Spotted Hake
Urophycis regia
How to tell it
Codling with a dashed row of dark spots down the lateral line, big eye, chin barbel.
Often mistaken for
One fish that gets called spotted hake, and what gives it away.
- Red hake: No spot row; longer dorsal ribbon ray. Tell them apart
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida (Atlantic), Florida (Gulf), 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 | 3.5 lb | 1995 · Gulf of America | TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
On the table
Chowder-grade; eat it fresh.
In the app
Point the camera at a spotted hake 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 hake
How do you tell spotted hake from red hake?
Spotted Hake: Codling with a dashed row of dark spots down the lateral line, big eye, chin barbel. Red hake: no spot row; longer dorsal ribbon ray.
What is the record spotted hake?
3.5 lb in Texas (1995), Gulf of America. Other states’ records are in the table.