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Species · Inshore

Longhorn Sculpin

Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus

Also called Hacklehead.

Rules in 0 state rulebooks, checked Sep 22, 2026. Every rule names its source and the day it was last checked; the official rulebook is the final word.

Studio photograph of a Longhorn Sculpin (Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus), side view, on a white background

How to tell it

Bottom-grabber with LONG cheek spines (mind your hands), big fanned pectorals, and banded fins.

Often mistaken for

Two fish that get called longhorn sculpin, and what gives each one away.

Rules for

Every state

StateSizeBagSeasonToday

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).

On the table

Not kept — the cod trip's bait stealer.

Related fish

Same genus (Myoxocephalus): Shorthorn Sculpin.

Side by side: Longhorn Sculpin vs Sea Raven, Longhorn Sculpin vs Shorthorn Sculpin.

In the app

Point the camera at a longhorn sculpin 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.

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Questions anglers ask about longhorn sculpin

How do you tell longhorn sculpin from shorthorn sculpin?

Longhorn Sculpin: Bottom-grabber with LONG cheek spines (mind your hands), big fanned pectorals, and banded fins. Shorthorn sculpin: short cheek spines, warty and stockier.