Smooth Puffer
Lagocephalus laevigatus
Also called Rabbitfish, Blowfish.
How to tell it
Large silvery puffer, to 2 ft, with a smooth back and a forked tail; offshore and inshore.
Often mistaken for
One fish that gets called smooth puffer, and what gives it away.
- Checkered puffer: Small, patterned. Tell them apart
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida (Atlantic) | No size limit | 2 fish or 100 lb per person, whichever is greater | Open year-roundFWC 2026 (default limits; 68B-3.007 names Sphoeroides only) · checked | Open |
| Florida (Gulf) | No size limit | 2 fish or 100 lb per person, whichever is greater | Open year-roundFWC 2026 (default limits; 68B-3.007 names Sphoeroides only) · 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
Do not eat — puffer toxin risk; sold illegally as 'sea squab'.
In the app
Point the camera at a smooth puffer 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 smooth puffer
How many smooth puffer can you keep?
Florida (Atlantic): 2 fish or 100 lb per person, whichever is greater; Florida (Gulf): 2 fish or 100 lb per person, whichever is greater.
How do you tell smooth puffer from checkered puffer?
Smooth Puffer: Large silvery puffer, to 2 ft, with a smooth back and a forked tail; offshore and inshore. Checkered puffer: small, patterned.