Florida fish size limits, seasons, and bag limits are set species by species by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and they often change at the Gulf–Atlantic line or at regional boundaries within each coast. A redfish that’s legal in one zone can be a citation in the next, and a grouper that was in season last summer may be closed for most of the following year. The rules below reflect the statewide defaults; always confirm the current numbers for your specific zone on the FWC site before you keep a fish.
How Florida Measures a Fish
Size limits only mean something if you measure the way the rule measures. Florida uses three methods, defined in Florida Administrative Code Rule 68B-2.001.1Legal Information Institute. Florida Administrative Code Rule 68B-2.001 – General Definitions
Total length is the straight-line distance from the most forward point of the head, mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail fins squeezed together. Most inshore species, including red drum, spotted seatrout, and snappers, are measured this way.
Fork length runs from the front of the head, mouth closed, to the center of the tail’s fork. It applies to species whose deeply forked tails would make total length misleading.
Lower jaw fork length goes from the tip of the lower jaw to the center of the tail fork in a straight line, not following the body’s curve. This is the measurement for billfish, where blue marlin must reach at least 99 inches, white marlin and roundscale spearfish at least 66 inches, and sailfish at least 63 inches.2Legal Information Institute. Florida Administrative Code Rule 68B-33.003 – Size Limits
A rigid measuring device gives more accurate results than a flexible tape, especially on larger fish whose bodies curve on a flat surface.
Saltwater Limits by Species
Saltwater rules live in Chapter 68B of the Florida Administrative Code. The numbers below are the statewide baselines; regional and vessel-level variations are noted where they matter.
Red Drum
Red drum are managed on a slot: keep only fish between 18 and 27 inches total length. The daily bag is one fish per person across all regions. A transport limit of four fish per person applies when you’re moving fish by vehicle on land away from the fishing site, and vessel limits range from two to four fish depending on the management region.3Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Red Drum (Redfish)
Spotted Seatrout
Spotted seatrout carry a slot of 15 to 19 inches total length. In most regions, one fish over 19 inches per vessel is allowed and counts toward your bag limit. In the Indian River Lagoon and Northeast regions, no trout over 19 inches may be possessed at all.4Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Spotted Seatrout
Snappers
Snapper rules change by species and by coast. Red snapper must measure at least 16 inches total length in Gulf state waters, with a daily bag of two per person inside the 10-snapper aggregate. Gray snapper (mangrove) has a 10-inch minimum in state waters and 12 inches in federal waters, with a bag of five per person inside that same aggregate.5Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Florida Saltwater Recreational Snapper Regulations
Gulf red snapper seasons are announced annually and have been short in recent years. As of early 2026, the FWC has not yet announced the Gulf state-water red snapper season. When it opens, it typically runs for only a handful of days or weekends, so watching for the announcement matters.
Groupers
Grouper closures are some of the longest on Florida’s calendar right now. Gag grouper in the Gulf is closed from September 15, 2025 through August 31, 2026. On the Atlantic, gag grouper is closed from June 26, 2025 through April 30, 2026. Atlantic black and red grouper are open May 1 through December 31. In the Gulf, black and red grouper state-water seasons remain open year-round, with federal closures applying in deeper water from February 1 through March 31.6Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Groupers
Nassau grouper harvest is prohibited in both state and federal waters. If you hook one, release it immediately.
Snook
Snook seasons split sharply between coasts. On the Atlantic, harvest is closed December 15 through January 31 and again June 1 through August 31. In Gulf regions, snook closes December 1 through the end of February and May 1 through August 31, with the Charlotte Harbor and Southwest regions extending the summer closure through September 30.7Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Snook Catch-and-release stays legal during closures; nothing goes in the cooler.
Hogfish
Atlantic-side hogfish harvest is closed November 1 through April 30, covering the fall-through-spring spawn.8South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Hogfish
Freshwater Limits
Freshwater rules sit under Chapter 68A-23 of the F.A.C. and protect trophy-size fish while allowing generous harvests of smaller species.9Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. General Statewide Bag and Length Limits
- Black bass: five fish per day, but only one may be 16 inches or longer in total length. This covers largemouth, Suwannee, spotted, Choctaw, and shoal bass combined.
- Crappie (speckled perch): 25 fish per person per day.
- Panfish: 50 fish per day combined, covering bluegill, redear sunfish (shellcracker), warmouth, spotted sunfish, and several related species.
The bass rule is the one that catches people. Five fish is the ceiling, and only one of those five can be 16 inches or over. The daily limit counts across every spot you fish that day, not per lake. FWC officers routinely check coolers and livewells at ramps and docks.
Protected Species and the Lionfish Exception
Some fish are off-limits regardless of size or season. Nassau grouper harvest is completely prohibited.6Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Groupers Smalltooth sawfish are federally endangered, must be released immediately, and any interaction should be reported to NOAA Fisheries.10NOAA Fisheries. Endangered Sawfish Handling, Release, and Reporting Procedures
Goliath grouper sit in their own category. Florida allows a limited harvest through a permit-and-tag lottery. The harvest window runs March 1 through May 31. Applications are accepted October 1 through 15, with a $10 application fee. If drawn, residents pay $150 for the permit and tag and non-residents pay $500. Each permit authorizes one fish, and the tag must be attached to the jaw immediately after harvest. No exemptions apply, including for lifetime license holders or anglers over 65.11Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Goliath Grouper Harvest Permit
Lionfish go the other way. The state actively encourages harvest: no size limit, no bag limit, no closed season. You don’t even need a recreational fishing license if you take lionfish with a pole spear, Hawaiian sling, handheld net, or a device designed and marketed exclusively for lionfish.12Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Lionfish Hook and line, or any other method, puts you back under standard licensing.
Licenses You Need Before You Fish
A Florida resident annual saltwater or freshwater license costs $17; non-residents pay $47 for either.13Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Recreational Saltwater Licenses and Permits Combination licenses bundling saltwater, freshwater, and hunting are available at a discount.
Florida residents fishing only from shore or a structure attached to shore can get a free Resident Saltwater Shoreline License. It covers wading as long as you can stand on the bottom, but not fishing from a boat or from any spot reached by boat.14Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Saltwater Shoreline Fishing Information Non-residents don’t qualify. Youth ages 8 through 15 can fish without a license, and Florida residents with qualifying disabilities can get a no-cost hunting and fishing license with documentation from the Social Security Administration or the Department of Veterans Affairs.15Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Persons with Disabilities Resident Hunting/Fishing License
If you fish from a private vessel for reef species like snapper, grouper, amberjack, or hogfish, you also need a free State Reef Fish Angler designation, even if you already hold a license or are otherwise exempt. Anglers under 16 and anyone fishing from a licensed charter or headboat are not required to have it. The designation costs nothing and renews annually through GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or the Fish|Hunt Florida app.16Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. State Reef Fish Survey
Where the Rules Change on You
Florida state waters extend nine nautical miles into the Gulf and three nautical miles into the Atlantic. Beyond those lines, federal rules apply, and size limits for species like gray snapper and grouper often differ between state and federal jurisdiction.17Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Boundary Maps and Management Zones
The Keys sit at the intersection of multiple regulatory zones, and Monroe County regulations tend to be more restrictive because of the coral reef ecosystem. If you catch grouper in open Gulf federal waters, you can transit through closed state waters in Monroe County to reach port, but only if you head directly to the dock without stopping to fish. Several species, including red drum and spotted seatrout, have region-specific bag or vessel limits that change at these boundary lines, so a GPS and the FWC’s boundary maps are the way to stay on the right side.
Penalties for Violations
Breaking a bag limit, exceeding a size limit, or harvesting a restricted species is a Level Two violation under Florida law. Penalties escalate based on your record over the previous decade.18The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 379.401 – Penalties
- First offense (no prior Level Two conviction within 3 years): second-degree misdemeanor, up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.19The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 775.082 – Penalties
- Second offense within 3 years: first-degree misdemeanor, up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, and a minimum mandatory fine of $250.
- Third offense within 5 years: first-degree misdemeanor with a minimum $500 fine and a one-year suspension of your recreational fishing license and the privilege to obtain one.
- Fourth offense within 10 years: first-degree misdemeanor with a minimum $750 fine and a three-year license suspension.
Officers can also seize illegally harvested fish and the gear used to catch them. FWC law enforcement runs regular patrols at boat ramps, docks, and popular fishing spots, especially during high-traffic seasons.