Likely the first and most common fish that anglers encounter in the surfzone along the north central coast of the Gulf of Mexico is the Gulf Kingfish (Menticirrhus littoralis), locally referred to as “whiting”. Although “whiting” is a local name often used interchangeably with “ground mullet”, that term usually refers to the two other closely related species in the genus Menticirrhus (Southern and Northern Kingfish). Thus the confusion in what to call each of the three closely related species that are so similar looking. In fact, the state of Alabama does not even differentiate between the species when record keeping. And even though they are also referred to as “kingcroakers” they do not make the characteristic croaking sound of the typical Atlantic Croaker, their distant cousin in the family Sciaenidae which include drums and croakers.
For Gulf Coast surf anglers, whiting remain one of the best year-round targets because they are abundant, easy to reach from the beach, excellent on the table, and willing to bite when more glamorous species are slow. That makes them a great option for new surf fishermen, families, pier anglers, and experienced fishermen looking for steady action on light tackle.
Along the Gulf Coast, the fish many anglers call “whiting” is often the Gulf kingfish. The name can get confusing because Southern kingfish and Northern kingfish are closely related and may also be called whiting or ground mullet in different areas. For fishermen, the important thing is that all three are surf-zone feeders, all three are excellent eating, and all three can be caught with similar light-tackle tactics.
Gulf Kingfish, Whiting, And Ground Mullet: What’s The Difference?
Gulf kingfish are officially known as Menticirrhus littoralis. Southern kingfish are Menticirrhus americanus, and Northern kingfish are Menticirrhus saxatilis. Anglers often group them together as whiting, but the Gulf kingfish is the species most commonly associated with open sandy Gulf beaches.
For quick identification, look for the dark spot or smudge near the tip of the Gulf kingfish’s tail. Southern and Northern kingfish usually show darker bars or angled markings along the sides.
Whiting Facts
Stock assessments are not generally tracked for the kingfish species, but catch surveys by NOAA show a cyclical abundance relatively coincident to the lifespan of individual fish. This would suggest some years provide stronger spawning cycles of about every three to five years. Though recent recreational anecdotal reports would indicate a downturn in reported kingfish numbers, that could simply be the result of localized depletion around areas that receive the most angling pressure and retention of whiting. From-shore beach and shore guides have noted this effect over the past ten years or so, along with a general increase in angler numbers and prowess.
Because kingfish are lightly regulated or managed differently depending on the state, responsible harvest still matters. A practical self-imposed limit of around ten keeper-sized fish per angler is a good conservation-minded approach for a family fish fry, especially when larger females make up an important part of future spawning potential.
Before keeping fish, anglers should always check the current saltwater regulations for the state where they are fishing. Whiting are often treated differently from more heavily managed species, but rules can still vary by state, waterbody, and harvest category.
Kingfish grow rather quickly through their first year, averaging almost an inch per month. And most are sexually mature around their first birthday, once they reach eight to ten inches. At that point their growth rate slows markedly, to about one to three inches per year. But they are fairly long-lived, maxing out at over twenty inches in eight to ten years. Though the numbers of larger length individuals decreases almost exponentially each year, as they are heavily predated upon by bluefish and other toothy fish as well as animals like loons and dolphins, not to mention shore-bound anglers.
How Big Do Whiting Get?
The IGFA record Kingfish, listed as M. littoralis, weighed in at three pounds, thirteen ounces, and was caught in 2020 in North Carolina. IGFA lists the record M. americanus as two pounds, thirteen ounces (2002 from Virginia Beach, VA), and the record M. saxatilis as two pounds, thirteen ounces (from North Carolina in 2002).
As mentioned previously, Alabama does not differentiate between the Gulf and Southern species in the same way some record systems do, which can create confusion when comparing whiting records across states. Florida’s current listed whiting, or Gulf kingfish, state record is 2.80 pounds, caught by Sidney H. Little from Santa Rosa Beach on April 7, 2021. Anglers chasing records should always verify the latest state and IGFA listings before weighing or submitting a fish.
About twelve inches is the average size for most whiting, when they are between two and three years old. Near fourteen inches long, kingfish weigh around a pound and are between three and four years old. At sixteen to seventeen inches kingfish weigh about one-and-a-half pounds and are over five years old. And a two pound whiting is usually nineteen to twenty inches long, and probably seven years old, or more.
Best Time To Catch Whiting In The Gulf
Whiting can be caught throughout the year along Gulf beaches, but conditions often matter more than the calendar. Clean to slightly stained water, light to moderate surf, moving tide, and an active longshore current can all help concentrate fish. Spring through fall usually provides the most consistent action for numbers, while winter and early spring can produce some of the larger fish from beaches and piers.
As a general rule, look for days when the surf is fishable but not dead still. A little wave action helps uncover sand fleas, ghost shrimp, coquina clams, and other small prey, while too much rough water can make it harder to hold bottom and detect bites.
Where To Find Kingfish
The Gulf Kingfish is well adapted to the harsh littoral environment, spending its lifespan fighting strong waves, currents, and numerous predators both in the water and out. They are easily identified by their gray back, silvery sides and white belly, but mostly by their tell-tale black spot on the tip of the tail. This distinctive marking is likely a defensive measure evolved to confuse predators, tricking them into mistaking the tail of the fish for its head. The Southern and Northern varieties have angular dark gray lines on their sides and no black tip on their tail. The Northern Kingfish also sports a characteristically long, dark colored dorsal fin.
The Gulf and Northern Kingfish are most often found in the surfzone in relatively shallow water, seeking refuge from water-bound predators, resting, or feeding on benthic invertebrates such as sand fleas, beach ghost shrimp, coquina clams, and augers. As the water calms and gets clearer between storm systems, and in bright daylight, these kingfish generally move into slightly deeper water. The schools tend to meander into any longshore current that may be available.
So, whenever a sideshore wind is sustained long enough, or strong enough to create wind driven currents, feeding kingfish tend to orient and move into it. Often the key to an angler finding them is to fish along a sandbar dropoff where food items may be swept off the bar into relatively deeper water. The kingfish, and perhaps other predatory fish such as pompano, small redfish or drum, flounder, bluefish and even speckled trout stage just below these edges where their hapless food items are pushed, so they can avoid the full force of the current.
For a quick starting point, fish the first trough, the edge of a sandbar, beach points, cuts, and any visible color change where shallow water drops into slightly deeper water. Whiting often feed close enough to shore that long casts are not always necessary, especially when the tide is rising and the surf is lightly stirred up.
Often this feeding window is triggered by changes in the tide level and direction, which depending on the water depth in the trough provide relative safety for kingfish to feed in. They only need a couple of feet on an incoming tide, but perhaps twice that on the outgoing tide when they fear being stranded and an easy meal for shore patrolling herons.
Kingfish often feed along deeper sandbar drop-offs too, especially along the longshore sandbar whenever waves or currents potentially push prey items to them. Plus they tend to feed around the edges of beach points where the bottom profile gradually gets deeper, especially as the tide rises. Finding kingfish feeding on points is generally more difficult as they tend to spread out where there is only a gradual change in water depth. The same goes when they are feeding in a trough, near or far from shore, where the bottom depth usually only changes gradually. So if you can locate a shelf edge in deeper water, usually indicated by a color change, that might be a good money spot.
How To Catch Gulf Kingfish
Lures are not commonly used to target kingfish, though larger specimens may be caught occasionally on bottom-hugging jigs like a Goofy jig or weighted shrimp-style soft plastics in the 2 ½- to 3-inch range. Natural baits and scent-based strip baits are usually more consistent. All three kingfish species are well known for readily biting Fishbites, which is why Fishbites strips are widely used by pier, beach, and shore anglers targeting whiting.
Fresh dead shrimp, cut up in thumbnail sized pieces, very closely mimics mouth-sized sand fleas that kingfish feed upon most when the water temperature is above seventy degrees, while ghost shrimp or beheaded fresh shrimp smaller than your little finger make a good bait the rest of the year. A mistake many anglers make is using too big a piece of bait that exceeds how much a kingfish can fit into its mouth.
Good whiting baits include small pieces of fresh dead shrimp, sand fleas, ghost shrimp, coquina clams, and small pieces of Fishbites. The key is to keep the bait small. Whiting have relatively small mouths, and a bait that is too large can lead to missed bites or fish pecking at the offering without getting hooked.
Their characteristic feeding habit is to approach the bait cautiously, and strike to stun it. Then they circle around to line up the bait and suck it into their mouth. The best time to strike is as they swim away. A small, #6 kahle single hook is very effective for this method. But the type of bait, hook style and size, along with the presentation type, and amount and style of weight used can be altered to determine the most effective under the circumstances encountered.
Kingfish are very wary, even finicky, and will scatter when a heavy weight splashes down nearby. Many times in calm, clear water, a light or ultralight presentation will be most effective, and fun! Experimentation and results between Carolina rig versus Fishfinder rig, single drop or double drop, become more evident as an angler gains more experience with each method.
Best Rig For Gulf Kingfish
A simple one- or two-drop pompano-style rig works well for whiting, especially when paired with small hooks and small baits. In calm water, lighter weights and shorter casts can be more productive because they create less splash and let the bait move naturally. In stronger surf or current, use just enough weight to hold bottom without making the rig look unnatural.
For light-tackle fun, a Carolina rig with a small kahle hook can be very effective when fish are feeding close to shore. The best setup is often the one that presents a small bait naturally in the zone where whiting are already feeding.
Are Whiting Good To Eat?
Whiting are excellent eating fish, which is one reason Gulf Coast anglers value them so highly. The fillets are mild, white, and well suited for frying, but they can also be baked or cooked whole when the fish are cleaned properly. Because the fillets are not large, keeping a reasonable number of solid keeper-sized fish usually makes more sense than filling a cooler with small ones.
The Future Of Gulf Kingfish
Fortunately for kingfish, and anglers, they are quite prolific. They spawn throughout much of the year when water temperatures are above seventy degrees, which is often from spring through fall along much of the Gulf Coast. That helps explain why whiting remain such a dependable surf species, even though local abundance can rise and fall from year to year.
That does not mean anglers should never keep larger whiting, but it does make selective harvest worth considering. Keeping enough good-eating fish for a meal while releasing some of the biggest spawners is a simple way surf anglers can help protect the quality of the fishery without waiting for formal regulations.
The challenge is that the larger fish also provide the best fillets, which makes them tempting to keep. Whiting are one of the Gulf’s great surf-fishing gifts, and a little restraint can help keep them that way. Keep what you can use, release fish you do not need, and check current local regulations before assuming there is no limit where you are fishing.
