Silver hake have no chin barbel. Being slender fish, they are five to six times as long as they are deep. They have two separate and well developed dorsal fins, the second being much longer than the first. They also have an extended anal fin, and their ventral fins lack the long feelers that are so obvious on other hakes. Adult silver hake normally measure around 14 inches in length.
Silver hake are strong, swift swimmers and voracious feeders.
Their prey includes a variety of fish such as herring, mackerel, menhaden and silversides. Silver hake is usually a bycatch of anglers who are fishing for cod or haddock. They bite readily, but don't put up much of a fight. Their meat is delicate and, if chilled right away, is tender and sweet tasting. We'll be having a live moderated discussion with the governor at 4 p.m. on Sept. 12.