White croakers have been taken from Magdalena Bay, Baja California, to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, but are not abundant north of San Francisco.

A fossil relative, G. whistleri, is known from the Late Miocene-aged Puente Formation of the Los Angeles Basin.

They can be distinguished from the California corbina and yellowfin croaker by the absence of a single fleshy projection, or barbel, at the tip of the lower jaw.

White croakers eat a variety of fishes, squid, shrimp, octopus, worms, small crabs, clams and other items, either living or dead.

If a person desires to fish specifically for white croakers a tough, difficult-to-steal bait, such as squid, is recommended.