French GruntorTomtate
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
French Grunt
Yellow grunt whose blue stripes run straight on top but SLANT below the midline; yellow fins.
Tomtate
Slim gray grunt with a brassy stripe ending in a tail-base spot.
Tomtate, next to french grunt: drab tan with one thin side stripe.
Side by side
| French Grunt | Tomtate | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Haemulon flavolineatum | Haemulon aurolineatum |
| Also called | — | — |
| Waters | Nearshore | Nearshore |
| Heaviest state record | — | 3.26 lb · Texas (2019) |
| On the table | Fine panfish. | Good panfish. |
| Rules of its own in | 2 states | 4 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
The two fish are regulated differently in 5 of 5 states with a rule for either. In Florida (Atlantic), french grunt is No size limit, 2 fish or 100 lb per day and tomtate is No size limit, No bag limit (excluded from the 20-fish aggregate). Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.
| State | French Grunt: size · bag · season | Tomtate: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Florida (Atlantic) | No size limit2 fish or 100 lb per dayOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · likely · checked | No size limitNo bag limit (excluded from the 20-fish aggregate)Open year-roundOpenFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Gulf) | No size limit2 fish or 100 lb per dayOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · likely · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| Georgia | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | No size limitNo bag limit (excluded from the 20-fish aggregate)Open year-roundOpenFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked |
| North Carolina | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | No size limitNo bag limit (excluded from the 20-fish aggregate)Open year-roundOpenFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked |
| South Carolina | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | No size limit20/day aggregate, max 10 of any one speciesOpen year-roundOpenSC DNR 2026 · likely · checked |
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, french grunt or tomtate, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell french grunt from tomtate?
French Grunt: Yellow grunt whose blue stripes run straight on top but SLANT below the midline; yellow fins. Tomtate: Slim gray grunt with a brassy stripe ending in a tail-base spot. Tomtate, next to french grunt: drab tan with one thin side stripe.
Which is better to eat, french grunt or tomtate?
French Grunt: Fine panfish. Tomtate: Good panfish.
Do french grunt and tomtate have the same limits?
Not everywhere. They differ in 5 state rulebooks. Florida (Atlantic): french grunt No size limit, 2 fish or 100 lb per day, tomtate No size limit, No bag limit (excluded from the 20-fish aggregate); Florida (Gulf): french grunt No size limit, 2 fish or 100 lb per day, tomtate no rule of its own; Georgia: french grunt no rule of its own, tomtate No size limit, No bag limit (excluded from the 20-fish aggregate); North Carolina: french grunt no rule of its own, tomtate No size limit, No bag limit (excluded from the 20-fish aggregate); South Carolina: french grunt no rule of its own, tomtate No size limit, 20/day aggregate, max 10 of any one species.