So I watched one of those fishing boats pull in just before sunset at the marina here on South Padre Island. Once it was tied off, the passengers, about ten of the twenty, grab their stringers from the cooler, disembark, and walk past me with their stringers of ... whiting. Now, I used to catch whiting in the surf all the time, and they were not exactly something I kept. But this is the second time in two days I have heard from two way different sources - whiting. What is it I do not know about the little whiting that average the size of a small sand bass in North Texas? Somebody enlighten me. Are we in the midst of a "whiting run" here now?

they are a drum, i think. anyways, they're pretty good fried up fresh. i don't filet smaller fish like sand trout and whiting, just scale, gut and head em.

Common names like whiting can cause a lot of confusion. In Texas, there are several species of fish that are referred to as whiting. Typically, whiting are Gulf kingfish (Menticirrhus littoralis), or to a lesser extent, southern kingfish, (Menticirrhus americanus). Both species have a barbel on the lower jaw, helping with identification. These are small fish, not to be confused with the offshore king mackerel, often called kingfish in Texas.

The Gulf and southern kingfish are concentrated along the beach and in intracoastal areas from February to June. These concentrations are often referred to as “runs.” Very cold weather can concentrate the fish in small areas and if you find them you can catch fish on every cast. The meat is white and good grilled or fried. The fish are often easy to catch and this draws in lots of anglers that chase them.

From the description you're giving, I assume this was a party boat. Such charter operators will put the paying customers on whatever is biting.

I bet this.

There is a fish that I have always called a whiting since I was a teenager. It doesn't get too big, but I use to catch them on the beach front here in Galveston TX. They seemed to be more abundant during spring time. They are pretty good table fair, especially the bigger ones. I have been a Galveston fishing guide for the past 23 years and I still catch a few, but I really don't target them. There is no minimum length on them so that's why some people keep them so small. My understanding is that it is a type of a kingfish.

Capt. Alan

Galveston Fishing Charters
Galveston Fishing Charters

They are 2 main species in the gulf, Southern kingfish, and Gulf Kingfish. Despite the names, they are members of the drum family, and are very good to eat.

They make spectacular shark bait. Sometimes it's all they'll hit. You'd never know how many 2-3 foot blacktip, spinner, bonnethead, and Atlantic sharpnose sharks there are in the surf until you fish with cut whiting on the bottom.