Ocean Pout
Zoarces americanus
How to tell it
Eel-shaped body with a frog face and fleshy lips; single long dorsal running to the tail.
Often mistaken for
Three fish that get called ocean pout, and what gives each one away.
- Atlantic wolffish: Canine tusks and bold bars. Tell them apart
- Conger eel: True eel shape, no frog face. Tell them apart
- American eel: True eel, continuous fin. Tell them apart
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ConnecticutFederal rule (New England federal waters) | — | No retention | ProhibitedNOAA GARFO 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| MaineFederal rule (New England federal waters) | — | No retention | ProhibitedNOAA GARFO 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| MassachusettsFederal rule (New England federal waters) | — | No retention | ProhibitedNOAA GARFO 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| New Hampshire | Possession prohibited | Possession prohibited | Closed year-roundNH F&G 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Rhode IslandFederal rule (New England federal waters) | — | No retention | ProhibitedNOAA GARFO 2026 · checked | Put it back |
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Delaware, Florida (Atlantic), Florida (Gulf), Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
On the table
Not kept — release.
In the app
Point the camera at an ocean pout 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 ocean pout
Where is ocean pout harvest prohibited?
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island. Release it there.
How do you tell ocean pout from Atlantic wolffish?
Ocean Pout: Eel-shaped body with a frog face and fleshy lips; single long dorsal running to the tail. Atlantic wolffish: canine tusks and bold bars.