Sailors choicein North Carolina
Haemulon parra
The rule in North Carolina
Federal rule (South Atlantic federal waters). North Carolina lists no rule of its own for sailors choice, so the council's rule applies in state waters too.
Counts toward an aggregate limit: 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregate.
SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026· checked Open
Often mistaken for, and their North Carolina rules
Keep the wrong fish and the rule that applies is the other one’s.
| Fish | Size | Bag | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sailors choiceThis page. | No size limit | 10 per person per day within 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregate | Open year-round |
| White margateCleaner silver, deeper body.Tell them apart | No size limit | 10 per person per day within 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregate | Open year-round |
| TomtateSmaller with a single side stripe.Tell them apart | No size limit | No bag limit (excluded from the 20-fish aggregate) | Open year-round |
How to tell it
Silvery-gray grunt with dark scale rows forming broken oblique stripes; mouth lining red-orange like all grunts. More on the sailors choice page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Sailors choice in other states
In the app
Point the camera at a sailors choice in North Carolina and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appSailors choice in North Carolina: the questions
What is the size limit for sailors choice in North Carolina?
No size limit.
How many sailors choice 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 sailors choice season in North Carolina?
Open year-round.
How current is this North Carolina sailors choice 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.