Bluestriped GruntorFrench Grunt
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
Bluestriped Grunt
Yellow body covered nose-to-tail in electric-blue stripes; dusky tail and rear dorsal.
Bluestriped grunt, next to french grunt: stripes straight the whole way.
French Grunt
Yellow grunt whose blue stripes run straight on top but SLANT below the midline; yellow fins.
French grunt, next to bluestriped grunt: stripes slant below the midline.
Side by side
| Bluestriped Grunt | French Grunt | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Haemulon sciurus | Haemulon flavolineatum |
| Also called | — | — |
| Waters | Nearshore | Nearshore |
| Heaviest state record | — | — |
| On the table | Fine panfish — the original grits-and-grunts fish. | Fine panfish. |
| Rules of its own in | 1 states | 0 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
The two fish are regulated differently in 1 of 1 states with a rule for either. In Florida (Atlantic), bluestriped grunt is No size limit, 2 fish or 100 lb per person per day, whichever is greater while french grunt has no rule of its own there. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.
| State | Bluestriped Grunt: size · bag · season | French Grunt: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Florida (Atlantic) | No size limit2 fish or 100 lb per person per day, whichever is greaterOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, bluestriped grunt or french grunt, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell bluestriped grunt from french grunt?
Bluestriped Grunt: Yellow body covered nose-to-tail in electric-blue stripes; dusky tail and rear dorsal. French Grunt: Yellow grunt whose blue stripes run straight on top but SLANT below the midline; yellow fins. French grunt, next to bluestriped grunt: stripes slant below the midline. Bluestriped grunt, next to french grunt: stripes straight the whole way.
Which is better to eat, bluestriped grunt or french grunt?
Bluestriped Grunt: Fine panfish — the original grits-and-grunts fish. French Grunt: Fine panfish.
Do bluestriped grunt and french grunt have the same limits?
Not everywhere. They differ in 1 state rulebooks. Florida (Atlantic): bluestriped grunt No size limit, 2 fish or 100 lb per person per day, whichever is greater, french grunt no rule of its own.