Florida has two state fish: the freshwater Florida largemouth bass and the saltwater Atlantic sailfish. Largemouth bass live in warm, still waters and can grow up to 3 feet long. Atlantic sailfish are popular with anglers and can grow up to 11 feet long, with a striking appearance and the ability to swim up to 70 mph. Due to their rarity, sportsmen are asked to release them after catching them.
Most states in the United States have one species chosen as their state fish. Florida, however, has both a freshwater and a saltwater fish. Florida’s freshwater state fish is the Florida largemouth bass, and Florida’s saltwater state fish is the Atlantic sailfish.
Florida largemouth bass is a very popular game fish that lives in many of the lakes and rivers that cover much of Florida’s land area. These fish typically grow up to 3 feet (1 meter) long and weigh about 8 pounds (3.6 kg), although they sometimes grow much larger. A largemouth bass caught in the 1930s weighed a whopping 22 pounds (10 kg). These fish are usually silvery in color with black patterns or stripes on the back and sides.
They live in warm, slow-moving streams or the still waters of the many lakes that dot Florida’s land area. Largemouth bass need plenty of vegetation to hide and thrive in waters that contain an abundance of aquatic plants. They eat insects, crustaceans and smaller fish.
Florida’s second largest state fish is the Atlantic sailfish. Sailfish are very popular with saltwater anglers. Typically, adult fish weigh up to 50 pounds (22.6 kg), and fishing enthusiasts generally view catching one as a significant challenge. It is long and thin, often growing to about 11 feet (3.4 meters) in length.
An Atlantic sailfish has a very striking appearance. The top half of its body is a rich metallic blue with purple streaks while its bottom and bottom halves are a flashy, lustrous silver. The dorsal fin of the sailfish runs the length of its body and will stand upright, forming the sail for which the fish is named, when the fish is excited. Sailfish also use their dorsal fins for hunting and raise them to herd smaller fish into a confined area where they can be more easily caught and eaten.
One of the things that make this Florida state fish a thrill for anglers is its tendency to leap out of the water when hooked, with its dorsal fins extended. Their ability to swim quite fast, at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour (112 km/h), adds to the challenge of catching these fish. Due to the increasing rarity of Atlantic sailfish, sportsmen are being asked to release them after catching them, allowing them to survive and reproduce in an effort to increase their numbers.
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