Q: We caught this fish off the beach of Matagorda Island, Texas, while using shrimp as bait. After we hooked it, it went to the bottom and "sucked" to the ground. It was almost like I was caught on something. What is it?

Joe Prendki
Houston, Texas

A: You snagged a southern stargazer, Astroscopus y-graecum. These fellows normally live buried in the bottom with only their eyes above the surface, thus the name stargazer. They are capable of generating an electric shock, produced by some specialized organs on their heads. People often receive distinct jolts while walking on the bottom but may never guess the shocks came from these fish. Some stargazer species only grow a few inches long, but the type you caught can grow to more than a foot long. It's the most common of the stargazers in shallow water. — Bob Shipp