HoundfishorGreat Barracuda
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
Houndfish
The heavyweight needlefish — thick as your wrist with a shorter, stouter beak; leaps wildly when hooked.
Great Barracuda
Underslung jaw of visible teeth, scattered ink-black blotches on silver.
Great barracuda, next to houndfish: two separated dorsals and fangs, no beak.
Side by side
| Houndfish | Great Barracuda | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Tylosurus crocodilus | Sphyraena barracuda |
| Also called | Crocodile needlefish | — |
| Waters | Nearshore | Nearshore |
| Heaviest state record | 9 lb 4 oz · South Carolina (1974) | 67 lb 7 oz · North Carolina (1985) |
| On the table | Eaten in the islands; green bones are harmless. | Small ones are eaten, but barracuda is a leading ciguatera carrier — most release them. |
| Rules of its own in | 1 states | 2 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
The two fish are regulated differently in 3 of 3 states with a rule for either. In Florida (Atlantic), great barracuda is 15-36 in FL slot in Collier-Martin counties; no size limit elsewhere, 2 per person; 6 per vessel (regulated counties) while houndfish has no rule of its own there. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.
| State | Houndfish: size · bag · season | Great Barracuda: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Florida (Atlantic) | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 15-36 in FL slot in Collier-Martin counties; no size limit elsewhere2 per person; 6 per vessel (regulated counties)Open year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Gulf) | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 15-36 in FL slot in Collier-Martin counties; no size limit elsewhere2 per person; 6 per vessel (regulated counties)Open year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked |
| North Carolina | No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenNC DMF 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, houndfish or great barracuda, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell houndfish from great barracuda?
Houndfish: The heavyweight needlefish — thick as your wrist with a shorter, stouter beak; leaps wildly when hooked. Great Barracuda: Underslung jaw of visible teeth, scattered ink-black blotches on silver. Great barracuda, next to houndfish: two separated dorsals and fangs, no beak.
Which gets bigger, houndfish or great barracuda?
Great Barracuda. The heaviest state record we hold is 67 lb 7 oz in North Carolina; the heaviest houndfish record is 9 lb 4 oz in South Carolina.
Which is better to eat, houndfish or great barracuda?
Houndfish: Eaten in the islands; green bones are harmless. Great Barracuda: Small ones are eaten, but barracuda is a leading ciguatera carrier — most release them.
Do houndfish and great barracuda have the same limits?
Not everywhere. They differ in 3 state rulebooks. Florida (Atlantic): houndfish no rule of its own, great barracuda 15-36 in FL slot in Collier-Martin counties; no size limit elsewhere, 2 per person; 6 per vessel (regulated counties); Florida (Gulf): houndfish no rule of its own, great barracuda 15-36 in FL slot in Collier-Martin counties; no size limit elsewhere, 2 per person; 6 per vessel (regulated counties); North Carolina: houndfish No size limit, No bag limit, great barracuda no rule of its own.