Bermuda Chub
Kyphosus sectatrix
Also called Chopa.
How to tell it
Gray oval pier bruiser with faint brassy stripes and a small mouth; fights like a fish twice its size.
Often mistaken for
Two fish that get called Bermuda chub, and what gives each one away.
- Atlantic spadefish: Bold black bars on a disc body. Tell them apart
- Sheepshead: Convict bars and human-looking teeth. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 10 lb 5 oz | 2006 | Outdoor Alabama Saltwater State Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Louisiana | 8.06 lb | 2013 · S Timbalier 308 | LOWA Louisiana State Fish Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Texas | 8.97 lb | 2007 · Gulf of America | TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
On the table
Dark and strong — islanders eat it, most here release.
In the app
Point the camera at a Bermuda chub 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 Bermuda chub
How do you tell Bermuda chub from Atlantic spadefish?
Bermuda Chub: Gray oval pier bruiser with faint brassy stripes and a small mouth; fights like a fish twice its size. Atlantic spadefish: bold black bars on a disc body.
What is the record Bermuda chub?
10 lb 5 oz in Alabama (2006). Other states’ records are in the table.