reef

Atlantic Spadefish

Chaetodipterus faber

Common schooling fish around buoys, towers, nearshore reefs, jetties, wrecks, and pilings from Massachusetts through the Gulf and Caribbean. Heavily targeted on small jigs/clam strips in summer; managed by SAFMC. Range: MA south to Brazil including northern Gulf of Mexico, Carolinas, Florida, Bahamas.

In our regions

Bahamas — Abaco & AndrosGeorgia CoastMississippi GulfTexas GulfFlorida Panhandle — GulfNortheast Florida — AtlanticMiami & Keys — Atlantic sideAlabama GulfLouisiana GulfBahamas — Eleuthera, Exuma & Cat IslandBahamas — Bimini & Grand BahamaSouth Carolina CoastCentral/Southeast Florida — AtlanticBig Bend — GulfSouthwest Florida — GulfNorth Carolina (Outer Banks + Cape Lookout)

Regulations

⚠️ BETA: best-effort current as of May 31, 2026. Confirm with the linked FWC / NOAA source before keeping a fish.

Showing 12 of 12 regulations

STATE

FL Atlantic — State waters (0–3 nm)

Currently OPENOpen year-round

Bag limit: 10 / angler / day

10/person, 20 spadefish/vessel aggregate. No min size.

SC_ATLANTIC

South Carolina — State waters (0–3 nm) · SCDNR

Currently OPENOpen year-round

Bag limit: 10 / angler / day

SC HB 219 (2025): matches SAFMC. SCDNR: "20 per person per day in aggregate with snapper-grouper complex".

LA_GULF

Louisiana — State waters (0–3 nm) · LDWF

Currently OPENOpen year-round

LA: unregulated.

MS_GULF

Mississippi — State waters (0–3 nm) · MS DMR

Currently OPENOpen year-round

MS: unregulated.

AL_GULF

Alabama — State waters (0–3 nm) · AL CNR-MRD

Currently OPENOpen year-round

AL: unregulated.

NC_ATLANTIC

North Carolina — State waters (0–3 nm) · NCDMF

Currently OPENOpen year-round

Bag limit: 10 / angler / day

Follows SAFMC.

GA_ATLANTIC

Georgia — State waters (0–3 nm) · GA DNR

Currently OPENOpen year-round

Bag limit: 10 / angler / day

Follows SAFMC.

FEDERAL

Federal Gulf (9–200 nm) — GMFMC

Currently OPENOpen year-round

Bag limit: 10 / angler / day

GMFMC: not specifically managed; follow state default + SAFMC pattern.

FEDERAL

Federal Atlantic (3–200 nm) — SAFMC

Currently OPENOpen year-round

Bag limit: 10 / angler / day

SAFMC: 10 bag, 20 vessel aggregate, no min size. Descending device required.

STATE

FL Gulf — State waters (0–9 nm)

Currently OPENOpen year-round

Bag limit: 10 / angler / day

10/person, 20/vessel. No min size.

BAHAMAS

Bahamas — Department of Marine Resources

Currently OPENOpen year-round

Bahamas vessel-aggregate.

TX_GULF

Texas — State waters (0–9 nm) · TPWD

Currently OPENOpen year-round

TX: unregulated.