High-Hat
Pareques acuminatus
Also called High-hat.
How to tell it
Small black-and-white striped drum with a very tall first dorsal fin on juveniles; hovers under ledges.
Often mistaken for
Two fish that get called high-hat, and what gives each one away.
- Jackknife-fish: Longer dorsal sail, three curved bars. Tell them apart
- Spotted drum: Spotted rear fins. Tell them apart
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida (Atlantic) | No size limit | 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate | Year-roundFWC 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
| Florida (Gulf) | No size limit | 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate | Year-roundFWC 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
On the table
Not a food fish.
In the app
Point the camera at a high-hat and the name appears before you take the picture, with these rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed, and every catch goes in the log.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask about high-hat
How many high-hat can you keep?
Florida (Atlantic): 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate; Florida (Gulf): 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate.
How do you tell high-hat from jackknife-fish?
High-Hat: Small black-and-white striped drum with a very tall first dorsal fin on juveniles; hovers under ledges. Jackknife-fish: longer dorsal sail, three curved bars.