Species
Tripletail Fishing Charters
Tripletail float near buoys, crab-trap floats, pilings and weed lines in warm coastal water, and are sight-fished by inshore anglers. 47 captains and guides in 23 towns list tripletail. Here is where, and the months it is in season where we have a published calendar.
Key facts
About the tripletail
A deep-bodied fish whose rounded rear dorsal and anal fins sit close to the tail, making it look like it has three tails. Color ranges from nearly black to bronze, yellow or mottled tan with dark blotches, and the cheek edge is strongly serrated.
- Scientific name
- Lobotes surinamensis
- Also called
- Atlantic tripletail, buoyfish, black perch, rockfish
- Family
- Tripletail family (Lobotidae)
- Typical catch
- Usually 5 to 15 pounds.
- How big they get
- Up to 42 inches; the Florida state record is 40.8 pounds. Texas Parks and Wildlife gives a maximum of about 3 feet and 30 to 50 pounds.
- Where they live
- Atlantic coast from Nova Scotia south, including the whole Gulf of Mexico. In Florida it is found mainly in spring, summer and fall; Georgia fish winter in south Florida and return to Georgia in spring, staying until November.
- Habitat
- Bays, estuaries, river mouths and passes out to offshore waters. Strongly drawn to floating or standing objects such as buoys, channel markers, pilings, jetties, wrecks and floating debris.
- Diet
- Shrimp, crabs and small fish.
Where
Where to catch tripletail with a charter
Counts are captains who list tripletail, as of October 2026. Months come from the state wildlife agency or local captains’ published calendars where we have one; seasons and limits change, so check current rules.
Before you go
What to know about tripletail fishing
Things to know
- Tripletail often float on their side at the surface and look like a dead leaf or floating debris.
- When hooked, they head hard for the nearest structure.
- Tagging shows Florida and Georgia share a migratory population.
- Spawning happens in spring or early summer.
- Texas classifies tripletail as a game fish with bag and size limits; rules differ by state, so check the state wildlife agency before keeping one.
How charters catch them
- Sight casting to fish floating at or near the surface
- Live shrimp, crabs or small fish on small hooks
- Working buoys, channel markers, pilings and jetties at passes, river mouths and bays
Related fish
Fish caught on the same kind of trip
Questions
Tripletail questions
Why is it called a tripletail?
It has only one tail, but its rear dorsal and anal fins extend back near the tail fin, so it looks like three tails.
Where do you find tripletail?
Look around buoys, channel markers, pilings and floating objects in bays, passes and river mouths, often with the fish lying on its side at the surface.
Facts on this page come from official fisheries and wildlife sources, checked October 2026:
Size and bag limits and seasons change and differ by state. Check the state agency before you keep a fish.
For captains and guides
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