Whatever you call them, whiting are among North Carolina’s tastiest inshore fish

Tasty whiting are among the earliest fish to arrive around Cape Fear and the latest to leave, providing fishermen battling cabin fever with some great action.

Whiting are found along most of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and their sea mullet and Virginia mullet monikers to a disservice to these mild-flavored fish, which have none of the oily qualities of mullet species. Ask the older salts to name their favorite panfish, and a large majority will answer whiting.

Whiting are actually kingfish, and three different species are caught in the waters off Cape Fear. There are enough differences to separate the species, but there’s no need to. There are no creel limits or minimum size requirements. In addition to tasting good fresh, they freeze well, and when the run is on, fishermen like to stock their freezers.

The southern kingfish, Menticirrhus americanus, is the most common. It is gray with some dusky vertical stripes. Southern kingfish range from Cape Cod through central and South America to Argentina.

The gulf kingfish, Menticirrhus littoralis, is the next most-common whiting caught in North Carolina waters. It is darker gray on its upper back and lightens to silver on its sides and belly and has no striping. The gulf kingfish is the largest of the species and grow to 3 pounds, ranging from Virginia, around the Gulf of Mexico, to Brazil.

The northern kingfish, Menticirrhus saxatilis, is the most-impressive of the three species. They are gray, with pronounced vertical black stripes and a dark stripe running along the body from the pectoral fin back to the tail. They also have a long spine, which begins at the first dorsal fin and trails back. They range from Maine to South Florida but are considered more abundant north of Cape Hatteras. They visit the Cape Fear Coast in fair numbers and are considered a prized catch.

All whiting are fun to catch, willing biters and excellent table fare. They range from a few miles inshore in rivers and sounds to a mile or so offshore in the ocean. Whichever name you prefer, whiting have been overlooked by many fishermen for a while. However, once they stumble onto a school and take some home for dinner, they aren’t overlooked any longer.

About Jerry Dilsaver 1168 Articles
Jerry Dilsaver of Oak Island, N.C., a full-time freelance writer, is a columnist for Carolina Sportsman. He is a former SKA National Champion and USAA Angler of the Year.

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