Scrawled Filefish
Aluterus scriptus
How to tell it
Long pale filefish scribbled all over in blue lines and black dots, trailing a broom tail.
Often mistaken for
One fish that gets called scrawled filefish, and what gives it away.
- Orange filefish: Orange freckles instead of scribbles. Tell them apart
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida (Atlantic) | No size limit | 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate | Open year-roundFWC 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
| Florida (Gulf) | No size limit | 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate | Open year-roundFWC 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, 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).
State records
| State | Weight | When, where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 0 lb 4.8 oz | 2011 | MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Texas | 4.66 lb | 2010 · Gulf of America | TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
On the table
Edible; thin fillets.
In the app
Point the camera at a scrawled filefish 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 scrawled filefish
How many scrawled filefish can you keep?
Florida (Atlantic): 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate; Florida (Gulf): 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate.
How do you tell scrawled filefish from orange filefish?
Scrawled Filefish: Long pale filefish scribbled all over in blue lines and black dots, trailing a broom tail. Orange filefish: orange freckles instead of scribbles.
What is the record scrawled filefish?
4.66 lb in Texas (2010), Gulf of America. Other states’ records are in the table.