Slippery Dick
Halichoeres bivittatus
How to tell it
Small cigar-shaped wrasse with two dark stripes and a dark spot at the pectoral base; colors shift green to purple.
Often mistaken for
One fish that gets called slippery dick, and what gives it away.
- Puddingwife: Larger, blue-green with a yellow tail. 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 | Year-roundFWC 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
| Florida (Gulf) | No size limit | 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate | 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).
On the table
Not a food fish — bait stealer.
In the app
Point the camera at a slippery dick 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 slippery dick
How many slippery dick 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 slippery dick from puddingwife?
Slippery Dick: Small cigar-shaped wrasse with two dark stripes and a dark spot at the pectoral base; colors shift green to purple. Puddingwife: larger, blue-green with a yellow tail.