what the heck is this thing?

[Mr. Sandman]

Is that a small angler fish? Looks like his "fishing rod" on his head or is that weed?
I have only caught one of them on a party boat out of maine. Toad fish are normally kind of small and live in the mud, I use to catch them in my clam rake now and again. I never saw a pout but from the photo it does not seem to have the same head.

I would say a small angler. But it is a guess.
It is ugly, I will give you that.


Then again, after looking at the photo again it could be a pout.