What the Amberjack may lack in long runs and jumping is easily overlook by its super strength. The pull of this fish is a sheer delight to the angler and this fish makes a beautiful trophy. The gold and purple vary from locale to locale. However, the black band across the eyes is a most common identification mark.

The Barracuda, nicknamed The Tiger of the Sea, is an inquisitive, aggressive predator. It is found offshore and inshore wherever smaller fish are to be found. Inshore it provides the angler with an aerial display, often jumping out of the water two to three times its own length.

This shark is a favorite catch in light tackle. As a runner, this shark can match many other fish for its ability to strip line. This shark has the habit to sometimes leap and spin as a football. This jump is most impressive and often times result in breaking the line.

The Blue Marlin is the largest billfish trophy. It is not uncommon to see this huge fish (up to 1800 lbs.) heave itself skyward in a seemingly inexhaustible display of strength.

Although the bonefish does not attain the size and weight of many fish, it has attained a very prestigious position as a game fish. The bonefish's shy nature and alertness makes it difficult to present the bait. Once this is accomplished and the bonefish is hooked, it makes such long hard runs as to try the skill of the most avid light tackle angler.

Found in warm waters worldwide, the dolphin is among the most colorful of the gamefish. Its hard fighting and gold-green and blue colors makes this fish most popular. There is a notable difference between the male and female, the male has a very distinctive blunt head.

This shark is most easily identified by the hammer-like head. The hammerhead shark has two species with slight variations in fins and head shape. Hammerheads provide an extremely hard fighting battle, and when finally brought to the boat will make several more runs taking the line you have worked hard to get.

Largest of the Mackerel family, it is noted for its long runs. Kingfish are found on the eastern seaboard and throughout the Caribbean. Sometimes their colors can vary from one area to another. As this fish attains its size, the colors on its back change from silvery gold and pink to dark green (Mossbacks).

This member of the snapper family is a game fish.
The mutton is part of a shallow water grand slam
including other flats species such as the bonefish,
tarpon and permit. The snapper is often caught
while fishing the flats for these other species.

Aptly named, this game fish has streamers on its dorsal that look much like the comb on a rooster' s head, that combined with its beautiful coloration and black stripes makes it easily identifiable. The Rooster is a very hard fighting fish and makes a fine trophy.

This beautiful billfish has the largest dorsal fin, resembling a sail. This fish is noted for its fighting ability and often spends as much of the battle in the air as in the water.

Both the longnose Spearfish of the Atlantic
Ocean and the shortnose Spearfish of the earfish Pacific Ocean are rare to encounter. The shortnose are more common in Hawaii than anywhere else. The dorsal of the Spearfish is the brightest of all the billfish.

This Marlin family member is named due to its glowing vertical bands. Perhaps the most colorful of the billfish family, found only in the Pacific waters, the Striped Marlin provides a memorable battle with much aerial display.

Warm inshore waters are home for this popular Tarpon catch. The Tarpon is a most difficult fish to hook, its hard bony mouth allowing it to often throw the hook while jumping. This fish, perhaps more than any gamefish, is known to continue jumping throughout most of the battle.

Wahoo is a gamefish known for its long hard runs at speeds up to 45 mph. Because of the limited number of wahoo caught, it is truly a trophy fish. This fish is also noted for its beautiful blue vertical stripes.

The White Marlin is a billfish predominately along the northeastern coast of the United States. This hard fighting species is known for the difficulty in luring it to strike. Its most common identifying characteristics are the rounded dorsal, pectoral and anal fins. There exist subtle color variations as they are caught in different locales during their North/ South migrations.

This member of the tuna family, although not the largest, is among the world's hardest running fish. A long battle can be expected from this freight train. It can be recognized by the long orange-yellow streamers and yellow fins that make this trophy so beautiful.