Atlantic Menhaden
Brevoortia tyrannus
Also called Bunker, Pogy, Fatback.
How to tell it
Deep-bodied herring with a big black shoulder spot trailed by smaller spots; swims in tight flipping schools.
Often mistaken for
Two fish that get called Atlantic menhaden, and what gives each one away.
- Atlantic thread herring: Last dorsal ray trails a long thread. Tell them apart
- Alewife: Single spot only, slimmer. Tell them apart
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | No size limit | 50 fish or 5 gallons per day, whichever is greater | Open year-roundCT DEEP 2026 · checked | Open |
| Maine | No size limit | 25 per day | Open year-roundME DMR 2026 · checked | Open |
| Maryland | No size limit | No bag limit | Open year-roundMD DNR 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
| New Hampshire | No size limit | No bag limit | Open year-roundNH F&G 2026 · checked | Open |
| New York | No size limit | 100 | Open year-roundNY DEC 2026 · checked | Open |
| North Carolina | No size limit | No bag limit | Open year-roundNC DMF 2026 · checked | Open |
| Rhode Island | No size limit | 200/person/day (fish over 4"; unlimited under 4") | Open year-roundRI DEM 2026 · checked | Open |
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Delaware, Florida (Atlantic), Florida (Gulf), Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
How anglers catch it
Cast-net or snag them in the schools; the bait that feeds the whole coast.
On the table
Bait and chum — not table fare.
In the app
Point the camera at an Atlantic menhaden 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 menhaden
How many Atlantic menhaden can you keep?
Connecticut: 50 fish or 5 gallons per day, whichever is greater; Maine: 25 per day; New York: 100; Rhode Island: 200/person/day (fish over 4"; unlimited under 4").
How do you tell Atlantic menhaden from Atlantic thread herring?
Atlantic Menhaden: Deep-bodied herring with a big black shoulder spot trailed by smaller spots; swims in tight flipping schools. Atlantic thread herring: last dorsal ray trails a long thread.