Unusual or what are considered trash fish
SPINY DOGFISH
Common names: dogfish, sand shark
Description: Spiny dogfish are gray to slate brown with a white belly. They have two spines behind each dorsal fin. Adult females can reach lengths of 3 1/2 feet and weigh around 8 pounds, while males are normally smaller in size.
Where found: inshore and offshore
Similar species: smooth dogfish
Remarks: Spiny dogfish are voracious eaters, preying on squid, shrimp and crabs, along with almost any species of fish that they can swallow. They mostly travel in large schools made of approximately equal size fish. These fish are known to winter in offshore waters and show up in the Gulf of Maine during the late spring or early summer. They are usually found in water depths ranging from surface waters to 600 feet. Fishermen hate these bait stealing, rig wrecking, bags of sand paper.
GOOSEFISH
Common names: anglerfish, monkfish, goosefish
Description: Goosefish are tan to chocolate brown above, fading to a white shaded underbody. Their body is narrow and tapered with a flattened, broad head that supports an enormous mouth. They are armed with numerous needle like teeth that point inward. Their lower jaw, head and sides are edged with a unique fringe of fleshy flaps and they lack gill slits. Several spines and two dorsal fins can be found on top of their body.Goosefish can grow to a length of over 4 feet and weigh up to 50 pound
Where found: inshore and offshore
Similar species: none
Remarks: Goosefish have big appetites and are capable of eating almost any kind of fish, bird or invertebrate that they can catch. As bottom dwellers, they inhabit waters as shallow as a few feet to depths exceeding 1,200 feet. They can be found on all kinds of bottom types but prefer soft or sandy bottoms. Fishermen that are using live bait in search of other groundfish haul up a goosefish on occasion. Extra care should be taken when handling these fish because of the danger of their bite. The meat from a goosefish, sometimes referred to as "poorman's lobster," is both firm and free of bones and is considered a treat.
SILVER HAKE
Common names: silver hake, New England hake, whiting
Description: Silver hake are iridescent gray brown fading to a silvery shade below. Their large mouth, with a projected lower jaw, is lined with sharp curved teeth. Adult silver hake normally measure around 14 inches in length.
Where found: inshore and offshore
Similar species: white hake, red hake, longfin hake
Remarks: Silver hake are strong, swift swimmers with an appetite. Their prey includes a variety of fish such as herring, mackerel, menhaden and silversides. Silver hake is usually a bycatch of fishermen who are fishing for cod or haddock. They bite readily, but don't put up much of a fight. Their meat is delicate and, if chilled right away, is tender and sweet tasting.
ATLANTIC HALIBUT
Common names: halibut, giant halibut
Description: Atlantic halibut are chocolate to olive or gray brown on their right (upper) side and white on their left (under) side. Atlantic halibut are right-eyed flatfish, meaning both eyes are located on the dark colored, upper side of the fish. Their mouth is armed with sharp, curved teeth. Atlantic halibut can grow to enormous size making them the largest of all the flatfish. Individuals weighing from 600 to 700 pounds have been landed, although fish taken over 100 pounds are rare today.
Where found: inshore and offshore
Similar species: winter flounder
Remarks: Atlantic halibut are bottom dwellers, preferring a sand, gravel or clay covered bottom. Halibut, though slow to bite, are known to put up a strong fight and are excellent to eat.
ACADIAN REDFISH
Common names: redfish, ocean perch
Description: Redfish are an orange to flame red. These fish with large eyes are perch-like in appearance. Their mouth is large and is lined with many small teeth. Their tail fin is small.
Where found: inshore and offshore
Similar species: rosefish
Remarks: Redfish are slow growing fish. Ages in excess of 50 years and lengths of up to 18 to 20 inches have been noted. Considered a deep water fish, redfish can be found in shallower waters during the colder winter months. Redfish prefer a rocky bottom. They are known to hit almost any bait. Although they are considered to be an excellent food fish, they offer fishermen little in the way of a struggle when caught.
OCEAN POUT
Common names: ocean pout, eel pout, conger eel
Where found: inshore and offshore
Similar species: cusk, wolffish
Remarks: Ocean pout are bottom dwellers that are found near sand, mud or rocky bottoms. They can be found in both inshore and offshore waters at depths ranging from 30 to 630 feet. They will eat other fish, but lack the swimming skills to be effective hunters. Fishermen who are trying for cod or haddock, sometimes catch ocean pout. Their meat is sweet tasting.
SCULPIN
Common names: sculpin, hornpout, horndog
Description: Sculpin differ in color according to their surroundings. As a rule, they are marked with three or four dark crossbars which run down their sides. Their underbelly is white. These fish have a large head and a slender body. Their skull is covered with numerous sharp spines. Sculpin can grow to 18 inches in length.
Where found: inshore and offshore
Similar species: shorthorn sculpin
Remarks: Of the several species of sculpin living in the Gulf of Maine, longhorn sculpin are the most numerous. They are found at depths ranging from a few feet to over 300 feet. These fish will readily take any type of bait. They are considered a trash fish by fishermen who are after more other species. Because their head is covered with spines, extra care should be taken when handling them.
LITTLE SKATE
Common name: skate
Description: Little skates are gray to dark brown above and have a pale underbody. These fish have a flattened, disc-like shape. Three or more rows of thorns run down their back, except in adults where they also run along the midline of their body and tail. Little skates average between 16 and 20 inches in length.
Where found: inshore and offshore
Similar species: winter skate
Remarks: Little skates are smaller in size than any other skate species found in the Gulf of Maine. They prefer a sand to gravel type bottom of no deeper than 300 feet. These fish migrate into shallower water as it warms in the spring and then move back to deeper water in the winter as water temperatures drop. Fishermen fishing for flounder will catch these fish too.