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Species · Lookalikes

CuskorOcean Pout

Two fish anglers mix up. Here is what separates them, and what each one’s rules are in your state.

Studio photograph of a Cusk (Brosme brosme), side view, on a white background
CuskBrosme brosme
Illustration of an Ocean Pout (Zoarces americanus), side view, on a white background
Ocean PoutZoarces americanusDrawing: NOAA Fisheries

Rules for both fish from 5 state rulebooks, checked Sep 18, 2026. Every rule names its source and the day it was last checked; the official rulebook is the final word.

How to tell them apart

Cusk

Eel-tailed cod relative — one long dorsal and anal fin running into the rounded tail; leathery brown skin.

Ocean Pout

Eel-shaped body with a frog face and fleshy lips; single long dorsal running to the tail.

Ocean pout, next to cusk: frog face and fleshy lips.

Side by side

CuskOcean Pout
Scientific nameBrosme brosmeZoarces americanus
Also called——
WatersOffshoreInshore
Heaviest state record34 lb 4 oz · Massachusetts (1990)—
On the tableFirm and sweet — an underrated chowder fish.Not kept — release.
Rules of its own in2 states5 states

Rules for

Every state, both fish

The two fish are regulated differently in 5 of 5 states with a rule for either. In Maine, cusk is No size limit, No bag limit and ocean pout is —, No retention. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.

StateCusk: size · bag · seasonOcean Pout: size · bag · season
ConnecticutNot specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.—No retentionProhibitedPut it backFederal rule (New England federal waters)NOAA GARFO 2026 · checked
MaineNo size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenME DMR 2026 · checked —No retentionProhibitedPut it backFederal rule (New England federal waters)NOAA GARFO 2026 · checked
MassachusettsNo size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenNOAA GARFO 2026 · likely · checked —No retentionProhibitedPut it backFederal rule (New England federal waters)NOAA GARFO 2026 · checked
New HampshireNot specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.Possession prohibitedPossession prohibitedClosed year-roundPut it backNH F&G 2026 · checked
Rhode IslandNot specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.—No retentionProhibitedPut it backFederal rule (New England federal waters)NOAA GARFO 2026 · checked

In the app

Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, cusk or ocean pout, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.

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Questions anglers ask

How do you tell cusk from ocean pout?

Cusk: Eel-tailed cod relative — one long dorsal and anal fin running into the rounded tail; leathery brown skin. Ocean Pout: Eel-shaped body with a frog face and fleshy lips; single long dorsal running to the tail. Ocean pout, next to cusk: frog face and fleshy lips.

Which is better to eat, cusk or ocean pout?

Cusk: Firm and sweet — an underrated chowder fish. Ocean Pout: Not kept — release.

Do cusk and ocean pout have the same limits?

Not everywhere. They differ in 5 state rulebooks. Maine: cusk No size limit, No bag limit, ocean pout —, No retention; Massachusetts: cusk No size limit, No bag limit, ocean pout —, No retention; Connecticut: cusk no rule of its own, ocean pout —, No retention; New Hampshire: cusk no rule of its own, ocean pout Possession prohibited, Possession prohibited; Rhode Island: cusk no rule of its own, ocean pout —, No retention.