Gray triggerfishin North Carolina
Balistes capriscus
Also called Trigger.
The rule in North Carolina
Federal rule (South Atlantic federal waters). North Carolina lists no rule of its own for gray triggerfish, so the council's rule applies in state waters too.
12 in FL applies off NC, SC, GA and east FL.
Counts toward an aggregate limit: 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregate.
Measured as fork length (FL): snout to the fork of the tail.
SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026· checked Open
North Carolina state record
11 lb 6 oz, Morehead City, 1992. NCDMF State Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-22
How to tell it
Leathery gray diamond body, trigger-locking first dorsal spine, tiny chisel teeth. More on the gray triggerfish page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Gray triggerfish in other states
In the app
Point the camera at a gray triggerfish in North Carolina and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appGray triggerfish in North Carolina: the questions
What is the size limit for gray triggerfish in North Carolina?
12 in fork length. Measured as fork length: snout to the fork of the tail.
How many gray triggerfish can you keep in North Carolina?
10 per person per day within 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregate. It counts toward an aggregate: 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregate.
When is gray triggerfish season in North Carolina?
Open year-round.
What is the North Carolina record gray triggerfish?
11 lb 6 oz, Morehead City (1992).
How current is this North Carolina gray triggerfish rule?
Source: SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026, last checked Sep 16, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.