Northern KingfishorSouthern Kingfish

Two fish anglers mix up. Here is what separates them, and what each one’s rules are in your state.

Studio photograph of a Northern Kingfish (Menticirrhus saxatilis), side view, on a white background — **Northern Kingfish***Menticirrhus saxatilis*

Studio photograph of a Southern Kingfish (Menticirrhus americanus), side view, on a white background — **Southern Kingfish***Menticirrhus americanus*

Rules for both fish from 2 state rulebooks, checked Oct 29, 2026. Every rule names its source and the day it was last checked; the official rulebook is the final word.

How to tell them apart

Northern Kingfish

Dark diagonal bars forming a V at the shoulder, a long first dorsal spine, and a single chin barbel.

Southern Kingfish

Chin barbel, no air bladder croaks here — the surf 'sea mullet'.

Southern kingfish, next to northern kingfish: fainter bars, no shoulder V, shorter dorsal spine.

Side by side

	Northern Kingfish	Southern Kingfish
Scientific name	Menticirrhus saxatilis	Menticirrhus americanus
Also called	Sea mullet, Whiting, Roundhead	—
Waters	Inshore	Inshore
Heaviest state record	4 lb · Delaware (1973)	4 lb · Delaware (1973)
On the table	Very good — sweet white surf-fish fillets.	Very good surf panfish.
Rules of its own in	2 states	2 states

Rules for

Every state, both fish

Where either fish has a rule, the two are regulated the same. The name still goes in the log and on the tally.

State	Northern Kingfish: size · bag · season	Southern Kingfish: size · bag · season
Mississippi	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenMS DMR 2026 · likely · checked 2026-10-29	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenMS DMR 2026 · checked 2026-10-29
South Carolina	No size limit50/day aggregateOpen year-roundOpenSC DNR 2026 · checked 2026-10-29	No size limit50/day aggregateOpen year-roundOpenSC DNR 2026 · checked 2026-10-29

Questions anglers ask

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: Chin barbel, no air bladder croaks here — the surf 'sea mullet'. Southern kingfish, next to northern kingfish: fainter bars, no shoulder V, shorter dorsal spine.

Which gets bigger, northern kingfish or southern kingfish?

Northern Kingfish. The heaviest state record we hold is 4 lb in Delaware; the heaviest southern kingfish record is 4 lb in Delaware.

Which is better to eat, northern kingfish or southern kingfish?

Northern Kingfish: Very good — sweet white surf-fish fillets. Southern Kingfish: Very good surf panfish.

Do northern kingfish and southern kingfish have the same limits?

Yes, in every state that regulates either one. The table on this page lists each rule with its source and check date.