Ocean PoutorConger Eel
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
Ocean Pout
Eel-shaped body with a frog face and fleshy lips; single long dorsal running to the tail.
Conger Eel
Gray scaleless eel whose dorsal starts right behind the pectorals; upper jaw overhangs the lower.
Conger eel, next to ocean pout: true eel shape, no frog face.
Side by side
| Ocean Pout | Conger Eel | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Zoarces americanus | Conger oceanicus |
| Also called | — | — |
| Waters | Inshore | Nearshore |
| Heaviest state record | — | 30 lb 2.24 oz · Mississippi (2025) |
| On the table | Not kept — release. | Firm; a delicacy in Europe, ignored here. |
| Rules of its own in | 5 states | 1 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
The two fish are regulated differently in 6 of 6 states with a rule for either. In Connecticut, ocean pout is —, No retention while conger eel has no rule of its own there. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.
| State | Ocean Pout: size · bag · season | Conger Eel: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | —No retentionProhibitedPut it backFederal rule (New England federal waters)NOAA GARFO 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| Maine | —No retentionProhibitedPut it backFederal rule (New England federal waters)NOAA GARFO 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| Massachusetts | —No retentionProhibitedPut it backFederal rule (New England federal waters)NOAA GARFO 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| New Hampshire | Possession prohibitedPossession prohibitedClosed year-roundPut it backNH F&G 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| North Carolina | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenNC DMF 2026 · checked |
| Rhode Island | —No retentionProhibitedPut it backFederal rule (New England federal waters)NOAA GARFO 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, ocean pout or conger eel, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell ocean pout from conger eel?
Ocean Pout: Eel-shaped body with a frog face and fleshy lips; single long dorsal running to the tail. Conger Eel: Gray scaleless eel whose dorsal starts right behind the pectorals; upper jaw overhangs the lower. Conger eel, next to ocean pout: true eel shape, no frog face.
Which is better to eat, ocean pout or conger eel?
Ocean Pout: Not kept — release. Conger Eel: Firm; a delicacy in Europe, ignored here.
Do ocean pout and conger eel have the same limits?
Not everywhere. They differ in 6 state rulebooks. Connecticut: ocean pout —, No retention, conger eel no rule of its own; Maine: ocean pout —, No retention, conger eel no rule of its own; Massachusetts: ocean pout —, No retention, conger eel no rule of its own; New Hampshire: ocean pout Possession prohibited, Possession prohibited, conger eel no rule of its own; North Carolina: ocean pout no rule of its own, conger eel No size limit, No bag limit; and more in the table on this page.