SCUP SCUP Steotomus chrysops Porgy is a common name for this fish, which is important to commercial and recreational fisherman. Anglers enjoy catching scup because they put up a fight. This fish is a dull, silvery color, iridescent, with a white belly, and its sides and back are flecked with blue and marked with 12-15 indistinct longitudinal stripes. Scup have a deep body which is flattened sidewise. Their scales are large and firmly attached.
Scup generally range from southern New England to North Carolina.
During the warm months, scup stay close to shore, typically within 6 miles of the coastline. They live close to the bottom and concentrate over areas of smooth to rocky bottom. This results in a congregation in some areas and complete absence in other nearby areas. Scup can grab food with their front teeth and then crush hard-shelled animals with their molars. They travel in schools and migrate offshore and southward in the fall.