Bayside and Gulfside from Craig Key to West End of Seven Mile Bridge fishing forecast

1 per day · Slot 18 to 27 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Must stay whole until landed ashore. For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit. Hook and line or cast net only. No spearing, gigging, bowfishing, snatch hooking, or multiple hooks with natural bait. Open year-round.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Red Drum (Redfish) · verified Sep 13, 2026

1 per day · Slot 28 to 33 in, total length

Season: Oct 1 to Nov 30, 2026

Changes to catch & release on Dec 1, 2026

Snook permit and saltwater fishing license required. Must stay whole until landed ashore. For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit. Hook and line only. Closed December 1 through the end of February and May 1 through September 30. Open March 1 through April 30 and October 1 through November 30. Regional rules apply in inland, state and adjacent federal waters.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Snook · verified Sep 13, 2026

3 per day · Slot 15 to 19 in, total length. One fish over 19 inches per vessel, or per person when fishing from shore, counted in the bag limit.

Season: No closed season on file

Must stay whole until landed ashore. For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit. Hook and line or cast net only. No multiple hooks with natural bait. No snatching. Open year-round. Regional rules apply in inland, state and adjacent federal waters. New regional rules took effect April 1, 2026.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Spotted Seatrout · verified Sep 13, 2026

10 per day · Minimum 12 in, fork length

Season: No closed season on file

Hook and line, spears, gigs, seine or cast net. FWC applies the Gulf bluefish rules to all of Monroe County.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Bluefish · verified Sep 13, 2026

No retention

Season: Aug 2 to Dec 31, 2026

FWC closed Atlantic gag grouper, including all state waters off Monroe County, for the rest of the 2026 season (Executive Order 26-10). The 2027 season has not been announced.

FWC news release, May 13, 2026: Atlantic gag grouper closes August 2 (EO 26-10) · verified Sep 13, 2026

3 per day · Minimum 24 in, fork length

Season: No closed season on file

Hook and line and spearing only. FWC applies the Gulf king mackerel rules to all of Monroe County. Open year-round.

FWC Recreational Regulations: King Mackerel · verified Sep 13, 2026

3 per day (3 Atlantic grouper and tilefish combined) · Minimum 20 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Changes to closed on Jan 1, 2027

Private-vessel anglers need the State Reef Fish Angler designation. No more than 3 grouper and tilefish combined per person per day. Reef fish gear rules apply. Land with head and fins intact. Open May 1 through December 31. Closed January 1 through April 30.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Groupers · verified Sep 13, 2026

1 per day · Minimum 22 in, fork length

Season: No closed season on file

Changes to closed on Apr 1, 2027

Hook and line only in state waters. No multiple hooks with natural bait. No snatching. Closed April 1 through July 31 each year inside the Special Permit Zone.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Permit, Florida pompano and African pompano · verified Sep 13, 2026

No retention

Season: Oct 14, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027

Executive Order 26-25 closes Gulf state waters from October 14, 2026 through August 31, 2027. The order itself says it expires November 1, 2026, so check with FWC for the status after that date. In Monroe County, FWC applies these Gulf rules north and west of U.S. Highway 1 (Florida Bay and the bay side of the Keys).

FWC Executive Order 26-25: Gulf greater amberjack closure · verified Sep 13, 2026

1 per day · Minimum 28 in, fork length

Season: No closed season on file

Changes to closed on Apr 1, 2027

Private-vessel anglers need the State Reef Fish Angler designation. Reef fish gear rules apply. Land with head and fins intact. Open January through March and May through December. Closed in April. In Monroe County, FWC applies these Atlantic rules south and east of U.S. Highway 1 (the ocean side of the Keys).

FWC Recreational Regulations: Amberjack · verified Sep 13, 2026

1 per day · Minimum 36 in, fork length

Season: No closed season on file

2 per vessel per trip. Cobia off Florida's Atlantic coast are managed as the Florida east coast zone of the Gulf group.

50 CFR part 622, subpart Q (coastal migratory pelagics) · verified Sep 13, 2026

No retention

Season: Aug 2 to Dec 31, 2026

The 2026 recreational gag season was May 1 through August 1, shortened because 2025 landings went over the limit. The 2027 season is scheduled to open May 1, 2027.

Federal Register 2026-07792, 2026 South Atlantic gag recreational closure · verified Sep 13, 2026

10 South Atlantic snappers combined per day · Minimum 12 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

No separate gray snapper limit. Gray snapper count toward the 10-snapper bag. Excludes red and vermilion snapper. No more than 5 mutton snapper. No snapper-grouper fishing in the North Florida, St. Lucie Hump and East Hump marine protected areas or the Warsaw Hole/50 Fathom Hole spawning area (50 CFR 622.183(a)).

50 CFR part 622, subpart I (South Atlantic snapper-grouper) · verified Sep 13, 2026

1 per day · Minimum 28 in, fork length

Season: No closed season on file

Changes to closed on Apr 1, 2027

Closed every April. No snapper-grouper fishing in the North Florida, St. Lucie Hump and East Hump marine protected areas or the Warsaw Hole/50 Fathom Hole spawning area (50 CFR 622.183(a)).

50 CFR part 622, subpart I (South Atlantic snapper-grouper) · verified Sep 13, 2026

3 per day · Minimum 24 in, fork length

Season: No closed season on file

South of the Monroe and Miami-Dade county line these fish belong to the Gulf group, which has the same limits.

50 CFR part 622, subpart Q (coastal migratory pelagics) · verified Sep 13, 2026

3 South Atlantic grouper and tilefish combined per day · Minimum 20 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Changes to closed on Jan 1, 2027

No separate red grouper limit off Florida. Red grouper count toward the 3-fish grouper and tilefish bag. Open between the dated closures unless NOAA closes the season early. No snapper-grouper fishing in the North Florida, St. Lucie Hump and East Hump marine protected areas or the Warsaw Hole/50 Fathom Hole spawning area (50 CFR 622.183(a)).

50 CFR part 622, subpart I (South Atlantic snapper-grouper) · verified Sep 13, 2026

15 per day · Minimum 12 in, fork length

Season: No closed season on file

South of the Monroe and Miami-Dade county line these fish belong to the Gulf group, which has the same limits.

50 CFR part 622, subpart Q (coastal migratory pelagics) · verified Sep 13, 2026

10 per day · Minimum 12 in, fork length

Season: No closed season on file

Hook and line, spears, gigs, seine or cast net.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Bluefish · verified Sep 13, 2026

No retention

Season: Oct 1 to Dec 31, 2026

Closed for the rest of 2026 (Executive Order 26-26). The 2027 season has not been announced.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Groupers · verified Sep 13, 2026

No retention

Season: Oct 14, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027

Executive Order 26-25 closes Gulf state waters from October 14, 2026 through August 31, 2027. The order itself says it expires November 1, 2026, so check with FWC for the status after that date.

FWC Executive Order 26-25: Gulf greater amberjack closure · verified Sep 13, 2026

3 per day · Minimum 24 in, fork length

Season: No closed season on file

Hook and line and spearing only. Open year-round.

FWC Recreational Regulations: King Mackerel · verified Sep 13, 2026

2 per day (4 Gulf grouper combined) · Minimum 20 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Private-vessel anglers need the State Reef Fish Angler designation. Charter captain and crew bag limit is zero in state waters. No more than 4 grouper combined per person per day. Reef fish gear rules apply. Land with head and fins intact. Open year-round in Gulf state waters. Federal waters close February 1 through March 31 seaward of 20 fathoms.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Groupers · verified Sep 13, 2026

5 per day · Slot 14 to 24 in, total length. One fish over 24 inches allowed, counted in the bag limit.

Season: No closed season on file

Special rules apply in Biscayne National Park. Hook and line, cast net, seine, spear or gig. No multiple hooks with natural bait. No snatching. Open year-round.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Black Drum · verified Sep 13, 2026

No retention

Season: No closed season on file

No multiple hooks with natural bait.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Bonefish · verified Sep 13, 2026

1 per day · Minimum 36 in, fork length

Season: No closed season on file

1 per person or 2 per vessel, whichever is less. Spears, gigs, hook and line, seine or cast net.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Cobia · verified Sep 13, 2026

Season: No closed season on file

Two fish or 100 pounds per person per day, whichever is more. Crevalle jack is an unregulated species with this default limit. Hook and line, spears, gigs, haul seines and cast nets.

FWC Recreational Regulations: "Unregulated" Species · verified Sep 13, 2026

6 per day · Minimum 11 in, fork length

Season: No closed season on file

Special rules apply in Biscayne National Park. Hook and line, cast net, and beach or haul seine only. No multiple hooks with natural bait. No snatching. Open year-round in state and federal waters.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Permit, Florida pompano and African pompano · verified Sep 13, 2026

5 per day (10 snapper combined) · Minimum 10 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Open year-round in Gulf and Atlantic state waters. Special rules apply in Biscayne National Park. Counts toward the 10-snapper aggregate per person per day. Reef fish gear rules apply. Land with head and fins intact. Federal waters have a 12-inch minimum and a 10-fish bag.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Snappers · verified Sep 13, 2026

2 per day · Slot 11 to 22 in, fork length. One fish over 22 inches allowed per person, counted in the bag limit.

Season: No closed season on file

No more than 2 permit over 22 inches per vessel. Hook and line only in state waters. No multiple hooks with natural bait. No snatching. Outside the Special Permit Zone. Open year-round.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Permit, Florida pompano and African pompano · verified Sep 13, 2026

8 per day · Minimum 12 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

State rules extend into federal waters. Special rules apply in Biscayne National Park. Hook and line, cast net, seine, spear or gig. No multiple hooks with natural bait. No snatching. Open year-round. A 50-fish vessel limit applies in March and April.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Sheepshead · verified Sep 13, 2026

15 per day · Minimum 12 in, fork length

Season: No closed season on file

Beach or haul seine, cast net, hook and line, or spear. Open year-round.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Spanish Mackerel · verified Sep 13, 2026

No retention

Season: No closed season on file

Tarpon over 40 inches must stay in the water. Special gear rules apply year-round in Boca Grande Pass. Hook and line only. No snagging, snatch hooking, spearing, or multiple hooks with natural bait. Applies in state and federal waters of the Gulf and Atlantic.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Tarpon · verified Sep 13, 2026