Fishing Mix on Coast

Type: Coast
Region: Coast
Location: Ocean City Fish Pier

Can you please ID fish caught in OC, it was over 3 ft long. I have never caught anything like this, I also caught a rock crab, small rockfish and a shad on the 'for pay' fishing pier, I used squid and lures.

DNR Response: Unfortunately, the picture does not show the key area for identification which is the caudal area. Based on the reported size of this fish, it's unlikely to be an Atlantic Needlefish which has a maximum size of 2.1 feet. It could be a Houndfish which has a maximum adult size of 4.3 ft. Houndfish have a keel in front of the tail and the tail is forked with a longer lower lobe. In the first photo, the lower lobe is sticking out a little bit which makes me think that the upper lobe is shorter than the lower. The beak looks a little short but it's common to see them with damage. References - Peterson's Field Guide to the Atlantic Coast Fishes and Field Guide to Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay