Hogchokers are a small, rounded flatfish. Like all flatfish, one eye migrates so that both eyes are on the same side, and they lie on the bottom with both eyes facing up. They reach up to 6 inches across but are commonly around 1-3 inches in the springs. They are well camouflaged with a dark brown body with thin black stripes on the upper side and lighter ventral side.
RANGE, HABITAT, BEHAVIOR, AND DIET
Although often called a “freshwater flounder,” neither of those descriptors is entirely accurate for the hogchoker. They are a brackish-water species, and a member of the sole family rather than flounder. They are found in estuaries and bays of the eastern US, from Massachusetts down to Florida. They blend in with the riverbed, lying on the bottom, often partially covered with sediment. They sift invertebrates like insect larvae and small crustaceans out of the sand.
FUN FACTS
When you see a hogchoker in a Florida spring, you’re looking at a juvenile who has made a long trip from its birthplace. Hogchokers are born in salt or brackish water and travel up fresh water rivers. In springs, you will seldom see them much larger than 3 inches across. But as they mature, they will make the return trip to salt or brackish waters to reproduce, reaching a full size of around 6 inches.