Species

Always have to be careful not to get spined by these jokers. They’re so tasty.

Long Island hook and line lionfish! 

After seeing one immediately at the spot, I let my buddy @avnjfishes take the first one, and the good karma paid off I found a much larger individual that instantly ate a big silverside on the tanago 

As every season goes for tropical strays, there’s good years and bad years for every species. Since 2001 we have been seeing small lionfish in our east coast  waters every summer with some years having tons caught, and other years have little to no individuals found. This is a good year for lionfish, I have seen 4 individuals in the last 4 days around shinnecock bay. They pose little threat to our ecosystem due to the fact that they die as soon as it gets cold, while further south they are terrors to the Atlantic. I do not foresee these fish becoming any more abundant in our Long Island waters than they have been in the previous 2 decades of their existence in the Atlantic

Variable in color in relation to habitat. Coastal species are generally darker, sometimes almost black in estuaries. Often with large tentacles above the eyes.  Since the lionfish is not native to U.S. waters and has no known natural predators, angler efforts to catch and remove lionfish are highly encouraged. Handle with caution as they have 18 venomous spines.

Fishing for Red lionfish

Recently caught Red lionfish

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Recently caught Red lionfish

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