Atlantic Needlefish
Strongylura marina
How to tell it
Pencil-thin chrome fish with BOTH jaws drawn into a toothy beak; rides just under the surface.
Often mistaken for
Two fish that get called Atlantic needlefish, and what gives each one away.
- Houndfish: Wrist-thick heavyweight version. Tell them apart
- Ballyhoo: Only the lower jaw is long. Tell them apart
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida (Atlantic), Florida (Gulf), Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
State records
| State | Weight | When, where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 0 lb 7.06 oz | 2023 | MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Texas | 1.25 lb | 2015 · Lower Laguna Madre | TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
How anglers catch it
Mostly a nuisance at the surface; a hookless lure with a frayed nylon tail catches them for bait.
On the table
Edible — the green bones look alarming but are harmless.
In the app
Point the camera at an Atlantic needlefish 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 needlefish
How do you tell Atlantic needlefish from houndfish?
Atlantic Needlefish: Pencil-thin chrome fish with BOTH jaws drawn into a toothy beak; rides just under the surface. Houndfish: wrist-thick heavyweight version.
How do you catch Atlantic needlefish?
Mostly a nuisance at the surface; a hookless lure with a frayed nylon tail catches them for bait. Methods: casting, sight. Lures: soft plastic, floating stickbait.
What is the record Atlantic needlefish?
1.25 lb in Texas (2015), Lower Laguna Madre. Other states’ records are in the table.