HogchokerorSouthern Flounder
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
Hogchoker
Tiny right-eyed sole with dark lines across the back and no pectoral fins; rivers and bays.
Southern Flounder
Left-facing flatfish, no eyed ocelli — plain mottled brown. Gulf and summer flounder carry eye-like spots.
Southern flounder, next to hogchoker: left-eyed, much larger.
Side by side
| Hogchoker | Southern Flounder | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Trinectes maculatus | Paralichthys lethostigma |
| Also called | Sole | Flounder |
| Waters | Inshore | Inshore |
| Heaviest state record | — | 20.56 lb · Florida (1983) |
| On the table | Not eaten — too small. | Excellent — mild, white, hard to beat. |
| Rules of its own in | 0 states | 9 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
The two fish are regulated differently in 9 of 9 states with a rule for either. In Alabama, southern flounder is 14 in total length minimum, 5 per person while hogchoker has no rule of its own there. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.
| State | Hogchoker: size · bag · season | Southern Flounder: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 14 in total length minimum5 per personOpen year-round except Nov 1-30 (take or possession prohibited in November)OpenAL MRD 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Atlantic) | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 14 in TL min5 per person (all flounder species combined)Closed Oct 15-Nov 30OpenFWC 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Gulf) | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 14 in TL min5 per person (all flounder species combined)Closed Oct 15-Nov 30OpenFWC 2026 · checked |
| Georgia | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 12 in total length15 per person per dayOpen year-roundOpenGA DNR CRD 2026 · checked |
| Louisiana | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | No size limit10 per personOpen except Oct. 15–Nov. 30 annual closureOpenLDWF 2026 · checked |
| Mississippi | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 12 in total length minimum10 per person per dayOpen year-roundOpenMS DMR 2026 · checked |
| North Carolina | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 15 in TL min1/daySep 1 - Sep 14, 2026ClosedNC DMF 2026 · checked |
| South Carolina | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 16 in total length5/day, max 10/boatOpen year-roundOpenSC DNR 2026 · checked |
| Texas | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 15 in total length5Open year-round except closed Nov 1 – Dec 14OpenTPWD 2026 · checked |
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, hogchoker or southern flounder, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell hogchoker from southern flounder?
Hogchoker: Tiny right-eyed sole with dark lines across the back and no pectoral fins; rivers and bays. Southern Flounder: Left-facing flatfish, no eyed ocelli — plain mottled brown. Gulf and summer flounder carry eye-like spots. Southern flounder, next to hogchoker: left-eyed, much larger.
Which is better to eat, hogchoker or southern flounder?
Hogchoker: Not eaten — too small. Southern Flounder: Excellent — mild, white, hard to beat.
Do hogchoker and southern flounder have the same limits?
Not everywhere. They differ in 9 state rulebooks. Alabama: hogchoker no rule of its own, southern flounder 14 in total length minimum, 5 per person; Florida (Atlantic): hogchoker no rule of its own, southern flounder 14 in TL min, 5 per person (all flounder species combined); Florida (Gulf): hogchoker no rule of its own, southern flounder 14 in TL min, 5 per person (all flounder species combined); Georgia: hogchoker no rule of its own, southern flounder 12 in total length, 15 per person per day; Louisiana: hogchoker no rule of its own, southern flounder No size limit, 10 per person; and more in the table on this page.