I have heard you can go to a certain restaurant Elvi's and order a hog fish and they will catch one,the next day you go to dinner and have your hog fish. What is a hog fish,is it any good? Sorry if it sounds stupid, but it sounds interesting, something different

What's the big deal-tastes like chicken anyway.

Hog fish is delicious , never seen anyone catch one??? the only one I had where speared by local friends snorkeling and we had a lobster /hog fish filet bbq !!! outstanding meal .. Never heard the that at elvi's you can pre oreder ,one day and they will serve you the hog fish next day , I think not?? but live and learn !!!!

Capt Jeff is Hog Fish what I call Hogshead Snapper?

Do not think so ???? but in some areas people call things by another name ..We need to here from the group of knowlewdgeable divers out there.As hog fish are seen by divers all the time and we fisherman never see them.. ..

Hog snapper
(Lachnolaimus maximus)
Physical Description
Although called hog snapper, this species is actually a member of the wrasse family. They are relatively large and colorful compared to other members of this family. The color of hog snapper varies greatly and is influenced by age, gender, habitat and immediate environment. They are often solid white, but they can also be a speckled orange, brown or copper color. The rear dorsal fin often has a small black dot at its base, especially in younger fish. The edges of the dorsal, anal and caudal fins have dark bars. Generally speaking, males are more colorful, and young hog snapper change color more quickly.

Range
Hog snapper are unique mostly to the subtropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean. At its extreme, the range for hog snapper extends from Nova Scotia in Canada to Brazil. But the common range spans from North Carolina to Bermuda to the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico to the northernmost coast of South America. The greatest concentrations of hog snapper are found around Florida and the islands of the West Indies.

Habitat
Hog snapper reside in coastal waters, especially in reef areas populated by coral organisms. They also prefer areas in which they can camouflage themselves among the reef and plants. Generally they are found in water between 10 and 120 feet deep.

Spawning Habits
Almost nothing is known about the reproductive habits of the hog snapper. Scientific studies indicate that a female hog snapper distributes around 300,000 eggs, though the number can be as high as 830,000. Like most marine fish, the eggs are scattered and fertilized externally.

Food Usage/Selection
Hog snapper feed primarily during the day on mollusks, crabs and sea urchins. In a year they will consume nearly five times their body weight.

Sporting Qualities
Anglers are most likely to locate this species in sandy grass beds around reefs. These are areas in which they can camouflage themselves within the environment which, combined with their preference for relatively deep water, makes them difficult to locate visually.

Because they are bottom feeders, bottom-fishing tactics are usually employed. Light spinning and bait-casting or conventional gear with line weights of 8 to 15 pounds is common. Effective natural baits are crabs, shrimp and shovelnosed lobster. Hog snapper generally ignore artificial lures, though small jigs tipped with natural bait can often work. The best action usually occurs very early or late in the day, as well as at night.

Given their high-quality meat and taste, and the difficulty in catching them consistently, many hog snapper are taken by divers with spear guns.

Notes
· Hog snapper are a high quality food fish that is regarded by many as the best tasting of all the reef fish. They are marketed both fresh and frozen. Unfortunately, populations of hog snapper are under pressure due to intense fishing.

When I have been approached by fishermen selling Hogshead Snapper the price is generally less than normal Red or Yelow perhaps around $2.00 per pound less.

It is in my view a less quality fish and is tough compared to the others. Weather perhaps this is a local name for another fish!

I would love to know exactly what the true species is.

Hogfish / hog snapper = same fish... pretty much ALWAYS caught on spear down here. Hogfish is the ONLY fish we serve as a "whole fish" here at the restaurant... fantastic tasting... lightly season, lightly coat, fry to color and finish in the oven... serve with lime and hot sauce... delicious!!!

Locally it is much preferred over regular snapper...a real treat.

Hog fish

click below for species?? looks like same

http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=1071

Sf jeff when down next ,will order one stuffed.When are you going to return and reopen???

Capt Jeff and everyone thanks that is the fish now I cam see it.

It doesn't freeze well at all and deteriates badley. I used to buy it in Cayo all the time but normally filleted it dur to it's size.

It works really well with a "Salsa Verde" of olive oil, Basil, lime juice, garlic and seasoning.

Beach boy sounds cool cook me one yummy recipe..

Carambas usually has hogfish or hog snapper on a daily basis. I go there on a regular basis to get a whole fried hog fish. Very firm white meat. I am addicted. I don't much care for any other whole fish.

The Reef does it too (or did) - really cheap!

Beachboy, you keep on overlooking that hogfish and buy the $2 snapper and save the hogfish for me. I will buy it everyday for that price.
Of course, buyer beware...cause when you buy a filet you don't really know exactly what you are buying.

A professional restauranteur can look and know what fish they're buying.

can an ex-barrister?

Never met a Snapper I didn't like....hmmm. that didn't come out right, anyway, doesn't get much better than hog Snapper. Pure white flesh, hardly any fat(red streaks on filets which give some fish "character") firm, yum yum snapper. Wrasses, but a number of different "hogs", Spanish Hog is multi-colored and usually too small to eat. Have caught adult Hog Snappers as big as 12 pounds in the Keys. When diving they tend to be a bit "spooky" hard to get real close to where as yellowtails, gray and Mangrove Snappers will get right in your face.
I Love Snappers (fish)!

Have heard that term before but think it is a "local" call, have never seen a fish called a hogshead snapper
Ever seen an uglier looking filet than a mahi (dolphin) yet that taste so good?

My father works for the coop in Belize (for over 30 years) and fishermen still try to bring in fish fileted that they try to fool them with - such as parrot fish calling it snapper or hogfish (thus the reason that there are fisheries law that a certain percentage of the fish have to be whole) and I have been around many first mates that call fish by a name that sounds appealing to their clients.

And the best Hogfish can be found at the Hogfish Grill on Stock Island in the Florida Keys

OK GailM, which ones have you heard?

got a couple...mahi, silver fin tuna, turbot,monkfish,Goliath Grouper,...

There are generally several Hog fish on night dives at hol chan

Monkfish known as the "poor man's lobster" - when the retailers placed it in the seafood cabinets and labelled it "monkfish" no one would buy it ( ever seen one of those things? - UGLY!!!). So, like all good marketing types do, they renamed it to something more palatable ( no pun intended). But damned if I can remember now what it was. Sales skyrocketed.

Oh, BTW, it's also known as lawyerfish

Goosefish another name?

Ohhhh KLC Law is going to filet ya'now....

NAH- a lawyer is a freshwater burbot a/k/a eelpout. Google the eelpout icefishing contest in MN. Walker,Mn I think

I can't wait Rhon! Coffee's brewing!!!

monkfish was the re-name in Jersey from "angler fish"(got a little fishin' pole on its head it waves around to attract little fish) goosefish or headfish. Still doesn't sell that well in thi area probably cause it don't taste that great.

Hogfish is really really good...very white meat (they feed on crustaceans) and taste like lobster. If you are snorkel in Hol Chan you are bound to see one. Spend some time following one around and you may experience their color change which can be from silvery white with blotches to a deep red with a darkened head down to mouth.

The best rename for a fish by the first mates on boats along the east coast is porgy...they call them silver snappers. Or even dolphin (fish) - most chose to call them mahi. And who wants to eat a speckled hind - now call it a strawberry grouper and it will sell.

forgot about that one - margate grunt - silver snapper - ha!

I assume this local name theme is the case when I see Red Snapper on a menu, as I have never seen Red Snapper in the sea a deep water species I think. So are these Reds really Mutton Snapper and Yellow Tail and others that do turn red when dead? Also from earlier isn't a Mangrove Snapper and A Grey Snapper the same thing?

Casa,
Red snappers do prefer deeper water but have been overfished in Belize for years because of the taste. That would be my second favorite fish (hogfish would be first).
However, a mutton snapper is nothing to scoff at...it has exquisite texture and flavor. Yellow tail, well, we ate them when we had to but not highly considered. Oh, and a mangrove snapper and grey snapper, I do believe, are one in the same.

Mutton snapper is one of the best commonly availabe local fishes. Very tasty!

Not positive but grey and mangrove may be different fish - body shape seems identical but mangrove has a distinct diagonal dark bar running through their"face" could be male/female or just a color variation not sure.
genuine red and silk snappers almost identical but silk has a yellow eye, both deep water, and great eating
Mutton Snapper is my favorite to eat and catch and dive with - they seem to have a particular "personality" all their own when you try to get close to larger ones and/or feed them

I've never heard of mangrove snapper and it is definately not in my Fish ID book. Grey snappers change coloring and can display a black line on their face.

Get another fish ID book. I use Paul Humann's Reef Fish book. Good one for Belize. I grew up in Belize and we called them mangrove snappers - it wasn't until I studied Ichthyology that I learned they were Grey Snappers.

I use the same book. I just read the part under Grey Snapper "aka Mangrove Snapper." (Too many margaritas last night )

GailM: While on topic, kind of, do you have the newest version? Is it worth upgrading from the second edition?

OK I'll buy that!

JZB,
I do have the second edition and it is worth the upgrade.