MonkfishorOyster Toadfish
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
Monkfish
All head and mouth — flattened and fringed, with a built-in fishing-lure spine on the snout.
Oyster Toadfish
Camouflaged grumpy blob with a huge mouth; croaks.
Oyster toadfish, next to monkfish: small fry by comparison; no lure.
Side by side
| Monkfish | Oyster Toadfish | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Lophius americanus | Opsanus tau |
| Also called | Goosefish, Anglerfish | — |
| Waters | Offshore | Inshore |
| Heaviest state record | 49 lb 12 oz · Maine (1991) | 4 lb 15 oz · North Carolina (1994) |
| On the table | 'Poor man's lobster' — the tail and cheeks. | Edible, looks argue otherwise. |
| Rules of its own in | 9 states | 3 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
The two fish are regulated differently in 11 of 11 states with a rule for either. In New York, monkfish is 17" (or 11" tail), No bag limit and oyster toadfish is 10", 3. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.
| State | Monkfish: size · bag · season | Oyster Toadfish: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 17 in whole (11 in tail)No bag limitOpen all yearOpenFederal rule (Mid-Atlantic federal waters)NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| Florida (Atlantic) | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | No size limit5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregateOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · likely · checked |
| Florida (Gulf) | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | No size limit5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregateOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · likely · checked |
| Maine | 17" minNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenME DMR 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| Maryland | 17 in whole (11 in tail)No bag limitOpen all yearOpenFederal rule (Mid-Atlantic federal waters)NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| Massachusetts | No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenMA DMF 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| New Hampshire | 17 in TL minNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenNH F&G 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| New Jersey | 17 in whole (11 in tail)No bag limitOpen all yearOpenFederal rule (Mid-Atlantic federal waters)NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| New York | 17" (or 11" tail)No bag limitOpen year-roundOpenNY DEC 2026 · checked | 10"3Jul 16 - May 14OpenNY DEC 2026 · checked |
| Rhode Island | 17" whole / 11" tail50 lbs tails/day or 166 lbs whole/dayOpen year-roundOpenRI DEM 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| Virginia | 17 in whole (11 in tail)No bag limitOpen all yearOpenFederal rule (Mid-Atlantic federal waters)NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 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, monkfish or oyster toadfish, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell monkfish from oyster toadfish?
Monkfish: All head and mouth — flattened and fringed, with a built-in fishing-lure spine on the snout. Oyster Toadfish: Camouflaged grumpy blob with a huge mouth; croaks. Oyster toadfish, next to monkfish: small fry by comparison; no lure.
Which gets bigger, monkfish or oyster toadfish?
Monkfish. The heaviest state record we hold is 49 lb 12 oz in Maine; the heaviest oyster toadfish record is 4 lb 15 oz in North Carolina.
Which is better to eat, monkfish or oyster toadfish?
Monkfish: 'Poor man's lobster' — the tail and cheeks. Oyster Toadfish: Edible, looks argue otherwise.
Do monkfish and oyster toadfish have the same limits?
Not everywhere. They differ in 11 state rulebooks. New York: monkfish 17" (or 11" tail), No bag limit, oyster toadfish 10", 3; Delaware: monkfish 17 in whole (11 in tail), No bag limit, oyster toadfish no rule of its own; Florida (Atlantic): monkfish no rule of its own, oyster toadfish No size limit, 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate; Florida (Gulf): monkfish no rule of its own, oyster toadfish No size limit, 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate; Maine: monkfish 17" min, No bag limit, oyster toadfish no rule of its own; and more in the table on this page.