Whiting

1. 1

   mole crabs (sand fleas) · sand fleas

   primary · crustacean · Emerita talpoida

   Diet share

   50%(35–65%)

   Shoulder

   Bait equivalents

   sand flea, fishbites sand flea, shrimp

   Season

   Peak Apr–Sep · lull Jan–Feb

   Vulnerable when

   • High on rising / high slack tide
   • Low on low slack tide in calm surf

   Primary forage for whiting (opposite rank from pompano) — McMichael & Ross 1987

2. 2

   polychaete worms (sandworms) · sandworms

   secondary · polychaete

   Diet share

   25%(15–40%)

   No season data

   Bait equivalents

   bloodworm, fishbites bloodworm, shrimp

   Season

   No peak months on file

   Vulnerable when

   • Moderate on rising / high slack tide in moderate surf

   Secondary; heavy in turbid water where tactile feeding wins — McMichael & Ross 1987

3. 3

   coquina clams · coquinas

   tertiary · mollusk · Donax variabilis

   Diet share

   15%(10–25%)

   Shoulder

   Bait equivalents

   fresh coquina, sand flea, shrimp tip, fishbites

   Season

   Peak Mar–Jul · lull Dec–Feb · quiet below 60°F

   Vulnerable when

   • High on rising tide in moderate-to-high surf
   • Moderate on high slack tide
   • Low on low slack / falling tide

   Tertiary — same shared prey as pompano but lower rank

Water temp

60–88°F

optimum 76°F

Salinity

20–36 PSU

Feeding

crepuscular

Typical size

9–14"

max 19" total

Lifespan

6 yr

mature at 1 yr

School density

0.02–0.2 fish/m²

Site fidelity

14–21 days

Group feeding

none documented

Tactile chin-barbel feeder; activity peaks at dawn and dusk plus partial nocturnal feeding. Single peg-like barbel under the lower jaw houses tactile + chemosensory cells used to locate prey buried in sand.

Field notes

• Tactile feeding via chin barbel allows productive fishing in turbid water that would suppress pompano.

  • turbidity ≥ 25 NTU

  — Inferred from feeding mechanism; Manning et al. 2002 turbidity threshold for pompano

• Activity concentrates at dawn and dusk; partial night feeding extends the window.

  — McMichael & Ross 1987; Modde & Ross 1983

Schooling by phase

any

Solitary to small loose groups

Citations

1. [1]McMichael & Ross 1987 · crepuscular feeding
2. [2]Modde & Ross 1983 · partial nocturnal
3. [3]Ross & Lancaster 2002 · site fidelity ~21 days
4. [4]Modde & Ross 1981; Anderson & Comyns 2012 · resident status
5. [5]Modde & Ross 1981 · thermal optimum