Calamus bajonado
Bajonado
The Jolthead Porgy is silvery overall with blue highlights. Their scales have blue centers and brassy margins. The cheek is brassy with no markings, but appears crossed by white stripes when seen underwater. There is a blue line under each eye and the corner of the mouth has an orange cast. They have 15 pectoral fin rays and the pectoral fin reaches past the anal origin. There are 50 to 57 scales in the lateral line.
The Jolthead Porgy is a large and wide-ranging species that feeds on sea urchins, crab, and mollusks.
Atlantic coast from Carolinas to Brazil, Bahamas, north Gulf of Mexico from Florida Keys to Rio Grande, south Gulf around Yucatán Peninsula, and Caribbean, including Antilles. Absent from west Gulf of Mexico. Occasionally strays north to Rhode Island.
The Jolthead Porgy is most commonly found over inshore grass flats as well as on offshore reefs and patches.
The Jolthead Porgy averages a couple of pounds and sometimes more.
23 pounds, 4 ounces (IGFA)