Spotted Eagle Ray
Aetobatus narinari
How to tell it
White polka-dots on a black back, a protruding duckbill snout, and a very long whip tail; leaps clear of the water.
- Not a cownose ray? That one plain brown with a notched, lobed snout. (Cownose Ray)
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Harvest prohibited | Zero | Closed year-roundAL MRD 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Florida (Atlantic) | No harvest | No harvest | Closed year-roundFWC 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Florida (Gulf) | No harvest | No harvest | Closed year-roundFWC 2026 · checked | Put it back |
Not specifically regulated in 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).
State records
| State | Weight | When, where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 273.5 lb | 2012 · Galveston Bay | TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
On the table
Protected in Florida — released, always.
In the app
Point the camera at a spotted eagle ray 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 spotted eagle ray
Where is spotted eagle ray harvest prohibited?
Alabama, Florida (Atlantic), Florida (Gulf). Release it there.
How do you tell spotted eagle ray from cownose ray?
Spotted Eagle Ray has this: White polka-dots on a black back, a protruding duckbill snout, and a very long whip tail; leaps clear of the water.. Cownose Ray plain brown with a notched, lobed snout.
What is the record spotted eagle ray?
273.5 lb in Texas (2012), Galveston Bay. Other states’ records are in the table.