Smooth Dogfish (Smoothhound Shark)
Mustelus canis
Partially verified
Handling & regulations: Federally open with no bag limit as of the last confirmed check — but see the note below on the permit requirement that applies before that's even relevant. Note: spiny dogfish is a real, different species sometimes confused with this one by name alone — it's managed under a completely separate federal fishery plan, not the Atlantic HMS shark program this page and its regulation link cover, so don't assume this entry's rules apply to it. Recreational anglers must hold a federal HMS Angling or Charterboat/Headboat permit *with a shark endorsement* to legally retain any shark species at all — most anglers fishing without one must release every shark regardless of that species' individual status, and Virginia (VMRC) rules may add further restrictions on top of federal ones. Anyone targeting sharks (from shore or a vessel) is also federally required to carry a device capable of quickly cutting the leader or hook. If removing the hook would delay release, cut the leader or hook as close to the hook as possible instead — the shark does not need to be lifted, dragged onto dry sand/a pier deck, or restrained to be released safely, and a shark should stay in the water throughout release whenever that's achievable.
Commonly confused with: Atlantic Sharpnose Shark, Spiny Dogfish. If you're not sure which one you've caught, treat it as the more restricted species and release it until you can confirm.
Identification
No white spots on the body (unlike the similar Atlantic sharpnose shark), Two dorsal fins of nearly equal size, and small spiracles (openings behind the eyes) — the Atlantic sharpnose lacks spiracles, Slender, gray-brown body; blunt, rounded snout rather than sharpnose's pointed one
Where this fish fits
Smooth Dogfish (Smoothhound Shark) is found across more than one water environment — this reflects real movement between them (e.g. a tidal migration or life-stage change), not uncertainty about where to look.
These are discovery categories describing where anglers realistically fish for this species, not a guarantee this project has confirmed regional access at every listed setting — see the linked locations below for this project's own actually-sourced spots.
- Typical season
- Spring through fall — one of the most commonly caught small sharks from Bay piers and jetties.
- Habitats
- Bay bottom near structure, Piers, jetties, and inlets
- Food use
- Catch-and-release recommended
Data not yet verified.
This site hasn't checked for a fish-consumption advisory covering this species yet. That is not the same as confirmed safe — check current official guidance before eating your catch.
Seasons, size limits, and possession limits change and vary by water body. Always check the current regulations at the current regulations page before you fish.
- Bait & lures
- Cut bait fished on bottom — often caught incidentally while bottom fishing for other species
- Beginner difficulty
- Easy for beginners
Part of this record is confirmed against an official source; other parts are not. See the notes below for exactly which.
Identification features (no white spots, equal-sized dorsal fins, spiracles present) and the lookalike distinction from Atlantic sharpnose shark are confirmed via NOAA's own shark identification guide. The no-bag-limit status was directly reconfirmed live via the NOAA HMS status page as of 2026-08-15. Habitat/season/bait notes remain general regional knowledge, not individually fact-checked. Spiny dogfish (added in the Species & Charter Discovery Expansion pass) is now a real, published entry — see its own page for why the two are genuinely different species despite the shared name.