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Species · Lookalikes

Atlantic StingrayorBluntnose Stingray

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 Stingray (Hypanus sabinus), seen from above, on a white background
Atlantic StingrayHypanus sabinus
Studio photograph of a Bluntnose Stingray (Hypanus say), seen from above, on a white background
Bluntnose StingrayHypanus say

Rules for both fish from 2 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 Stingray

Small tan ray with a pointed, spade-shaped snout and a barbed whip tail.

Atlantic stingray, next to bluntnose stingray: pointed snout.

Bluntnose Stingray

Diamond disc with a blunt, rounded snout; yellow-brown above, barbed whip tail.

Bluntnose stingray, next to Atlantic stingray: rounded snout.

Side by side

Atlantic StingrayBluntnose Stingray
Scientific nameHypanus sabinusHypanus say
Also called——
WatersInshoreInshore
Heaviest state record10.75 lb · Texas (1994)36.66 lb · Texas (2003)
On the tableWings are edible; most go back.Wings are edible; most go back.
Rules of its own in2 states2 states

Rules for

Every state, both fish

Where either fish has a rule, the two are regulated the same. The name still goes in the log and on the tally.

StateAtlantic Stingray: size · bag · seasonBluntnose Stingray: size · bag · season
AlabamaNo size limit3 per personOpen year-roundOpenAL MRD 2026 · checked No size limit3 per personOpen year-roundOpenAL MRD 2026 · checked
North CarolinaNo size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenNC DMF 2026 · checked No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenNC DMF 2026 · checked

In the app

Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, Atlantic stingray or bluntnose stingray, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.

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Questions anglers ask

How do you tell Atlantic stingray from bluntnose stingray?

Atlantic Stingray: Small tan ray with a pointed, spade-shaped snout and a barbed whip tail. Bluntnose Stingray: Diamond disc with a blunt, rounded snout; yellow-brown above, barbed whip tail. Bluntnose stingray, next to Atlantic stingray: rounded snout. Atlantic stingray, next to bluntnose stingray: pointed snout.

Which gets bigger, Atlantic stingray or bluntnose stingray?

Bluntnose Stingray. The heaviest state record we hold is 36.66 lb in Texas; the heaviest Atlantic stingray record is 10.75 lb in Texas.

Which is better to eat, Atlantic stingray or bluntnose stingray?

Atlantic Stingray: Wings are edible; most go back. Bluntnose Stingray: Wings are edible; most go back.

Do Atlantic stingray and bluntnose stingray have the same limits?

Yes, in every state that regulates either one. The table on this page lists each rule with its source and check date.