Red HakeorSpotted Hake

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

Illustration of a Red Hake (Urophycis chuss), side view, on a white background — **Red Hake***Urophycis chuss*Drawing: NOAA Fisheries

Studio photograph of a Spotted Hake (Urophycis regia), side view, on a white background — **Spotted Hake***Urophycis regia*

Rules for both fish from 2 state rulebooks, checked Sep 18, 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

Red Hake

Soft-rayed codling with a ribbon-thin first-dorsal ray, a chin barbel, and slim reddish-brown body.

Red hake, next to spotted hake: no spot row; longer dorsal ribbon ray.

Spotted Hake

Codling with a dashed row of dark spots down the lateral line, big eye, chin barbel.

Spotted hake, next to red hake: row of dark spots along the lateral line.

Side by side

	Red Hake	Spotted Hake
Scientific name	Urophycis chuss	Urophycis regia
Also called	Ling, Squirrel hake	—
Waters	Inshore	Inshore
Heaviest state record	12 lb 13 oz · New Jersey (2010)	3.5 lb · Texas (1995)
On the table	Soft but tasty fresh — a chowder fish.	Chowder-grade; eat it fresh.
Rules of its own in	2 states	1 states

Rules for

Every state, both fish

The two fish are regulated differently in 1 of 2 states with a rule for either. In Maine, red hake is No size limit, No bag limit while spotted hake has no rule of its own there. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.

State	Red Hake: size · bag · season	Spotted Hake: size · bag · season
Maine	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenME DMR 2026 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
North Carolina	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenNC DMF 2026 · likely · checked 2026-09-18	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenNC DMF 2026 · checked 2026-09-18

Questions anglers ask

How do you tell red hake from spotted hake?

Red Hake: Soft-rayed codling with a ribbon-thin first-dorsal ray, a chin barbel, and slim reddish-brown body. Spotted Hake: Codling with a dashed row of dark spots down the lateral line, big eye, chin barbel. Spotted hake, next to red hake: row of dark spots along the lateral line. Red hake, next to spotted hake: no spot row; longer dorsal ribbon ray.

Which gets bigger, red hake or spotted hake?

Red Hake. The heaviest state record we hold is 12 lb 13 oz in New Jersey; the heaviest spotted hake record is 3.5 lb in Texas.

Which is better to eat, red hake or spotted hake?

Red Hake: Soft but tasty fresh — a chowder fish. Spotted Hake: Chowder-grade; eat it fresh.

Do red hake and spotted hake have the same limits?

Not everywhere. They differ in 1 state rulebooks. Maine: red hake No size limit, No bag limit, spotted hake no rule of its own.