Field Guide: Whiting

Type: whiting


What is it

Some call it the “Southern Kingfish,” but around here we just call it Whiting. While this fish normally only weighs in around a couple pounds, their mild-tasting, flaky white filets make for good eating.

When to get it

You can find this fish on the menu or in the ocean just about all year round (and in high volume, too).

Where does it come from

There are plenty of Whiting throughout the Gulf Coast. Start near the beach, close to sand bars and where the waves begin to crash. If you don’t have any luck, move farther out gradually until they start biting. Just remember that Whiting like to hang out around the sandy ocean floor—that’s how they earned the nickname “ground mullet.”

How it's prepared

If you’ve ever been to a fish fry, there’s a good chance that Whiting was the main fish (if not the only fish) on the menu. Whiting can be caught dozens at a time and keep well, so the best plan for preparing them would be to catch as many as you can, fry them up golden brown and invite the neighborhood over for dinner.



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