Description

Hogfish

20″ Two-Sided Fish Mount

The hogfish has a long pointy, pig-like snout, with protrusible jaws and thick lips. The first three spines of the dorsal fin extend into long filaments. Color is highly variable and changes with size. The scales on the back are often edged in yellow, and a dark spot is at the rear base of the dorsal fin.

They are commonly encountered throughout the Caribbean, although its entire distribution is from North Carolina to Bermuda and the northern coast of South America. Mostly found in loose groupings around hard bottoms, coral reefs, rocky ledges and sunken debris. Typical of reef fish, hogfish are opportunistic feeders, eating whatever comes along, from clams or urchins that can be crushed with their teeth to slow moving snails.

They will even take a Crab Meat bait, when available. They congregate along the edges of coral heads and living reefs, using the shelter to hide from predators. As they are able to swim in tight circles at great speed, they can quickly dart into rocks or crevices for protection when threatened. These fish offer an exciting challenge on light tackle. When hooked, they make powerful runs and jump out of the water spectacularly! For these reasons, hogfish are becoming increasingly popular with anglers who enjoy fishing near coral structures.