Houndfish
Tylosurus crocodilus
Also called Crocodile needlefish.
How to tell it
The heavyweight needlefish — thick as your wrist with a shorter, stouter beak; leaps wildly when hooked.
Often mistaken for
Two fish that get called houndfish, and what gives each one away.
- Atlantic needlefish: Pencil-thin, longer beak. Tell them apart
- Great barracuda: Two separated dorsals and fangs, no beak. Tell them apart
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida (Atlantic), Florida (Gulf), 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).
State records
| State | Weight | When, where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 1 lb 0.01 oz | 2008 | MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| South Carolina | 9 lb 4 oz | 1974 · Murrells Inlet | SCDNR Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Texas | 4.5 lb | 2013 · Gulf of America | TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
On the table
Eaten in the islands; green bones are harmless.
In the app
Point the camera at a houndfish 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 houndfish
How do you tell houndfish from Atlantic needlefish?
Houndfish: The heavyweight needlefish — thick as your wrist with a shorter, stouter beak; leaps wildly when hooked. Atlantic needlefish: pencil-thin, longer beak.
What is the record houndfish?
9 lb 4 oz in South Carolina (1974), Murrells Inlet. Other states’ records are in the table.