Pigfish (Orthopristis chrysoptera)

Other Names: Piggy, Piggy Perch, Grunt
Description: Pigfish are characterized by irregular barring on the cheeks, a mottled appearance, or indistinct, irregular vertical bars. Often mistaken for pinfish, its dorsal spines are smaller, the eye is smaller and the distance from eye to mouth is greater.

Pigfish are abundant and rarely reach more than 8 inches in length. Texas record is 1.04 pounds, 12.5 inches, 1998.
Life History: Adults spawn in the Gulf and the young grow up in the bays, living in grassy areas or on shoals. They feed primarily on small crustaceans and mollusks, but also will take small fragments of other food.
Habitat: Adults live primarily in bays in grassy areas or on slopes of channels.
Distribution: Pigfish are found throughout the Gulf.
How To Catch: Pigfish will take small live bait or cut bait, especially along the slopes of channels using cut bait on bottom rigs.
Where To Catch: Can be caught around docks and piers using peeled shrimp.
How To Eat: Although the flesh is edible, most pigfish are used as excellent live bait for larger fish such as spotted seatrout.
Other: The name pigfish was probably derived from the chattering noises they make when caught. Like other members of the grunt family, a pigfish makes a grunting sound by rubbing the teeth in their throat together. By night, pigfish use their throat teeth to grind up shellfish and small bits of other food.