Scup

Scup

Scup (Stenotomus chrysops) also known as porgy, are a small species of bottom fish that are very well populated in Rhode Island waters. If you drop bait down to the ocean floor, odds are a scup will be the first fish to find it. I like to describe porgy as the bluegill of the ocean, they have a very similar body size and features of freshwater panfish. Scup are relatively plain looking, sporting a silver body color and sharp spiny dorsal fins that can easily spike you if you are not careful. Although when agitated, they can become mottled with dark brown colors.

They don’t get very big and are slow growing, averaging 8-12 inches in size with the state record weighing in at a measly 5 pounds. Porgy are considered deep-bodied, meaning they are deeper from back to belly than they are long. I find these fish generally underwhelming, but they taste great and are a perfect species for beginners to target since they are so well populated. Scup are actually the first saltwater fish I ever caught. I was 7 years old on my grandfather’s boat, and seeing that fish come up sparked my passion for fishing.