Speckled HindorRed Hind
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
Speckled Hind
Chocolate body absolutely covered in tiny white speckles.
Red Hind
Pale body evenly covered in bright red spots — the 'strawberry grouper'.
Red hind, next to speckled hind: red spots on pale body — the inverse pattern.
Side by side
| Speckled Hind | Red Hind | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Hyporthodus drummondhayi | Epinephelus guttatus |
| Also called | — | — |
| Waters | Nearshore | Nearshore |
| Heaviest state record | 52.5 lb · Florida (1994) | 10 lb 2.4 oz · North Carolina (2023) |
| On the table | Good eating, but prohibited in the Atlantic and one per vessel in the Gulf. | Very good. |
| Rules of its own in | 11 states | 9 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
The two fish are regulated differently in 8 of 11 states with a rule for either. In Florida (Atlantic), speckled hind is No size limit, 1 per vessel per day (state waters) and red hind is No size limit, Up to 3 within 3-grouper aggregate. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.
| State | Speckled Hind: size · bag · season | Red Hind: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No size limit4 per person within 4-grouper aggregateOpen when federal Gulf waters are open (currently year-round)OpenAL MRD 2026 · likely · checked | No size limit4 per person within 4-grouper aggregateOpen year-roundOpenAL MRD 2026 · likely · checked |
| Florida (Atlantic) | No size limit1 per vessel per day (state waters)State waters open year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked | No size limitUp to 3 within 3-grouper aggregateOpen May 1-Dec 31OpenFWC 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Gulf) | No size limit1 per vessel within 4-grouper aggregateOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked | No size limitUp to 4 within 4-grouper aggregateOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked |
| Georgia | Harvest prohibitedNo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundPut it backFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked | No size limit3 per person per day within 3-grouper aggregateMay 1 – Dec 31 (spawning closure Jan 1 – Apr 30)OpenFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked |
| Louisiana | No size limitNo more than 1 per vessel, within 4-grouper aggregateOpen year-roundOpenLDWF 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| Maryland | No size limit1 (all groupers combined)Open year-roundOpenMD DNR 2026 · likely · checked | No size limit1 (all groupers combined)Open year-roundOpenMD DNR 2026 · likely · checked |
| Mississippi | No size limit1 per vessel per dayOpen year-roundOpenMS DMR 2026 · likely · checked | No size limitNo individual limit (within 4-grouper aggregate)Open year-roundOpenMS DMR 2026 · checked |
| North Carolina | N/ANo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundPut it backNC DMF 2026 · checked | No size limit3 per person per day within 3-grouper aggregateMay 1 – Dec 31 (spawning closure Jan 1 – Apr 30)OpenFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked |
| South Carolina | No harvestPossession prohibitedClosed year-roundPut it backSC DNR 2026 · checked | No size limitWithin 3-grouper aggregateOpen year-roundOpenSC DNR 2026 · checked |
| Texas | No size limit1 per vessel per day within 4-grouper aggregateOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (Gulf federal waters)NOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| Virginia | No size limit1 grouper per person (all grouper species combined)Open year-roundOpenVMRC 2026 · likely · checked | No size limit1 grouper per person (all grouper species combined)Open year-roundOpenVMRC 2026 · likely · checked |
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, speckled hind or red hind, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell speckled hind from red hind?
Speckled Hind: Chocolate body absolutely covered in tiny white speckles. Red Hind: Pale body evenly covered in bright red spots — the 'strawberry grouper'. Red hind, next to speckled hind: red spots on pale body — the inverse pattern.
Which gets bigger, speckled hind or red hind?
Speckled Hind. The heaviest state record we hold is 52.5 lb in Florida; the heaviest red hind record is 10 lb 2.4 oz in North Carolina.
Which is better to eat, speckled hind or red hind?
Speckled Hind: Good eating, but prohibited in the Atlantic and one per vessel in the Gulf. Red Hind: Very good.
Do speckled hind and red hind have the same limits?
Not everywhere. They differ in 8 state rulebooks. Florida (Atlantic): speckled hind No size limit, 1 per vessel per day (state waters), red hind No size limit, Up to 3 within 3-grouper aggregate; Florida (Gulf): speckled hind No size limit, 1 per vessel within 4-grouper aggregate, red hind No size limit, Up to 4 within 4-grouper aggregate; Georgia: speckled hind Harvest prohibited, No harvest or possession, red hind No size limit, 3 per person per day within 3-grouper aggregate; Mississippi: speckled hind No size limit, 1 per vessel per day, red hind No size limit, No individual limit (within 4-grouper aggregate); North Carolina: speckled hind N/A, No harvest or possession, red hind No size limit, 3 per person per day within 3-grouper aggregate; and more in the table on this page.