Pinfish(Lagodon rhomboides)

Quick Facts

  • Size Range: Up to 3 pounds
  • Native Species?: Yes
  • Food Value: Fair, but typically used for bait.

Pinfish are a silvery, oval fish with blue-green and purple coloring and yellow fins. They have a prominent black spot behind the gill and very sharp dorsal spines that give it its name.

Pinfish are very common in inshore waters and are usually used as bait for other species like grouper, snapper and amberjack. Small ones are used for redfish and trout.

Pinfish can be caught in cast nets and traps or with small hooks and bits of shrimp or fish. They are like a saltwater bluegill—they are everywhere and usually a willing biter.

Related Habitats:
Other Bait Fish Species: Gulf Killifish Golden Shiner Striped Mojarra Round Scad Atlantic Mackerel Atlantic Thread Herring Gulf Menhaden White Shrimp
SHARE THIS

There are Currently No Videos to Display

Related Fishing Methods

Bottom fishing is normally about fishing bottom structures in order to target benthic or bottom dwelling fish. There are a wide variety of techniques, but the common element is the targeting of species who dwell around or hide in natural and man-made structures. Fish like grouper, snapper, amberjack and catfish would be considered bottom fish. It is very popular amongst anglers and success is often determined by the fishermen's ability to crank a fish away from the structure before the fish can duck into it and cut the line. Anchoring or drifting the boat over the structure is key to having success. There are many versions, and many of the bottom fish are prized eating.

Dead bait consists of many different types of bait that is no longer alive. Dead bait is still attractive to many fish as they are normally feeding by smell and dead bait is the ticket for smell. Fresh cut fish, dead shrimp, half crab, shucked clam, cut squid and all popular examples of bait that will catch a wide variety of fish. Many sport fish that are predators, will gladly take the opportunity to slurp up a fresh dead bait. A redfish is equally happy to chase down a baitfish or slurp up a dead shrimp on the bottom. Dead bait has the benefit is being easy to obtain, maintain and transport, as opposed to live bait which takes livewells, quality water control and can be harder to obtain.