Fish that look alike
198 pairs anglers mix up, and the tells that separate each one. Every page puts both fish side by side with their rules in every state, because the wrong name can mean the wrong limit.
Inshore · 74
- Alewife vs American shadMuch larger, spot row
- Alewife vs Atlantic herringNo shoulder spot
- Alewife vs blueback herringBlue-black back, smaller eye — in hand, its gut lining is black
- American eel vs Atlantic cutlassfishRibbon-flat and fanged, no tail fin at all
- American eel vs conger eelGray, with the upper jaw overhanging instead
- Atlantic bumper vs Atlantic moonfishSteeper forehead, no tail-base spot
- Atlantic butterfish vs Atlantic bumperHas ventral fins and a black tail-base saddle
- Atlantic guitarfish vs clearnose skateFull wing disc, translucent snout panes
- Atlantic guitarfish vs smalltooth sawfishCarries a long toothed saw
- Atlantic herring vs Atlantic menhadenBig spot plus trailing spots
- Atlantic herring vs blueback herringBlue-black back, spot
- Atlantic menhaden vs alewifeSingle spot only, slimmer
- Atlantic menhaden vs Atlantic thread herringLast dorsal ray trails a long thread
- Atlantic moonfish vs lookdownLong dorsal and anal streamers, flatter forehead
- Atlantic needlefish vs ballyhooOnly the lower jaw is long
- Atlantic needlefish vs houndfishWrist-thick heavyweight version
- Atlantic stingray vs bluntnose stingrayRounded snout
- Atlantic stingray vs southern stingrayMuch bigger, sharply angular disc corners
- Atlantic thread herring vs scaled sardineNo thread, slimmer
- Atlantic tomcod vs Atlantic codJuveniles lack the marbling and fin filaments
- Barred grunt vs white gruntNo bars, blue striped head
- Bighead searobin vs blackwing searobinDark pectorals with a pale margin
- Bigmouth sleeper vs fat sleeperShorter, rounder
- Black drum vs red drumNo barbels, has the tail spot
- Black drum vs sheepsheadBlack bars but sheepshead has human-like teeth
- Blue tilapia vs mayan cichlidBarred with a tail spot
- Bluntnose stingray vs southern stingrayBigger, darker, angular
- Bonefish vs ladyfishMouth at the tip, jumps when hooked
- Bonefish vs permitDeep-bodied with a black-edged sickle tail
- Checkered puffer vs smooth pufferLarge, plain silver
- Clearnose skate vs Atlantic stingrayWhip tail with a venomous barb — skates have neither
- Clearnose skate vs winter skateNorthern; rounder wings, pale eye-spots
- Cunner vs tautogBlunter, chunkier, slate-gray
- Gulf flounder vs southern flounderNo eye-ringed spots at all
- Gulf flounder vs summer flounderFive eye-ringed spots in an x
- Gulf kingfish vs northern kingfishBold bars and a shoulder v
- Gulf kingfish vs southern kingfishGray-barred, not plain silver
- Gulf menhaden vs Atlantic menhadenAtlantic-side twin
- Gulf menhaden vs Atlantic thread herringTrailing dorsal thread
- Gulf toadfish vs oyster toadfishThe atlantic-side twin — range is the tell
- Hogchoker vs southern flounderLeft-eyed, much larger
- Irish pompano vs yellowfin mojarraYellow fins, less deep
- Longhorn sculpin vs sea ravenRagged fringed fins
- Longhorn sculpin vs shorthorn sculpinShort cheek spines, warty and stockier
- Mayan cichlid vs butterfly peacock bassGolden with three bars
- Northern kingfish vs southern kingfishFainter bars, no shoulder v, shorter dorsal spine
- Northern stargazer vs oyster toadfishMouth on the front of the face, not the top
- Ocean pout vs American eelTrue eel, continuous fin
- Ocean pout vs conger eelTrue eel shape, no frog face
- Palometa vs Florida pompanoNo long black lobes, no bars
- Palometa vs permitGrows far larger; deeper body
- Red hake vs Atlantic codSquare tail, heavier body, pale lateral line
- Red hake vs spotted hakeRow of dark spots along the lateral line
- Sand seatrout vs silver perchNo canines at all
- Sand seatrout vs spotted seatroutBlack spots over back and tail
- Sand seatrout vs weakfishFaint slanted rows of spots, northern
- Scaled sardine vs Spanish sardineSlimmer, no spot
- Sea bream vs pinfishSlimmer, spot sits right at the shoulder midline
- Sea bream vs spottail pinfishSpot on the tail base instead
- Sea raven vs shorthorn sculpinClean fins, stockier
- Sheepshead vs Atlantic spadefishRounder, disc-shaped, small mouth
- Silver perch vs spotDark shoulder spot and oblique bars
- Southern flounder vs summer flounderHas 5+ eye-like spots toward the tail
- Southern puffer vs northern pufferTiny black pepper-grain spots, northern
- Southern puffer vs striped burrfishSpined, striped
- Spotted seatrout vs weakfishSpots form diagonal rows, not scattered
- Striped burrfish vs northern pufferNo spines, pepper-grain dots
- Striped mojarra vs yellowfin mojarraYellow lower fins
- Striped searobin vs northern searobinPlain sides, no bold stripes
- White perch vs striped bassLonger, with unbroken stripes
- White perch vs yellow perchGold with dark vertical bars
- Windowpane flounder vs summer flounderBig mouth, eye-spots
- Windowpane flounder vs winter flounderThick, right-facing
- Winter flounder vs summer flounderLeft-facing with a big toothy mouth
Nearshore · 81
- Almaco jack vs greater amberjackSlimmer, lower dorsal lobe, stronger amber stripe
- Atlantic bonito vs false albacoreWavy broken markings, no teeth showing
- Atlantic chub mackerel vs Atlantic mackerelClean unspotted belly, bolder bars
- Atlantic chub mackerel vs Spanish mackerelGold spots, larger
- Atlantic mackerel vs Spanish mackerelGold spots, southern
- Banded rudderfish vs almaco jackDeeper body, tall sickle dorsal
- Banded rudderfish vs greater amberjackGrows far larger, stronger eye stripe
- Bandtail puffer vs checkered pufferNet pattern on the back
- Bermuda chub vs Atlantic spadefishBold black bars on a disc body
- Bermuda chub vs sheepsheadConvict bars and human-looking teeth
- Bigeye scad vs white trevallyDeeper, yellow stripe
- Black durgon vs gray triggerfishGray, mottled
- Black durgon vs queen triggerfishBlue lines on the face
- Black margate vs sheepsheadTrue vertical convict bars
- Black margate vs white margateNo black blotch
- Blue angelfish vs queen angelfishCrown spot, solid yellow tail
- Blue parrotfish vs midnight parrotfishDark indigo with blue head patches
- Blue tang vs doctorfishFaint vertical bars
- Blue tang vs ocean surgeonfishGray-blue, blue-edged tail
- Bluestriped grunt vs french gruntStripes slant below the midline
- Bluestriped grunt vs porkfishTwo black face bars
- Cero mackerel vs king mackerelLateral line takes a sharp drop; no gold markings when grown
- Cero mackerel vs Spanish mackerelSpots only — no stripe
- Cobia vs Atlantic sharpnose sharkCobia has no shark tail; swims flat and slow
- Cubera snapper vs mangrove snapperSmaller, warmer bronze, smaller teeth
- Doctorfish vs ocean surgeonfishNo bars
- Dog snapper vs cubera snapperGrows far larger, lacks the pale cheek triangle
- Dog snapper vs schoolmaster snapperBarred, all-yellow fins
- Florida pompano vs permitLarger, orange belly patch, deeper body
- French angelfish vs gray angelfishGray, square tail edge, pale mouth
- French grunt vs tomtateDrab tan with one thin side stripe
- Gag grouper vs black grouperRectangular dark blotches, brassy spots
- Goldentail moray vs spotted morayLarger dark blotches on a pale ground
- Great barracuda vs king mackerelNo blotches, dipping lateral line
- Green moray vs purplemouth morayMottled, smaller
- High-hat vs jackknife-fishLonger dorsal sail, three curved bars
- High-hat vs spotted drumSpotted rear fins
- Horse-eye jack vs crevalle jackDark pectoral blotch, steeper head
- Horse-eye jack vs yellow jackSlimmer, brassy-yellow rear half
- Houndfish vs great barracudaTwo separated dorsals and fangs, no beak
- Jackknife-fish vs spotted drumSpotted fins
- King mackerel vs Spanish mackerelLateral line slopes gently, keeps its spots
- Lane snapper vs white gruntGrunt has blue head stripes, no dark spot
- Lesser amberjack vs greater amberjackEye stripe runs into the first dorsal
- Littlehead porgy vs knobbed porgyKnob on the nape, rosier
- Littlehead porgy vs scupPlainer, northern
- Mahogany snapper vs lane snapperPink-and-yellow striped, blotch sits mostly above the line
- Mangrove snapper vs lane snapperPink-yellow stripes and a dark side spot
- Midnight parrotfish vs rainbow parrotfishOrange and green
- Orange filefish vs gray triggerfishTrue trigger, gray with saddle blotches
- Orange filefish vs scrawled filefishBlue scribbles and black dots
- Planehead filefish vs gray triggerfishTrue trigger — bigger, with a three-spine dorsal lock
- Planehead filefish vs orange filefishMuch larger, orange-freckled
- Porcupinefish vs striped burrfishShort fixed spines and stripes, no fin spots
- Porkfish vs black margateNo bars; black smudge and jet fins
- Puddingwife vs slippery dickSmall, striped
- Purplemouth moray vs spotted morayBold spotting
- Queen triggerfish vs gray triggerfishDrab gray with saddle blotches
- Queen triggerfish vs ocean triggerfishPlain gray-brown, offshore
- Rainbow parrotfish vs blue parrotfishSolid blue, bulging snout
- Red grouper vs red hindSmaller, covered in discrete red spots
- Red grouper vs red snapperSnapper is brighter red with a snapper jaw and forked tail
- Red snapper vs vermilion snapperSmaller, streamlined, forked tail, no heavy jaw
- Redtail parrotfish vs stoplight parrotfishYellow gill spot
- Round scad vs blue runnerDeeper body, no detached finlet
- Round scad vs Spanish sardineNo finlets, no scutes
- Sailors choice vs tomtateSmaller with a single side stripe
- Sailors choice vs white margateCleaner silver, deeper body
- Sand perch vs rock sea bassStockier, dark blotch mid-dorsal
- Schoolmaster snapper vs mangrove snapperDarker, no bars, red-brown cast
- Sharksucker vs cobiaThe famous mix-up — same shape and stripe, but no disc
- Southern sennet vs great barracudaMuch larger, scattered black blotches
- Spanish hogfish vs hogfishThe big-snouted food fish, no purple saddle
- Spanish mackerel vs false albacoreWavy worm-lines on the back, no spots
- Speckled hind vs red hindRed spots on pale body — the inverse pattern
- Spotted eagle ray vs cownose rayPlain brown with a notched, lobed snout
- Tiger grouper vs black grouperRectangular blotches, brassy spots
- Tiger grouper vs gag grouperGray marble, no oblique bars
- Tiger grouper vs yellowfin grouperYellow outer pectoral third
- Yellow jack vs bar jackBlack stripe along the back running into the lower tail lobe
- Yellow jack vs crevalle jackSteep head and a dark pectoral blotch
Offshore · 26
- Albacore vs bigeye tunaStockier with a bigger eye; pectorals never reach that far
- Albacore vs yellowfin tunaYellow finlets and shorter pectorals
- American plaice vs summer flounderLeft-eyed, big-toothed
- American plaice vs winter flounderSmall mouth, lateral line curved over the pectoral
- Atlantic cod vs haddockBlack lateral line and the thumbprint blotch
- Atlantic cod vs pollockGreenish, faint line, pointed snout
- Atlantic halibut vs summer flounderLeft-facing, rounded tail, eye-spots
- Atlantic halibut vs winter flounderSmall mouth, small fish
- Atlantic wolffish vs ocean poutFleshy lips, no tusks, no bars
- Bigeye vs short bigeyeDeeper, rounder tail
- Bigeye tuna vs yellowfin tunaBrighter yellow fins, slimmer profile
- Black jack vs white trevallySilvery with a yellow stripe
- Blackfin tuna vs yellowfin tunaBright yellow fins, grows far larger
- Creole fish vs creole wrassePurple-blue, a wrasse
- Cusk vs ocean poutFrog face and fleshy lips
- Cusk vs red hakeSeparate dorsal fins, ribbon ray
- False albacore vs king mackerelSlimmer, dipping lateral line
- Flat needlefish vs redfin needlefishSmall, red fins
- Haddock vs pollockNo thumbprint, undershot jaw
- Marbled grouper vs gag grouperGray with worm-like markings
- Monkfish vs oyster toadfishSmall fry by comparison; no lure
- Silver hake vs red hakeChin barbel, long threadlike pelvic fin
- Skipjack tuna vs Atlantic bonitoStripes on the back, slimmer
- Skipjack tuna vs false albacoreWavy marks on the back, spots under the pectoral
- Unicorn filefish vs gray triggerfishStout, spiny first dorsal locks up
- Wahoo vs king mackerelNo vertical bars; wahoo's bars and longer snout
Sharks · 17
- Atlantic sharpnose shark vs blacktip sharkLarger, black-tipped fins, no white spots
- Blacktip shark vs spinner sharkBlack tip on the anal fin, longer snout
- Blue shark vs shortfin makoStockier, conical snout, dagger teeth
- Caribbean reef shark vs blacktip sharkCrisp black fin tips, pointed snout
- Caribbean reef shark vs bull sharkBroader head, stockier still
- Caribbean reef shark vs sandbar sharkMuch taller first dorsal
- Dusky shark vs sandbar sharkMuch taller, forward-set first dorsal
- Galapagos shark vs dusky sharkNearly identical; dusky is the coastal one
- Galapagos shark vs sandbar sharkTaller, more forward dorsal
- Great white shark vs shortfin makoSlimmer, with smooth-edged dagger teeth
- Oceanic whitetip shark vs silky sharkNarrow pointed fins, no white tips
- Porbeagle vs shortfin makoNo white dorsal patch, single keel
- Sandbar shark vs bull sharkBroader snout, no ridge between dorsals
- Silky shark vs dusky sharkTaller first dorsal, shorter pectorals
- Silky shark vs sandbar sharkVery tall first dorsal set forward
- Smooth hammerhead vs great hammerheadNearly straight hammer, tall sickle dorsal
- Smooth hammerhead vs scalloped hammerheadNotched, wavy hammer edge