Atlantic GuitarfishorClearnose Skate

Two fish anglers mix up. Here is what separates them, and what each one’s rules are in your state.

Studio photograph of an Atlantic Guitarfish (Pseudobatos lentiginosus), seen from above, on a white background — **Atlantic Guitarfish***Pseudobatos lentiginosus*

Studio photograph of a Clearnose Skate (Rostroraja eglanteria), seen from above, on a white background — **Clearnose Skate***Rostroraja eglanteria*

Rules for both fish from 10 state rulebooks, checked Sep 18, 2026. Every rule names its source and the day it was last checked; the official rulebook is the final word.

How to tell them apart

Atlantic Guitarfish

Half shark, half ray — a flattened, freckled guitar body that sweeps into a shark's tail.

Clearnose Skate

Translucent panes either side of a pointed snout; thorn row down the back; barred, spotted disc.

Clearnose skate, next to Atlantic guitarfish: full wing disc, translucent snout panes.

Side by side

	Atlantic Guitarfish	Clearnose Skate
Scientific name	Pseudobatos lentiginosus	Rostroraja eglanteria
Also called	—	Brier skate
Waters	Inshore	Inshore
Heaviest state record	4.44 lb · Texas (1998)	9 lb 8 oz · Connecticut (2017)
On the table	Release it — protected in Florida waters.	Wings are good eating — scallop-sweet.
Rules of its own in	3 states	8 states

Rules for

Every state, both fish

The two fish are regulated differently in 9 of 10 states with a rule for either. In Delaware, clearnose skate is No size limit, No bag limit while Atlantic guitarfish has no rule of its own there. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.

State	Atlantic Guitarfish: size · bag · season	Clearnose Skate: size · bag · season
Alabama	No size limit3 per personOpen year-roundOpenAL MRD 2026 · likely · checked 2026-09-18	No size limit3 per personOpen year-roundOpenAL MRD 2026 · checked 2026-09-18
Delaware	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	No size limitNo bag limitOpen all yearOpenFederal rule (Mid-Atlantic federal waters)NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 2026 · likely · checked 2026-09-18
Florida (Atlantic)	No size limit2 fish or 100 lb per dayOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
Florida (Gulf)	No size limit2 fish or 100 lb per dayOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
Maryland	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	No size limitNo bag limitOpen all yearOpenFederal rule (Mid-Atlantic federal waters)NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 2026 · likely · checked 2026-09-18
New Jersey	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	No size limitNo bag limitOpen all yearOpenFederal rule (Mid-Atlantic federal waters)NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 2026 · likely · checked 2026-09-18
New York	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	No size limitNo bag limitOpen all yearOpenFederal rule (Mid-Atlantic federal waters)NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 2026 · likely · checked 2026-09-18
North Carolina	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenNC DMF 2026 · checked 2026-09-18
Rhode Island	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	No size limit10/person/dayOpen year-roundOpenRI DEM 2026 · checked 2026-09-18
Virginia	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	No size limitNo bag limitOpen all yearOpenFederal rule (Mid-Atlantic federal waters)NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 2026 · likely · checked 2026-09-18

Questions anglers ask

How do you tell Atlantic guitarfish from clearnose skate?

Atlantic Guitarfish: Half shark, half ray — a flattened, freckled guitar body that sweeps into a shark's tail. Clearnose Skate: Translucent panes either side of a pointed snout; thorn row down the back; barred, spotted disc. Clearnose skate, next to Atlantic guitarfish: full wing disc, translucent snout panes.

Which gets bigger, Atlantic guitarfish or clearnose skate?

Clearnose Skate. The heaviest state record we hold is 9 lb 8 oz in Connecticut; the heaviest Atlantic guitarfish record is 4.44 lb in Texas.

Which is better to eat, Atlantic guitarfish or clearnose skate?

Atlantic Guitarfish: Release it — protected in Florida waters. Clearnose Skate: Wings are good eating — scallop-sweet.

Do Atlantic guitarfish and clearnose skate have the same limits?

Not everywhere. They differ in 9 state rulebooks. Delaware: Atlantic guitarfish no rule of its own, clearnose skate No size limit, No bag limit; Florida (Atlantic): Atlantic guitarfish No size limit, 2 fish or 100 lb per day, clearnose skate no rule of its own; Florida (Gulf): Atlantic guitarfish No size limit, 2 fish or 100 lb per day, clearnose skate no rule of its own; Maryland: Atlantic guitarfish no rule of its own, clearnose skate No size limit, No bag limit; New Jersey: Atlantic guitarfish no rule of its own, clearnose skate No size limit, No bag limit; and more in the table on this page.