Skipjack TunaorFalse Albacore

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

Studio photograph of a Skipjack Tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis), side view, on a white background — **Skipjack Tuna***Katsuwonus pelamis*

Studio photograph of a False Albacore (Euthynnus alletteratus), side view, on a white background — **False Albacore***Euthynnus alletteratus*

Rules for both fish from 19 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

Skipjack Tuna

Dark horizontal stripes on the BELLY — not the back; stout purple-backed football.

False Albacore

Wavy, worm-like markings above the lateral line only; spotless silver below; football body.

False albacore, next to skipjack tuna: wavy marks on the back, spots under the pectoral.

Side by side

	Skipjack Tuna	False Albacore
Scientific name	Katsuwonus pelamis	Euthynnus alletteratus
Also called	Skippy, Oceanic bonito	Albie, Little tunny, Fat Albert
Waters	Offshore	Offshore
Heaviest state record	33.5 lb · Florida (1998)	32 lb · North Carolina (2015)
On the table	Strong and dark — bleed it, grill it fresh, or smoke it.	Poor — dark, strong-flavored; almost always released.
Rules of its own in	19 states	1 states

Rules for

Every state, both fish

The two fish are regulated differently in 19 of 19 states with a rule for either. In Massachusetts, skipjack tuna is No size limit, No bag limit and false albacore is 16" min (curved fork length), 5 fish combined with Atlantic bonito. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.

State	Skipjack Tuna: size · bag · season	False Albacore: size · bag · season
Alabama	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
Connecticut	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
Delaware	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
Florida (Atlantic)	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
Florida (Gulf)	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
Georgia	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
Louisiana	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
Maine	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
Maryland	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
Massachusetts	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	16" min (curved fork length)5 fish combined with Atlantic bonitoOpen year-roundOpenMA DMF 2026 · checked 2026-09-07
Mississippi	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
New Hampshire	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
New Jersey	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
New York	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
North Carolina	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
Rhode Island	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
South Carolina	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
Texas	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.
Virginia	No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS 2025 · checked 2026-09-18	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.

Questions anglers ask

How do you tell skipjack tuna from false albacore?

Skipjack Tuna: Dark horizontal stripes on the BELLY — not the back; stout purple-backed football. False Albacore: Wavy, worm-like markings above the lateral line only; spotless silver below; football body. False albacore, next to skipjack tuna: wavy marks on the back, spots under the pectoral.

Which gets bigger, skipjack tuna or false albacore?

Skipjack Tuna. The heaviest state record we hold is 33.5 lb in Florida; the heaviest false albacore record is 32 lb in North Carolina.

Which is better to eat, skipjack tuna or false albacore?

Skipjack Tuna: Strong and dark — bleed it, grill it fresh, or smoke it. False Albacore: Poor — dark, strong-flavored; almost always released.

Do skipjack tuna and false albacore have the same limits?

Not everywhere. They differ in 19 state rulebooks. Massachusetts: skipjack tuna No size limit, No bag limit, false albacore 16" min (curved fork length), 5 fish combined with Atlantic bonito; Alabama: skipjack tuna No size limit, No bag limit, false albacore no rule of its own; Connecticut: skipjack tuna No size limit, No bag limit, false albacore no rule of its own; Delaware: skipjack tuna No size limit, No bag limit, false albacore no rule of its own; Florida (Atlantic): skipjack tuna No size limit, No bag limit, false albacore no rule of its own; and more in the table on this page.