Spiny Dogfish
Squalus acanthias
The cool-season schooling dogfish with a spine before each dorsal fin — a common incidental catch from piers and boats, fall through spring.
Typically present
Illustration: Duane Raver / USFWS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — Public domainLong edge is 756px, below this project's 1600px preference. Accepted because it is the best rights-clear, correctly-identified photo found for this species — see SPECIES_PHOTO_AUDIT.md for the source search record.
- Habitat
- Offshore waters, Inshore waters
- Methods
- Inshore boat, Offshore
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Eating
- fair
Identification
Look for
- Two dorsal fins, each with an ungrooved spine directly in front of it — the feature that gives this species its name and its main defensive hazard
- Characteristic white spots scattered along a gray back, white underside
- Slim, narrow body with a pointed snout — genuinely different species from the already-published smooth dogfish despite the shared "dogfish" name
Local waters
Inshore and offshore waters from Maine to Florida, most abundant between Nova Scotia and Cape Hatteras
Primarily a boat fishery here — typically fished by inshore boat, offshore boat.
When to fish
Most abundant in cooler months (fall through spring) as large schools migrate seasonally with water temperature — a common incidental catch from piers, jetties, and boats.
Tide stage for this kind of water
Rising water on the flats
From: Reading tides without overthinking themWater temperature
The water, not the calendar, sets the season here — a warm October or a cold snap moves these bands.
Water temperature and the seasonsHow to catch it
Primarily a boat fishery here — typically fished by inshore boat, offshore boat. Technique notes for this species have not been written yet; the baits and rigs below are the documented starting points.
Bait & lures
- Cut bait fished on bottom — almost always an incidental catch while fishing for other species
On the table
Eat with caution — check current Virginia fish consumption advisories for the specific waterbody before eating.
- Not managed under the Atlantic HMS shark program this site's other shark entries cite — spiny dogfish falls under a completely separate federal fishery plan (NOAA's Greater Atlantic Region, coastwide annual quota, fishing year May 1–April 30). As of NOAA's own current guidance there are no recreational possession restrictions in federal waters, though state rules and a general saltwater fishing license still apply. The two rear-facing dorsal spines can cause a real puncture injury — handle with care, supporting the body rather than gripping near the fins, whether releasing or keeping a legally retained fish.
Where to try
