# Toadfish - is one ugly fish!



## cbig1981 (Dec 1, 2009)

Caught this sucker working a jig for trout around the jetties at Mantazas Inlet near St. Augustine


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## redneckcamo (Dec 1, 2009)

havent seen one that close since I was a kid ...... we lived in Fla. and use to catch them all the time ........ we just cut the line and lettem fall back in cause we didnt wanna touchem !!

thanx for sharing the pics !


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## bouymarker (Dec 2, 2009)

i think you got something a little different...all the toadfish i've gotten have a mouth like a toad and a flat head....and doesnt have all those spiny fins on its back...i think you got a stonefish. i caught a stonefish last year and it was something ive never seen before, it also had a membrane above its mouth that was to attract fish... stonefish are the most poisonous fish in the water.


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## Sharkfighter (Dec 2, 2009)

bouymarker,
I think It is an Oyster toadfish.  It matches the description of them at http://www.chesapeakebay.net/bfg_toadfish.aspx?menuitem=14404  and http://www.fisheries.vims.edu/toadfish.htm

Below is one I caught.  Same exact coloration and the eyes are identical.  I think in cbigs pic they got the back spines to stick up more.


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## PaulD (Dec 2, 2009)

Not a toadfish. Look at the dorsal, mouth and eye structure.


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## JustUs4All (Dec 2, 2009)

So, how did it eat?


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## FishingAddict (Dec 2, 2009)

Not a toadfish/oyster toadfish, as it has spines in it's dorsal.

Not a stonefish, unless this one traveled 5,000 miles (live in indo-pacific ocean).

I'm thinking that it's a spotted scorpion fish, but I could be wrong. BTW, they do have venom in their spines, and are related to the stone fish.


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## KINGFISHER (Dec 2, 2009)

I agree. It does look like a spotted scorpion fish.


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## ryanwhit (Dec 2, 2009)

KINGFISHER said:


> I agree. It does look like a spotted scorpion fish.




off topic, but kingfisher, is that a Malachite kingfisher in your avatar?


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## bouymarker (Dec 2, 2009)

FishingAddict said:


> Not a toadfish/oyster toadfish, as it has spines in it's dorsal.
> 
> Not a stonefish, unless this one traveled 5,000 miles (live in indo-pacific ocean).
> 
> I'm thinking that it's a spotted scorpion fish, but I could be wrong. BTW, they do have venom in their spines, and are related to the stone fish.


well we got lionfish here now...the thing i caught looked exactly like this and i knew it wasnt a toad, at all..caught too many of them to be anything else..i think this looks like what i got and i knew i didnt wanna mess with it. i dunno about the scorpion fish but will look.


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## creekrocket (Dec 2, 2009)

I hear the toad fish taste like peanut butter


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## bouymarker (Dec 2, 2009)

this one looks like this

http://www.naturalscenes.net/Images/Lipe2009/TH-Lipe-UWFJ019Y110309.jpg.htm

but i think this is what is here on this post, probably what i caught..where are they mostly?

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Uf-8JZ3Rz2A&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Uf-8JZ3Rz2A&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

wow

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_ThtA0vrzMk&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_ThtA0vrzMk&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>


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## mhg (Dec 2, 2009)

I have caught a couple that look like that in the savannah river at tybee island this past summer
Mike


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## robertyb (Dec 2, 2009)

I do believe that what you have there is a Sea Robin. They are very good eating fish.


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## sea trout (Dec 3, 2009)

i caught a sea robin in the bull river last year, had no idea so i looked it up. the side fins are very very similar those big wing like fins, but mine did not have the pronounced jagged spiked dorsal fin????? neither does the toadfish?????...very interesting..........


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## PaulD (Dec 3, 2009)

Not a sea robin! 

That is a spotted Scorpion fish. They are not all that uncommon and range all the way up to Mass. It's an odd catch but not unheard of around here as they like shallower waters with a lot of bottom structure. Cool catch, careful handling them!


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## Redbow (Dec 3, 2009)

Resembles a Toadfish or Oyster Toad but I don't think it is ! BTW, an Oyster Toad will inflict a severe bite to your hand or fingers, watch out ! We have some big ones here !


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## KINGFISHER (Dec 3, 2009)

Ryanwhit I am impressed. I was gonna use a Belted Kingfisher but I thought this Malachite pic was pretty cool.


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## Capt. Scott Griffin (Dec 3, 2009)

Everyone is wrong....that fish is a Warsaw Grouper...no wait..a Goliath grouper...


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## ryanwhit (Dec 3, 2009)

KINGFISHER said:


> Ryanwhit I am impressed. I was gonna use a Belted Kingfisher but I thought this Malachite pic was pretty cool.



here's a couple of pics I got of one.  Not nearly as good as the one in your avatar...cool little birds.

To attempt to keep this OT...I have no idea what kind of critter you yanked up from the bottom, but that sucker sure is ugly.


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## cbig1981 (Dec 3, 2009)

Thanks for the posts.  I didn't think it was a toad fish.  It looked unlike any toadfish I have caught in the past, but I thought it may be some subspecies I had never seen before.  I looked up the Spotted Scorpion Fish and I definately think that is what it was. 

And by the way - he ate very well!!!


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