Banded RudderfishorGreater Amberjack
Two fish anglers mix up. Here is what separates them, and what each one’s rules are in your state.
How to tell them apart
Banded Rudderfish
Small seriola: juveniles banded, adults show a white-edged tail; often mis-called amberjack.
Banded rudderfish, next to greater amberjack: juvenile bars; small adults with tail-tip white.
Greater Amberjack
Dark band through the eye to the first dorsal; amber side stripe; 11 or fewer dorsal rays than almaco's tall sickle.
Greater amberjack, next to banded rudderfish: grows far larger, stronger eye stripe.
Side by side
| Banded Rudderfish | Greater Amberjack | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Seriola zonata | Seriola dumerili |
| Also called | — | AJ, Reef donkey |
| Waters | Nearshore | Nearshore |
| Heaviest state record | 1 lb 5 oz · Connecticut (2018) | 142.13 lb · Florida (1979) |
| On the table | Very good. | Good; tail worms are common and harmless once cooked. |
| Rules of its own in | 9 states | 10 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
The two fish are regulated differently in 10 of 10 states with a rule for either. In Alabama, banded rudderfish is 14-22 in fork length slot, 20-fish reef fish aggregate and greater amberjack is 34 in fork length minimum, 1 per person. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.
| State | Banded Rudderfish: size · bag · season | Greater Amberjack: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 14-22 in fork length slot20-fish reef fish aggregateOpen year-roundOpenAL MRD 2026 · checked | 34 in fork length minimum1 per personState waters follow federal Gulf season: 2026 open Sept 1 - Oct 13OpenAL MRD 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Atlantic) | 14-22 in fork length slot5 per person (lesser amberjack and banded rudderfish combined)Open year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked | 28 in fork length min1 per personOpen Jan-Mar and May-Dec (closed April)OpenFWC 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Gulf) | 14-22 in fork length slot5 per person (lesser amberjack and banded rudderfish combined)Open year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked | 34 in fork length min1 per person2026 Gulf season: Sep 1-Oct 13OpenFWC 2026 · checked |
| Georgia | No size limit10 per person per day within 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregateOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked | 28 in fork length1 per person per dayOpen year-roundOpenGA DNR CRD 2026 · checked |
| Louisiana | slot 14–22 in fork length5 per person in aggregate with lesser amberjackOpen year-roundOpenLDWF 2026 · checked | 34 in fork length1 per personOpen Sept. 1–Oct. 31, or until quota is metOpenLDWF 2026 · checked |
| Mississippi | 14–22 in fork length slot5 per person per day (combined with Lesser Amberjack)Open year-roundOpenMS DMR 2026 · checked | 34 in fork length minimum1 per personSep 1 – Oct 13, 2026OpenMS DMR 2026 · checked |
| North Carolina | No size limit10 per person per day within 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregateOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked | 28 in fork length1 per person per dayClosed April 1–30 annually; open rest of yearOpenFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked |
| South Carolina | No size limit20/day aggregate, max 10 of any one speciesOpen year-roundOpenSC DNR 2026 · checked | 28 in fork length1/dayOpen year-roundOpenSC DNR 2026 · checked |
| Texas | 14-22 in fork length slot5-fish jacks aggregate (with lesser amberjack)Open year-roundOpenFederal rule (Gulf federal waters)NOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked | 38 in total length1Open year-roundOpenTPWD 2026 · checked |
| Virginia | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 32 in min2 per personOpen year-roundOpenVMRC 2026 · checked |
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, banded rudderfish or greater amberjack, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell banded rudderfish from greater amberjack?
Banded Rudderfish: Small seriola: juveniles banded, adults show a white-edged tail; often mis-called amberjack. Greater Amberjack: Dark band through the eye to the first dorsal; amber side stripe; 11 or fewer dorsal rays than almaco's tall sickle. Greater amberjack, next to banded rudderfish: grows far larger, stronger eye stripe. Banded rudderfish, next to greater amberjack: juvenile bars; small adults with tail-tip white.
Which gets bigger, banded rudderfish or greater amberjack?
Greater Amberjack. The heaviest state record we hold is 142.13 lb in Florida; the heaviest banded rudderfish record is 1 lb 5 oz in Connecticut.
Which is better to eat, banded rudderfish or greater amberjack?
Banded Rudderfish: Very good. Greater Amberjack: Good; tail worms are common and harmless once cooked.
Do banded rudderfish and greater amberjack have the same limits?
Not everywhere. They differ in 10 state rulebooks. Alabama: banded rudderfish 14-22 in fork length slot, 20-fish reef fish aggregate, greater amberjack 34 in fork length minimum, 1 per person; Florida (Atlantic): banded rudderfish 14-22 in fork length slot, 5 per person (lesser amberjack and banded rudderfish combined), greater amberjack 28 in fork length min, 1 per person; Florida (Gulf): banded rudderfish 14-22 in fork length slot, 5 per person (lesser amberjack and banded rudderfish combined), greater amberjack 34 in fork length min, 1 per person; Georgia: banded rudderfish No size limit, 10 per person per day within 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregate, greater amberjack 28 in fork length, 1 per person per day; Louisiana: banded rudderfish slot 14–22 in fork length, 5 per person in aggregate with lesser amberjack, greater amberjack 34 in fork length, 1 per person; and more in the table on this page.