Spotted Eagle RayorCownose Ray
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
Spotted Eagle Ray
White polka-dots on a black back, a protruding duckbill snout, and a very long whip tail; leaps clear of the water.
Cownose Ray
Lobed cow-nose forehead, wings flap like a bird.
Cownose ray, next to spotted eagle ray: plain brown with a notched, lobed snout.
Side by side
| Spotted Eagle Ray | Cownose Ray | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Aetobatus narinari | Rhinoptera bonasus |
| Also called | — | — |
| Waters | Nearshore | Inshore |
| Heaviest state record | 273.5 lb · Texas (2012) | 50.5 lb · Texas (1986) |
| On the table | Protected in Florida — released, always. | Rarely eaten. |
| Rules of its own in | 3 states | 3 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
The two fish are regulated differently in 3 of 3 states with a rule for either. In Alabama, spotted eagle ray is Harvest prohibited, Zero and cownose ray is No size limit, 3 per person. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.
| State | Spotted Eagle Ray: size · bag · season | Cownose Ray: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Harvest prohibitedZeroClosed year-roundPut it backAL MRD 2026 · checked | No size limit3 per personOpen year-roundOpenAL MRD 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Atlantic) | No harvestNo harvestClosed year-roundPut it backFWC 2026 · checked | No size limit2 fish or 100 lb per person (state default)Open year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · likely · checked |
| Florida (Gulf) | No harvestNo harvestClosed year-roundPut it backFWC 2026 · checked | No size limit2 fish or 100 lb per person (state default)Open year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · likely · checked |
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, spotted eagle ray or cownose ray, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell spotted eagle ray from cownose ray?
Spotted Eagle Ray: White polka-dots on a black back, a protruding duckbill snout, and a very long whip tail; leaps clear of the water. Cownose Ray: Lobed cow-nose forehead, wings flap like a bird. Cownose ray, next to spotted eagle ray: plain brown with a notched, lobed snout.
Which gets bigger, spotted eagle ray or cownose ray?
Spotted Eagle Ray. The heaviest state record we hold is 273.5 lb in Texas; the heaviest cownose ray record is 50.5 lb in Texas.
Which is better to eat, spotted eagle ray or cownose ray?
Spotted Eagle Ray: Protected in Florida — released, always. Cownose Ray: Rarely eaten.
Do spotted eagle ray and cownose ray have the same limits?
Not everywhere. They differ in 3 state rulebooks. Alabama: spotted eagle ray Harvest prohibited, Zero, cownose ray No size limit, 3 per person; Florida (Atlantic): spotted eagle ray No harvest, No harvest, cownose ray No size limit, 2 fish or 100 lb per person (state default); Florida (Gulf): spotted eagle ray No harvest, No harvest, cownose ray No size limit, 2 fish or 100 lb per person (state default).