Bigmouth SleeperorFat Sleeper
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
Bigmouth Sleeper
Elongate, olive-brown sleeper to 2 ft with a huge mouth and separated dorsal fins; freshwater and brackish rivers.
Bigmouth sleeper, next to fat sleeper: larger, elongated, huge mouth.
Fat Sleeper
Stout, dark goby-like fish with a rounded tail and a wide head; brackish ditches and mangrove edges.
Fat sleeper, next to bigmouth sleeper: shorter, rounder.
Side by side
| Bigmouth Sleeper | Fat Sleeper | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Gobiomorus dormitor | Dormitator maculatus |
| Also called | Guavina | Sleeper |
| Waters | Inshore | Inshore |
| Heaviest state record | — | — |
| On the table | Edible in the Caribbean. | Not eaten. |
| Rules of its own in | 0 states | 0 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
| State | Bigmouth Sleeper: size · bag · season | Fat Sleeper: size · bag · season |
|---|
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, bigmouth sleeper or fat sleeper, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell bigmouth sleeper from fat sleeper?
Bigmouth Sleeper: Elongate, olive-brown sleeper to 2 ft with a huge mouth and separated dorsal fins; freshwater and brackish rivers. Fat Sleeper: Stout, dark goby-like fish with a rounded tail and a wide head; brackish ditches and mangrove edges. Fat sleeper, next to bigmouth sleeper: shorter, rounder. Bigmouth sleeper, next to fat sleeper: larger, elongated, huge mouth.
Which is better to eat, bigmouth sleeper or fat sleeper?
Bigmouth Sleeper: Edible in the Caribbean. Fat Sleeper: Not eaten.