The croaker is a golden colored bottom dweller with wavy iridescent lines on their sides. They have a down-turned mouth for rooting food out of the bottom. They have three to five barbels, or whiskers, on their chin. They also have sharp gill plates and make a drumming or croaking sound. They are highly prized by grouper fishermen for bait.
Croakers are generally found across the Gulf coast. They live offshore during the winter months and move into bays the rest of the year, and are commonly found in Louisiana inshore waters.
Small bits of dead bait like shrimp and clam fished on the bottom with fairly small hooks will catch these willing fish.