Bighead SearobinorBlackwing Searobin
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
Bighead Searobin
Winged bottom fish with a broad, bony head and dark-blotched pectoral fins; grunts when handled.
Bighead searobin, next to blackwing searobin: blotched pectorals, bigger head.
Blackwing Searobin
Searobin with dark, near-black pectoral fins edged in pale; offshore sand.
Blackwing searobin, next to bighead searobin: dark pectorals with a pale margin.
Side by side
| Bighead Searobin | Blackwing Searobin | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Prionotus tribulus | Prionotus rubio |
| Also called | Sea robin | Sea robin |
| Waters | Inshore | Inshore |
| Heaviest state record | — | — |
| On the table | Edible — firm white meat under the armor. | Edible. |
| Rules of its own in | 0 states | 0 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
| State | Bighead Searobin: size · bag · season | Blackwing Searobin: size · bag · season |
|---|
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, bighead searobin or blackwing searobin, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell bighead searobin from blackwing searobin?
Bighead Searobin: Winged bottom fish with a broad, bony head and dark-blotched pectoral fins; grunts when handled. Blackwing Searobin: Searobin with dark, near-black pectoral fins edged in pale; offshore sand. Blackwing searobin, next to bighead searobin: dark pectorals with a pale margin. Bighead searobin, next to blackwing searobin: blotched pectorals, bigger head.
Which is better to eat, bighead searobin or blackwing searobin?
Bighead Searobin: Edible — firm white meat under the armor. Blackwing Searobin: Edible.