Saltwater · Year-round in the Gulf and Florida bays

Striped Burrfish

Chilomycterus schoepfii

A spiny western Atlantic burrfish of seagrass and bays that inflates into a ball of fixed spines when threatened — a curious incidental catch to handle gently and release.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

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Aug

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Dec

Striped Burrfish — Photo: SEFSC Pascagoula Laboratory; Collection of Brandi Noble, NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC, Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

Identifying features

Dark brown stripes and blotches over a yellow-brown body
Short, fixed erect spines covering the body (not movable)
Inflates into a round spiny ball
Beak-like fused teeth, no scales
To about 30 cm

Habits

Bottom feeder on crabs, molluscs and sea urchins, crushing shells with its beak
Inflates with water when threatened, making it hard to swallow
Common in seagrass bays, often solitary
Slow swimmer, relies on armour and inflation

Distribution

Galveston, TX · Texas★ Primary

Venice, LA · Louisiana & Gulf Shore★ Primary

Emerald Coast, FL · Florida★ Primary

Tampa, FL · Florida★ Primary

Daytona Beach, FL · Florida★ Primary

Veracruz & the Campeche Gulf Coast · Veracruz, Tabasco & Campeche★ Primary

Charleston, SC · North & South CarolinaCommon

Atlanta, GA · GeorgiaCommon

Florida Keys, FL · FloridaCommon

Yucatán Peninsula · Quintana Roo & YucatánCommon

Andros & the Bahamas · The BahamasOccasional

Where to find them

Seagrass flats of Florida Bay and Tampa Bay
Texas and Louisiana bay bottoms
Dock areas along the Gulf coast

Where they live

Seagrass beds and sand flatsBays and estuariesReef and dock bottoms to 30 m

How to catch them

Bay bottom fishing (release) Boat

Rig: Light bottom rig, small circle hook

Bait/lure: Shrimp or crab piece

Key tip: Incidental in bays — support an inflated fish in water until it deflates, unhook gently and release.

Pier fishing (release) Shore

Rig: Small hook bottom rig

Bait/lure: Squid strip

Key tip: Lift carefully without squeezing; use wet hands and release at the water's edge.

Best baits & lures

Shrimp piecesCrab piecesSquid strips

Techniques for Striped Burrfish →

Baseline setup

Rod: Light spinning rod 6-7 ft
Line: 8-12 lb braid or mono
Terminal: Small hook No. 4-1/0, split shot or 1/2 oz egg sinker, fluorocarbon leader

Recommended gear for this species

Rod · Best value

7'6" medium-heavy jigging rod

≈ US$110-170

Works 2-6 oz jigs over rock and reef and still has the backbone to lift a halibut off the bottom.

Line · Budget

50 lb braid with 40 lb leader (200 yd)

≈ US$25-40

Thin braid cuts the current so jigs stay vertical; the leader shrugs off rock and teeth.

Terminal · Budget

Leadhead jigs, swimbaits and two-hook bottom rigs

≈ US$25-40

A leadhead with a swimbait tail is the universal bottom-fish catcher, from rockfish to cod to flounder.

Picks are never paid placements. Prices are guides; price links are coming soon and none is an affiliate link yet.

Typical size

To about 30 cm; most are 15-25 cm and under 1 kg.

On the table

Not eaten — flesh may be poisonous and the fish is protected by spines; release carefully without squeezing an inflated fish.

Similar species

Southern PufferSouthern puffer has smooth skin without fixed spines; burrfish is striped and covered in short rigid spines.

Regulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →

Plan a trip for Striped Burrfish

Build today's plan

⚠ Heads-up: Striped Burrfish doesn't occur around Vancouver, BC (or is very rare there), so it's not a sensible local target. Your plan stays in Vancouver, BC and is built around the fish that actually live there.