pinfish, either of two species of fishes in the family Sparidae (order Perciformes). The name pinfish refers specifically to Lagodon rhomboides; Diplodus holbrooki is called spottail pinfish. The name is derived from the presence of numerous spines on the front portion of the dorsal fin. The pinfish characteristically has yellow fins, gold stripes down the body, and a dark spot on the upper rear margin of the operculum. The spotted pinfish has a broad black band anterior to the tail and a black margin around the operculum.
Both species are common in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico around Florida. The pintail ranges north to Cape Cod and south to Cuba. The spotted pintail has a more restricted range. Few of either species reach a length of 25 centimetres (10 inches), and neither is a popular sport fish.