Help me identify this fish!!!

[2001SportTJ]

I'm on vacation in North Carolina and we have been fishing off the dock all day on the intercoastal waterway. We caught about 20 of these fish and I can't identify what kind they are(not really an experienced saltwater fisherman)....

This one was one of the smaller ones, they are on average about 7-8" long(some bigger). Anybody know if they are good eatin? Legal size limit? We have all of them in a live storage tank so if they aren't the legal size or no good to eat we can throw them back. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[144P&Y]

looks like a grunt

 

[57tr6]

Looks like some I have caught in the past but never tried eating them. Surely someone here knows.

 

[historydigger]

No looks about it, it is a grunt. It is good eating. The Conchs (true FL Key and Bahama natives) will fry them or bake them with butter and Key Lime juice. Enjoy!

 

[2001SportTJ]

Sweet! I'm gonna go throw them in the ice chest now. Should make a good 4th of July dinner! Thanks guys!

 

[offbeat404]

that's like a big-lip-tiger-shark but not really

 

[2001SportTJ]

On a side note I caught a baby blacktip shark a few minutes ago, it was about a foot long. My buddy caught a few more grunt fish too!

 

[Russell0331]

yellow croaker

 

[offbeat404]

yellow croaker

i believe we have a winner.

 

[traderben]

According to Dane’s Game Fish Identification Guide, it’s a saltwater piranha