forgot two:
&%#$@(*&$==remora
*^%*##@~+^/%$*=shark

How would one go about catching a big ugly?

Originally Posted by ScottyBoy

How would one go about catching a big ugly?

It's one of the only fish around, besides a hardhead catfish, that will hit previously frozen squid. However, if you have fresh squid, I'd recommend that for big uglies. In the summertime, sometimes you can see them in small (a dozen or more 30 lb fish, which is still pretty impressive) schools.

One of the really bad things about big uglies (huge black drum) is that it's a long time between bites and you're tempted to set your rod down and fish for something else. That's how a lot of rods go over the side! The big fish will bite and take line and even if the drag is set really light, the fish will run all the line off the reel and then - splash!

I strongly advise returning big uglies to the Gulf to reproduce and make little black drum, which are great on the grill!

Originally Posted by eym_sirius

I strongly advise returning big uglies to the Gulf to reproduce and make little black drum, which are great on the grill!

Hey Eym, Is it true that large Black Drum can have parasites in the meat ?

Big uglies have some of the nastiest meat in the Gulf and I eat almost everything. They are generally full of worms and just stink. Meat is very tough and has the texture of chicken. The little ones are delicious but I agree, let the big nasties go.

Originally Posted by tigershark

Hey Eym, Is it true that large Black Drum can have parasites in the meat ?

I've heard universally, that large black drum have full-grown spaghetti worms in their flesh.

The caveat is "I've heard" which is different from "I've seen". I'm not sure that I would keep them anyway unless there were a compelling reason. I've never cut open a black drum, so I can't tell you for certain that large ones ACTUALLY are wormy. I was at the cleaning station last year (or maybe earlier this year) when a guy was cleaning a "big ugly". I should have been more inquisitive but I didn't know the guy and I didn't want to get into somebody else's business. Now I wish I had just asked him if I could examine his fish for worms or asked him for the carcass when he was through so that I could do a "half-fast" autopsy on it.

I cleaned lots of 60lb plus amberjack during my deckhand days and it was hit and miss with the worms. A few were so infested the whole fish had to be thrown away,most had some and had to be cut away and some were worm free. BTW,convict = sheepshead,spec = spotted sea trout,bobo=bonita,flatfish=flounder,poon = tarpon,tax man or man in the grey suit = shark. And if you catch something on a sabiki rig shaped like a small mackerel but the skin looks like aluminum foil,don't grab it. That little bastard is called a leatherjacket and if you get pricked by it's little anal fins it will bring tears to your eyes,your finger will start throbing the you will break out in a sweat,or at least that's what happened to me the two times i've been pricked.

Originally Posted by eym_sirius

It's one of the only fish around, besides a hardhead catfish, that will hit previously frozen squid. However, if you have fresh squid, I'd recommend that for big uglies. In the summertime, sometimes you can see them in small (a dozen or more 30 lb fish, which is still pretty impressive) schools.

One of the really bad things about big uglies (huge black drum) is that it's a long time between bites and you're tempted to set your rod down and fish for something else. That's how a lot of rods go over the side! The big fish will bite and take line and even if the drag is set really light, the fish will run all the line off the reel and then - splash!

I strongly advise returning big uglies to the Gulf to reproduce and make little black drum, which are great on the grill!

I wasn't planning on eating it anyway. Just curious because I've been trying to figure this out and typing "big ugly" into Google never gave me any results. I guess my okuma avenger 40 won't be big enough to handle one and I'm not going to take my chances of getting spooled.
Thanks for your help