I have been seening reports of croakers or golden croakers nowdays. Are they abudent this time? When does the "season" start and end normally? It seems that gloden croaker are mentioned more. Is it becasue of their quantity, size, or better eating (taste)?

Thanks

This is the time of year the larger Atlantic croakers are present up and down the coast in huge numbers. You can expect to catch them 2 at a time and almost to 3 lbs. (1 1/2 - 2 lbs. average). This "run" or golden croaker run usually starts when the water temperature drops in mid-late September and continues into late October and even early November.

There's no size or bag limit and YES, they're excellent eating. This size you can definitely fillet them or cook whole.

Hope you get an opportunity to go and get in on this action. Speaking of action, they are really good fighters on medium to light tackle or I should say if they got the size of red drum, you would have to use a winch truck to pull them in!

Good luck!

Golden Croaker sound like a great way to keep kids interested. Any thoughts on means, methods, locations to get in on this?

Thanks.

go to your nearest beachfront or bayfront for that matter find a dock or pier and cast peeled shrimp on smallish hooks. My 6 year old has a blast on them.
-AK

Add questions on day/night fishing for croaker.

Our family have been fishing in a fishing pier down in Galveston many times- normally at night under bright lights for sand trouts. We have learned result in day time are not so good for us.
I hope this is not necessarily true for golden croaker. In other words, is catching a croaker run just as productive in day time as in night on the pier? We come from out of town so we would like to get more fishing time in the day hours.

We always caught them during day and night hours. They get especially active right before a cool front blows in.