Ballyhoo
Hemiramphus brasiliensis
Also called 'Hoo, Balao.
How to tell it
Only the LOWER jaw stretches into a beak, tipped orange-red — the trolling bait.
- Not a atlantic needlefish? That one both jaws long and toothy. (Atlantic Needlefish)
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida (Atlantic) | No size limit | No bag limit for bait | Open year-roundFWC 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
| Florida (Gulf) | No size limit | No bag limit for bait | Open year-roundFWC 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, 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).
On the table
Bait royalty; fried whole in the islands.
In the app
Point the camera at a ballyhoo 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 ballyhoo
How do you tell ballyhoo from atlantic needlefish?
Ballyhoo has this: Only the LOWER jaw stretches into a beak, tipped orange-red — the trolling bait.. Atlantic Needlefish both jaws long and toothy.