Key facts
About the tilefish
Golden tilefish have a blue-green back with bright yellow and gold spots, a rosy head and a large fleshy crest on top of the head. Blueline tilefish are olive-gray above and white below, with a gold stripe underlined in blue from the snout to the eye, and no head crest.
- Also called
- Golden tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps), blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps), golden snapper, great northern tilefish, gray tilefish
- Family
- Tilefish family (Malacanthidae)
- Typical catch
- Golden tilefish are typically harvested at about 24 inches
- How big they get
- Golden tilefish up to 43 inches; blueline tilefish up to 35 inches
- Where they live
- Golden: outer shelf and upper slope along the entire US East Coast and in the Gulf, most abundant from Nantucket, Massachusetts to Cape May, New Jersey. Blueline: mainly from the Hudson Canyon area south through the Atlantic and the eastern Gulf, with catches reported as far as Maine and Texas
- Habitat
- Deep water on the outer continental shelf and upper slope. Golden tilefish live at about 250 to 1,500 feet around submarine canyons, digging burrows in mud or sand. Blueline tilefish live at about 98 to 774 feet on irregular bottom with ledges, boulders or rubble
- Diet
- Bottom animals: crabs, shrimp, clams, snails, worms, sea urchins, anemones and sea cucumbers; blueline also eat small fish
- Lifespan
- Golden tilefish up to 46 years (females), possibly up to 50; blueline tilefish up to 26 years
- On the table
- NOAA describes both as mild, similar to lobster or crab, with firm, flaky white flesh; almost all tilefish is sold fresh, and golden tilefish is often used for sushi.
Where
Where to catch tilefish with a charter
| Town | Captains listing it | Main months | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cocoa Beach, FL | 3 | — | Report |
| Nags Head, NC | 2 | — | Report |
| Hatteras, NC | 2 | — | Report |
| Virginia Beach, VA | 2 | — | Report |
| Lewes, DE | 2 | — | Report |
| Cape May, NJ | 2 | — | Report |
| Point Pleasant Beach, NJ | 2 | — | Report |
| Grand Isle, LA | 1 | — | Report |
| Montauk, NY | 1 | — | Report |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | 1 | — | Report |
| Sarasota, FL | 1 | — | Report |
| Port St. Joe, FL | 1 | — | Report |
Counts are captains who list tilefish, as of October 2026. Months come from the state wildlife agency or local captains’ published calendars where we have one; seasons and limits change, so check current rules.
Before you go
What to know about tilefish fishing
Things to know
- Managed by the Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic and Gulf fishery councils with NOAA Fisheries; rules differ by region and change, so check NOAA and state rules before a trip.
- North of the Virginia/North Carolina line, private recreational boats need a federal Private Recreational Tilefish Permit and must file an electronic trip report after trips that target or keep tilefish.
- Both species grow slowly and live a long time, which makes them sensitive to overfishing.
- Most recreational tilefish landings come from Florida.
How charters catch them
- Deep-dropping on the outer shelf and slope, often along with blackbelly rosefish and deep-water snappers
- Bottom fishing around submarine canyons and canyon walls
- Rod and reel only for recreational anglers in the Mid-Atlantic, with no more than five hooks per rod
Related fish
Fish caught on the same kind of trip
Questions
Tilefish questions
What is the difference between golden and blueline tilefish?
Golden tilefish are larger and colorful, with gold spots and a fleshy crest on the head, and live deeper. Blueline tilefish are grayer, with a blue-edged gold stripe from snout to eye and no crest.
How deep are tilefish caught?
Golden tilefish live at about 250 to 1,500 feet. Blueline tilefish are found shallower, about 98 to 774 feet.
Do I need a permit to fish for tilefish?
In the Mid-Atlantic, private boats need a federal Private Recreational Tilefish Permit. Check NOAA Fisheries and your state agency for current rules.
Facts on this page come from official fisheries and wildlife sources, checked October 2026:
Size and bag limits and seasons change and differ by state. Check the state agency before you keep a fish.
For captains and guides
Your boat, listed free. No commission, ever.
Anglers call you or book on your own website, and you keep 100% of every trip. Want more detail or the one Featured spot in your town? Enhanced is $19/month and City Spotlight $49/month.