Redfish are one of the most popular inshore saltwater fish in the southern United States. They are strong fighters and often feed in shallow marshes, flats, oyster bars, and surf zones.

• Habits: Bottom-oriented predator; often follows shrimp, crabs, mullet, and baitfish.
• Best Season: Spring through fall is productive; large bull reds are often active in late summer and fall.
• Best Methods: Soft plastics, paddle tails, spoons, popping corks, shrimp, crab, cut bait, and live mullet.
• Where to Fish: Marsh edges, oyster bars, grass flats, passes, jetties, beaches, and shallow bays.

Striped Bass are famous along the Atlantic coast and are also found in some brackish and freshwater systems. They move with baitfish and often feed aggressively in surf, inlets, bays, and rips.

• Habits: Schooling predator; follows menhaden, bunker, eels, sand eels, and other baitfish.
• Best Season: Spring and fall migrations are often best along the Atlantic coast.
• Best Methods: Surf plugs, bucktails, swimbaits, topwater lures, live eels, bunker, and trolling.
• Where to Fish: Surf beaches, jetties, inlets, bridges, rips, river mouths, and rocky shorelines.

Spotted Seatrout, also called Speckled Trout, are popular inshore fish along the Gulf Coast and southeastern Atlantic. They often feed over grass flats, sandy potholes, and shallow bays.

• Habits: Ambush predator; feeds on shrimp, small baitfish, and crustaceans.
• Best Season: Spring, summer mornings, and fall are often productive.
• Best Methods: Paddle tails, shrimp lures, twitch baits, popping corks, live shrimp, and topwater lures.
• Where to Fish: Grass flats, potholes, bay edges, oyster bars, docks, and shallow drop-offs.

Flounder are flatfish that lie on the bottom and ambush prey. They are popular from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic to the Southeast and Gulf Coast.

• Habits: Bottom ambush predator; waits near sandy edges, channels, and current breaks.
• Best Season: Spring through fall varies by region; fall movements near inlets and passes can be excellent.
• Best Methods: Jig heads with soft plastics, bucktails, live minnows, shrimp, strip baits, and slow bottom bouncing.
• Where to Fish: Inlets, channels, sandy bottoms, docks, creek mouths, bridges, and drop-offs.

Snook are prized inshore game fish, especially in Florida. They are powerful, structure-oriented predators that often strike hard near mangroves, bridges, docks, beaches, and passes.

• Habits: Ambush predator; likes moving water, structure, shade, and baitfish.
• Best Season: Warm months are productive; beach and pass fishing can be excellent during spawning movements.
• Best Methods: Swimbaits, jerkbaits, shrimp lures, topwater plugs, live shrimp, pilchards, and mullet.
• Where to Fish: Mangroves, bridges, docks, seawalls, beaches, passes, and inlet current seams.

Tarpon are famous for huge jumps and long fights. They are most common in warm coastal waters, especially Florida, the Gulf Coast, and parts of the Southeast.

• Habits: Large migratory predator; feeds on mullet, crabs, shrimp, sardines, and other baitfish.
• Best Season: Late spring through summer is prime in many southern areas.
• Best Methods: Live crabs, mullet, threadfins, swimbaits, large plugs, flies, and drifted natural baits.
• Where to Fish: Passes, beaches, bridges, channels, flats, river mouths, and deep holes.

Sheepshead are common around structure and are known for stealing bait. They feed on crabs, barnacles, shrimp, and small shellfish around rocks, docks, bridges, and pilings.

• Habits: Structure feeder; uses strong teeth to crush crabs, barnacles, and shellfish.
• Best Season: Winter through spring can be very productive in many southern regions.
• Best Methods: Fiddler crabs, shrimp, sand fleas, small hooks, light sinkers, and tight-line rigs.
• Where to Fish: Bridges, docks, jetties, rock piles, reefs, pilings, and seawalls.

Black Sea Bass are popular along the Atlantic coast and are commonly targeted over reefs, wrecks, rocks, and other bottom structure. They are aggressive feeders and good targets for boat anglers.

• Habits: Bottom structure fish; often holds around reefs, wrecks, rubble, and rocky bottom.
• Best Season: Spring through fall varies by state and region; regulations can change often.
• Best Methods: Squid strips, clams, bucktails, metal jigs, high-low rigs, and bottom fishing.
• Where to Fish: Offshore reefs, wrecks, rock piles, artificial reefs, and hard-bottom areas.

Red Snapper are one of the most popular offshore reef fish in the Gulf and South Atlantic. They live around reefs, wrecks, ledges, and offshore structure.

• Habits: Reef predator; feeds on baitfish, squid, shrimp, crabs, and small bottom species.
• Best Season: Seasons are highly regulated and vary by state and federal waters.
• Best Methods: Cut bait, squid, live bait, vertical jigs, bottom rigs, and drifting over structure.
• Where to Fish: Offshore reefs, wrecks, oil rigs, ledges, artificial reefs, and hard bottom.

Mahi Mahi, also called Dorado or Dolphin Fish, are colorful offshore predators. They are often found near floating debris, weed lines, temperature breaks, and offshore current edges.

• Habits: Fast pelagic predator; often travels near floating structure and bait schools.
• Best Season: Warmer months are usually best, depending on region and water temperature.
• Best Methods: Trolling, casting small lures, live bait, cut bait, feathers, skirted lures, and pitch baits.
• Where to Fish: Weed lines, floating debris, offshore rips, temperature breaks, and bluewater current edges.

Cobia are powerful saltwater fish that often swim near rays, buoys, wrecks, markers, and structure. They are strong fighters and popular targets for sight casting.

• Habits: Curious predator; often follows rays, turtles, sharks, and floating or fixed structure.
• Best Season: Spring and summer migrations are productive in many Atlantic and Gulf regions.
• Best Methods: Bucktails, swimbaits, live eels, live pinfish, crabs, jigs, and sight-casting lures.
• Where to Fish: Buoys, reefs, wrecks, channel markers, rays, nearshore structure, and offshore current lines.

Spanish Mackerel are fast, toothy fish that often feed in schools near beaches, piers, inlets, and nearshore bait pods. They are fun targets on light tackle.

• Habits: Fast schooling predator; chases small baitfish near the surface.
• Best Season: Spring through fall is productive in many coastal areas.
• Best Methods: Small spoons, metal jigs, Gotcha-style plugs, trolling feathers, casting jigs, and fast retrieves.
• Where to Fish: Piers, beaches, inlets, nearshore reefs, bait schools, birds, and current edges.