Description: The Southern Kingfish (Menticirrhus americanus) or Gulf Kingfish (Menticirrhus littoralis) are known on the Texas coast as Whiting. They are found in abundance in the beach area all along the Gulf Coast all the way up to the Chesapeake Bay. The Southern Kingfish is silver-gray to brown in coloration, with darker markings that are mottled. The Gulf Kingfish is silvery gray on top fading to a paler white underside without the markings found on the southern.