Any body know the official name of this fish

[Sir reel]

I've heard them referred to by a couple of different names, "toad fish", "mother in law", etc but does anybody know the official name? Thanks.

[FUTCHCAIRO]

HEY BUD, I HAVE ALWAYS CALLED THEM (TOAD FISH), DO NOT KNOW THE SCIENTIFIC NAME.
PA THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA

[PinFishKing]

I believe that is the Leopard Toadfish (Opsanus pardus)

[Dubble Trubble]

There are 2 different ones... Gulf and Leapord... both UUUGGGLLLYYYY

http://www.rodnreel.com/gulffish/gulffi ... FishID=132

Dubble

[Speedy]

OK, but I have some other questions.
Are they edible? If so, how do they taste? I've caught a few and I've always put them back.

[Sir reel]

SOME OF THEM ARE HAZARDOUS IF EATEN...BEST TO TREAT ALL THE TOAD VARIETY THE SAME, NOT NOT NOT NOT EDIBLE!!!!

[jsuber]

Every thing is edible, I would just have to ask, how hungry are you?

[Dubble Trubble]

I think it may be a confusion with the pufferfish which IS highly poisonous to eat. They do kind of favor the Toadfish....

Anyway, who would wanna eat something so ugly....

Dubble

[procraftwes]

they are nasty bastids.. All i can tell you is to keep your fingers out of that mouth if you wanna keep them.. they have been known to bite toes off of swimmers

[Breambuster]

OK, but I have some other questions.
Are they edible? If so, how do they taste? I've caught a few and I've always put them back.

I have seen them for sale in the fish market in Atlanta. Personally, I still wouldnt eat it.

Anyone knows why they're called the "mother inlaw" fish?

[Flint River Pirate]

It looks to ugly to eat. Buy hey, one day some brave dude shucked a raw oyster and changed history! Ha Ha

[flounderpounder]

There are certain ethnic races that love to eat them. I had a black guy ask if I had caught them one day. I asked him how they were and he said they were "sweet meat".

[procraftwes]

[Jumptrout51]

[flounderpounder]

Anyone knows why they're called the "mother inlaw" fish?[/quote]
Because there a pain in the ass.