Spanish HogfishorHogfish
Two fish anglers mix up. Here is what separates them, and what each one’s rules are in your state.
How to tell them apart
Spanish Hogfish
Purple-blue upper front half, yellow below and behind; pointed snout; a reef wrasse, not the hogfish.
Hogfish
Pig-like snout, first three dorsal spines drawn into long streamers, big males blush deep red.
Hogfish, next to Spanish hogfish: the big-snouted food fish, no purple saddle.
Side by side
| Spanish Hogfish | Hogfish | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Bodianus rufus | Lachnolaimus maximus |
| Also called | Spanish hog | Hog snapper |
| Waters | Nearshore | Nearshore |
| Heaviest state record | — | 24.2 lb · Florida (2022) |
| On the table | Edible, small; not the eating hogfish. | Excellent; some ciguatera risk on southern reefs. |
| Rules of its own in | 2 states | 9 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
The two fish are regulated differently in 9 of 9 states with a rule for either. In Florida (Atlantic), Spanish hogfish is 2–8" slot (Spanish hogfish), 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate and hogfish is 16 in fork length min, 1 per person. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.
| State | Spanish Hogfish: size · bag · season | Hogfish: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | No size limit20-fish reef fish aggregateOpen year-roundOpenAL MRD 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Atlantic) | 2–8" slot (Spanish hogfish)5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregateYear-roundOpenFWC 2026 · likely · checked | 16 in fork length min1 per personOpen May 1-Oct 31OpenFWC 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Gulf) | 2–8" slot (Spanish hogfish)5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregateYear-roundOpenFWC 2026 · likely · checked | 14 in fork length min5 per personOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked |
| Georgia | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 17 in fork length (NC/SC/GA)2 per person per day (NC/SC/GA)Open year-round off NC, SC, GAOpenFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked |
| Louisiana | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 14 in fork length5 per personOpen year-roundOpenLDWF 2026 · checked |
| Mississippi | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 14 in fork length minimum5 per person per dayOpen year-roundOpenMS DMR 2026 · checked |
| North Carolina | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 17 in FL min2/dayOpen year-roundOpenNC DMF 2026 · checked |
| South Carolina | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 17 in fork length2/dayOpen year-roundOpenSC DNR 2026 · checked |
| Texas | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 14 in fork length5 per personOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (Gulf federal waters)NOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked |
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, Spanish hogfish or hogfish, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell Spanish hogfish from hogfish?
Spanish Hogfish: Purple-blue upper front half, yellow below and behind; pointed snout; a reef wrasse, not the hogfish. Hogfish: Pig-like snout, first three dorsal spines drawn into long streamers, big males blush deep red. Hogfish, next to Spanish hogfish: the big-snouted food fish, no purple saddle.
Which is better to eat, Spanish hogfish or hogfish?
Spanish Hogfish: Edible, small; not the eating hogfish. Hogfish: Excellent; some ciguatera risk on southern reefs.
Do Spanish hogfish and hogfish have the same limits?
Not everywhere. They differ in 9 state rulebooks. Florida (Atlantic): Spanish hogfish 2–8" slot (Spanish hogfish), 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate, hogfish 16 in fork length min, 1 per person; Florida (Gulf): Spanish hogfish 2–8" slot (Spanish hogfish), 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate, hogfish 14 in fork length min, 5 per person; Alabama: Spanish hogfish no rule of its own, hogfish No size limit, 20-fish reef fish aggregate; Georgia: Spanish hogfish no rule of its own, hogfish 17 in fork length (NC/SC/GA), 2 per person per day (NC/SC/GA); Louisiana: Spanish hogfish no rule of its own, hogfish 14 in fork length, 5 per person; and more in the table on this page.