Round Scad
Decapterus punctatus
Also called Cigar minnow.
How to tell it
Slim cigar of a baitfish with a detached finlet behind both dorsal and anal fins and scutes near the tail.
Often mistaken for
Two fish that get called round scad, and what gives each one away.
- Spanish sardine: No finlets, no scutes. Tell them apart
- Blue runner: Deeper body, no detached finlet. Tell them apart
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida (Atlantic), Florida (Gulf), Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
On the table
Premium bait; edible fried but few bother.
In the app
Point the camera at a round scad 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 round scad
How do you tell round scad from Spanish sardine?
Round Scad: Slim cigar of a baitfish with a detached finlet behind both dorsal and anal fins and scutes near the tail. Spanish sardine: no finlets, no scutes.