King Mackerel
Family Scombridae, MACKERELS and TUNAS
Scomberomorous cavalla
Description: color of back iridescent bluish green; sides silvery, streamlined body with tapered head; no black pigment on front of dorsal fin; lateral line starts high and drops sharply below the second dorsal fin; young fish often have yellow spots like those of the Spanish mackerel.
Similar Fish: cero, S. regalis; Spanish mackerel, S. maculatus.
Where found: NEARSHORE and OFFSHORE, occasionally taken from piers running into deep water. East of Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Melbourne Beach.
Size: common to 20 pounds.
*Florida Record: 90 lbs.
Remarks: schooling fish that migrates fom south Florida waters in winter to more northerly waters in spring; Gulf population thought to be separate from Atlantic population, with considerable mixing in winter from Cape Canaveral past Key West; spawns in midsummer OFFSHORE; feeds on small fish and squid.
Spanish Mackerel
Family Scombridae, MACKERELS and TUNAS
Scomberomorous maculatus
Description: color of back green, shading to silver on sides, golden yellow irregular spots above and below lateral line; front of dorsal fin black; lateral line curves gently to base of tail.
Similar Fish: cero, S. regalis; king mackerel, S. cavalla.
Where found: INSHORE, NEARSHORE and OFFSHORE, especially over grass beds and reefs; absent from north Florida waters in winter. East of Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Melbourne Beach.
Size: average catch less than 2 pounds (20 inches).
*Florida Record: 12 lbs.
Remarks: schooling fish that migrates northward in spring, returning to southerly waters when water temperature drops below 70 degrees F; spawns OFFSHORE, spring through summer; feeds on small fish and squid.
Cero (cero mackerel)
Family Scombridae, MACKERELS and TUNAS
Scomberomorous regalis
Description: color of back iridescent bluish green; sides silvery, yellow spots forming lines above and below a bronze stripe from pectoral fin to base of tail; front of first dorsal fin is bluish black; lateral line curves gradually to base of caudal fin.
Similar Fish: Spanish mackerel, S. maculatus; king mackerel, S. cavalla (only the cero has the yellow-brown stripes from the pectoral to caudal fin).
Where found: NEARSHORE and OFFSHORE fish occurring mainly in south Florida, especially over coral reefs and wrecks. South of East of Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Melbourne Beach.
Size: common to 5 pounds.
*Florida Record: 15 lbs., 8 ozs.
Remarks: unlike other mackerels, does not stray far from south Florida waters; spawns OFFSHORE in midsummer; feeds on small fish and squid.
