Atlantic Croaker
Micropogonias undulatus
Also called Hardhead.
How to tell it
Small barbels under the chin, brassy croaking panfish.
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 8 in min | 50 per day | Open year-roundDE DNREC 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
| Florida (Atlantic) | No size limit | 50 per person | Open year-roundFWC 2026 · checked | Open |
| Florida (Gulf) | No size limit | 100 lb per person | Open year-roundFWC 2026 · checked | Open |
| Georgia | No size limit | 25 per person per day | Open year-roundGA DNR CRD 2026 · checked | Open |
| Maryland | 9 in min | 25 | Open year-roundMD DNR 2026 · checked | Open |
| North Carolina | No size limit | 50/day | Open year-roundNC DMF 2026 · checked | Open |
| South Carolina | No size limit | 50/day aggregate | Open year-roundSC DNR 2026 · checked | Open |
| Virginia | No size limit | 50 per person | Open year-roundVMRC 2026 · checked | Open |
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Connecticut, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Texas: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
State records
| State | Weight | When, where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 5 lb 8 oz | 2000 | Outdoor Alabama Saltwater State Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Delaware | 5 lb 3 oz | 1980 | DNREC Delaware Fishing Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Florida | 4.94 lb | 2002 · St. Lucie | FWC Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Georgia | 5 lb 12 oz | 1977 | GA DNR CRD Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-23 · GA keeps men's/women's records; heavier taken as overall |
| Louisiana | 8 lb | 1972 · S. Timbalier Blk. 130 | LOWA Louisiana State Fish Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Maryland | 6.5 lb | 2006 · Point Lookout | MD DNR Sport Fish State Records · checked 2026-08-23 · MD Chesapeake division record |
| Mississippi | 5 lb 1 oz | 2012 | MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| New Jersey | 5 lb 8 oz | 1981 · Delaware Bay | NJ DEP Fish & Wildlife State Record Saltwater Fish · checked 2026-09-04 |
| North Carolina | 5 lb | 1981 · Oregon Inlet | NCDMF State Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-22 |
| South Carolina | 4 lb 9 oz | 1979 · Charleston | SCDNR Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Texas | 5.47 lb | 2002 · Gulf of America | TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Virginia | 8 lb 11 oz | 2007 · New Point Light | VMRC Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 2025 brochure · checked 2026-09-04 |
On the table
Very good panfish.
In the app
Point the camera at a atlantic croaker and the name appears before you take the picture, with these rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed, and every catch goes in the log.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask about atlantic croaker
What is the size limit for atlantic croaker?
It depends on the state. Delaware: 8 in min; Maryland: 9 in min.
How many atlantic croaker can you keep?
Delaware: 50 per day; Florida (Atlantic): 50 per person; Florida (Gulf): 100 lb per person; Georgia: 25 per person per day; Maryland: 25; North Carolina: 50/day; South Carolina: 50/day aggregate; Virginia: 50 per person.
What is the record atlantic croaker?
8 lb 11 oz in Virginia (2007), New Point Light. Other states’ records are in the table.