Lachnolaimus maximus
The reef's most sought-after table fish — a big, color-shifting wrasse with a pig-like snout it uses to root crustaceans out of the bottom. Famous eating, famously tricky on hook-and-line, and a premier spearfishing target off Florida.
Anchor over live-bottom or reef, put a small hook and a live shrimp right on the sand next to the structure, and fish light fluoro with a soft touch — hogfish nibble and root rather than smash. Many are also taken by divers spearfishing the reefs.
Guide data is editorial and general — conditions, regulations, and fish behavior vary by water. Photo: Wikipedia — Hogfish.
Use these field marks and context clues to separate hogfish from similar fish before logging or keeping one.
Match a rig to Hogfish with the Setup Builder, or browse all setups.
The standard — anchor and bottom-fish shrimp over reef and live-bottom.
Workable over nearshore Florida reefs and live-bottom in calm conditions.
Warm reef and hard-bottom of Florida, the Gulf, and the South Atlantic — sand patches beside coral, rock, rubble, and ledges where they root for crabs, urchins, and mollusks.
The long pig-like snout plus the first three elongated dorsal spines are unique; large males show a dark 'saddle' and long snout, females/juveniles are mottled pale-to-reddish.
True hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus) is deep-bodied with the trailing dorsal filaments; the smaller Spanish hogfish is elongate with a yellow/purple split body.
Size limits, bag limits, seasons, and gear rules change every year and differ by state (and often by individual water). Always verify with the official source before keeping fish.
