Northern Kingfish
Menticirrhus saxatilis
Also called Sea mullet, Whiting, Roundhead.
How to tell it
Dark diagonal bars forming a V at the shoulder, a long first dorsal spine, and a single chin barbel.
Often mistaken for
Two fish that get called northern kingfish, and what gives each one away.
- Southern kingfish: Fainter bars, no shoulder V, shorter dorsal spine. Tell them apart
- Gulf kingfish: Plain silver, no bars. Tell them apart
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | No size limit | No bag limit | Open year-roundMS DMR 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
| South Carolina | No size limit | 50/day aggregate | Open year-roundSC DNR 2026 · checked | Open |
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida (Atlantic), Florida (Gulf), Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
State records
| State | Weight | When, where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 2 lb 10 oz | 2016 · Silver Sands State Park | CT DEEP Saltwater State Record Fish (Harvested) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Delaware | 4 lb | 1973 | DNREC Delaware Fishing Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Florida | 2.8 lb | 2021 · Santa Rosa Beach | FWC Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Georgia | 2 lb 4 oz | 1975 | GA DNR CRD Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Maryland | 2.5 lb | 1975 · Assateague Island | MD DNR Sport Fish State Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Mississippi | 0 lb 6.08 oz | 2024 | MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| New Jersey | 2 lb 8 oz | 2004 · Barnegat Bay | NJ DEP Fish & Wildlife State Record Saltwater Fish · checked 2026-09-04 |
| North Carolina | 3 lb 8 oz | 1971 · Bogue Banks Pier | NCDMF State Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-22 |
| South Carolina | 2 lb 12 oz | 1976 · Georgetown | SCDNR Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Virginia | 2 lb 13 oz | 2023 · Sandbridge Surf (tie: Off Sandbridge, 2002) | VMRC Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 2025 brochure · checked 2026-09-04 |
On the table
Very good — sweet white surf-fish fillets.
In the app
Point the camera at a northern kingfish 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 northern kingfish
How many northern kingfish can you keep?
South Carolina: 50/day aggregate.
How do you tell northern kingfish from southern kingfish?
Northern Kingfish: Dark diagonal bars forming a V at the shoulder, a long first dorsal spine, and a single chin barbel. Southern kingfish: fainter bars, no shoulder V, shorter dorsal spine.
What is the record northern kingfish?
4 lb in Delaware (1973). Other states’ records are in the table.