Golden Tilefish(Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps)

Quick Facts

  • Size Range: Can reach over 50 pounds
  • Native Species?: Yes
  • Food Value: Excellent eating and highly sought after commercially and recreationally.

Golden tiles have a very light blue to silver body with yellow spots and yellow in their fins. The body tapers down towards the tail. Adults can have a fleshy lobe on the top of the head.

These tilefish live on muddy bottoms in waters from 600 to 1,000 feet deep. They burrow tunnels into the mud and then sit at the entrance waiting to ambush prey or food items that drift by in the current.

They are targeted by deep dropping multiple hook rigs with cut bait and squid on circle hooks on electric reels. Often lights are added to the rig to attract the tilefish as it is normally dark at their preferred depths. They grab the bait as it drifts by their hideout.

Related Habitats:
Other Reef Fish Species: Mahogany Snapper Banded Rudderfish Wenchman Snapper Blackfin Snapper Nassau Grouper Goliath Grouper Yellowfin Grouper Red Snapper
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Related Fishing Methods

Bottom fishing is normally about fishing bottom structures in order to target benthic or bottom dwelling fish. There are a wide variety of techniques, but the common element is the targeting of species who dwell around or hide in natural and man-made structures. Fish like grouper, snapper, amberjack and catfish would be considered bottom fish. It is very popular amongst anglers and success is often determined by the fishermen's ability to crank a fish away from the structure before the fish can duck into it and cut the line. Anchoring or drifting the boat over the structure is key to having success. There are many versions, and many of the bottom fish are prized eating.

Dead bait consists of many different types of bait that is no longer alive. Dead bait is still attractive to many fish as they are normally feeding by smell and dead bait is the ticket for smell. Fresh cut fish, dead shrimp, half crab, shucked clam, cut squid and all popular examples of bait that will catch a wide variety of fish. Many sport fish that are predators, will gladly take the opportunity to slurp up a fresh dead bait. A redfish is equally happy to chase down a baitfish or slurp up a dead shrimp on the bottom. Dead bait has the benefit is being easy to obtain, maintain and transport, as opposed to live bait which takes livewells, quality water control and can be harder to obtain.

Deep jigging is a method of fishing using heavy lead head jigs with rubber or hair for tails. They are often tipped with a strip of fish or squid and dropped to the depths. A series of vertical bounces entices a fish into striking the lure. Grouper, snapper and amberjacks are often caught with this method. It is a workout, but worth it when it all comes tight. Metal jigs in combinations with braided line, have gained a prominent place in the tackle box of most fishermen working the depths.

A versatile method of fishing for many types of fish in both freshwater and salt. A jig is a lure, normally a lead-headed lure with many various types of body/tail configurations made of rubber, hair and feather. Jigs are one of the most versatile of all lures and can be tipped with bait or not. Traditionally jigs are worked in variety of up and down motions, and can be fished throughout the entire water column, depending on the fishery. A modern form of jigs called metal jigs has taken hold and many varieties and shapes have been developed to work different ways. Made famous by the Shimano Butterfly Jig and now produced by many companies in many variations. If I could only have one lure to fish with it would be a jig.