NWS zone GMZ636 · Eastern Gulf
Eastern Choctawhatchee Bay fishing forecast
Florida · Gulf coast
Score now
- Named spots
- 13
- Species scored
- 19
- Tide stations
- 2
Overview
Eastern Choctawhatchee Bay is NWS marine zone GMZ636 on the Florida Gulf coast, in the Eastern Gulf species region. The Waterlands engine treats it as inland water (bays, sounds, straits). It holds 13 named features from the USGS Geographic Names Information System and has 2 NOAA tide stations nearby.
19 species are scored here in this forecast; Red drum, Spotted seatrout, Florida pompano, Spanish mackerel and Gag grouper are at peak season now.
At 9:00 PM it scores 72 (great), led by Red drum. The best window for the rest of today is 9 PM-12 AM (flood tide), peaking at 74 for Red drum. Over the next 14 days the best hour is Mon, Nov 2 at 4 PM, scoring 84.
Best times to fish
Waterlands engine forecast computed 9:03 PM CDT.
Best window today
9 PM-12 AM · Flood tide
Top species: Red drum
Best hour of each day, next 14 days
Sat, Oct 31
80
5 PM
Red drum
Sun, Nov 1
81
5 PM
Red drum
Mon, Nov 2
84
4 PM
Red drum
Best day
Tue, Nov 3
83
3 PM
Red drum
Wed, Nov 4
78
7 AM
Florida pompano
Thu, Nov 5
75
8 AM
Florida pompano
Fri, Nov 6
80
5 PM
Spotted seatrout
Sat, Nov 7
78
4 PM
Red drum
Sun, Nov 8
78
3 PM
Spotted seatrout
Mon, Nov 9
81
6 AM
Red drum
Tue, Nov 10
74
6 AM
Spotted seatrout
Wed, Nov 11
74
6 AM
Spotted seatrout
Thu, Nov 12
75
5 PM
Spotted seatrout
Fri, Nov 13
74
6 AM
Spotted seatrout
Species · 19
Listed for the Eastern Gulf region. Scores are this hour; season is where the species is in its year.
Peak season, about 4 more weeks · Best day Mon, Nov 2 at 4 PM (84)
Peak season, about 4 more weeks · Best day Mon, Nov 2 at 3 PM (82)
Peak season, about 4 more weeks · Best day Sun, Nov 1 at 6 AM (78)
Peak season, about 3 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 PM (78)
Shoulder season, about 13 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 PM (71)
Shoulder season, about 4 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 PM (68)
Shoulder season, about 13 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 9 AM (67)
Off season, about 21 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 PM (68)
Shoulder season, about 4 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 PM (70)
Shoulder season, about 25 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 PM (64)
Shoulder season, about 4 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 PM (64)
Shoulder season, about 21 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 PM (64)
Off season, about 17 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 PM (66)
Off season, about 21 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35)
Off season, about 16 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35)
Off season, about 17 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35)
Peak season, about 8 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (20)
Peak season, about 3 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (20)
Shoulder season, about 4 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (20)
Named spots · 13
Ranked by score this hour. Each spot has its own hourly forecast, tide, current and regulations.
- Mallet BayouBay · 3 ft · ProtectedTop now: Red drum73Great
- Motes PointCape · 1 to 3 ft · Semi-exposedTop now: Red drum73Great
- Alaqua BayouBay · 3 to 5 ft · ProtectedTop now: Red drum71Great
- Bunker CoveBay · 2 to 4 ft · ProtectedTop now: Red drum71Great
- LaGrange BayouBay · 3 to 7 ft · ProtectedTop now: Red drum71Great
- Grassy CoveBay · 3 to 16 ft · Semi-exposedTop now: Florida pompano69Great
- Hogtown BayouBay · 8 to 11 ft · ProtectedTop now: Red drum68Great
- Horseshoe BayouBay · 1 to 6 ft · ProtectedTop now: Red drum68Great
- Choctawhatchee BayBay · 22 ft · Semi-exposedTop now: Florida pompano67Great
- Duck LakeBay · 2 to 10 ft · ProtectedTop now: Florida pompano67Great
- Jolly BayBay · 3 to 5 ft · ProtectedTop now: Florida pompano67Great
- Live Oak PointCape · 1 to 4 ft · Semi-exposedTop now: Florida pompano64Good
1 more spot, A to Z
Nearest tide stations
Regulations
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Synced with FWC Oct 31, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.
This bay system’s spots fall in Gulf (13 spots), Panhandle (red drum) (13 spots), Panhandle (snook) (13 spots) and Panhandle (seatrout) (13 spots).
Gulf state waters (Escambia through Collier counties) · FWC
Season: No closed season on file
100 pounds per person per day. No minimum size. Open year-round.
FWC Recreational Regulations: Spot and Atlantic croaker · 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
1 per day · Minimum 15 in, fork length
Season: Aug 1 to Dec 31, 2026
Changes to closed on Jan 1, 2027
Private-vessel anglers need the State Reef Fish Angler designation. Reef fish gear rules apply. Land with head and fins intact. Gulf season is March 1 through May 31 and August 1 through December 31. Federal waters can close early if the quota is met.
FWC Recreational Regulations: Gray Triggerfish · 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
2 per day (10 snapper combined) · Minimum 16 in, total length
Season: Oct 30 to Nov 1, 2026
Changes to closed on Nov 2, 2026
Applies to private recreational vessels in Florida Gulf state and federal waters, and to for-hire vessels without a federal permit in Gulf state waters only. Charter captain and crew bag limit is zero. Private-vessel anglers need the State Reef Fish Angler designation. Counts toward the 10-snapper aggregate per person per day. Reef fish gear rules apply. Land with head and fins intact. FWC sets this 2026 Gulf private recreational season for both Gulf state waters and Gulf federal waters off Florida.
FWC Recreational Regulations: Snappers · verified Sep 13, 2026
Red Drum Panhandle Region · FWC
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
Spotted Seatrout Panhandle Region · FWC
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
Changes to closed on Feb 1, 2027
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 March 1 through January 31. Closed in February. 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
Statewide
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
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
No retention
Season: Oct 15 to Nov 30, 2026
Changes to retention open on Dec 1, 2026
Annual fall closure in state and federal waters.
FWC Recreational Regulations: Flounder · 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
Other Florida bay systems
- Apalachee Bay or Coastal Waters From Keaton Beach to Ochlockonee River Fl out to 20 Nm49
- Bayside and Gulfside from Craig Key to West End of Seven Mile Bridge199
- Biscayne Bay82
- Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound126
- Coastal Waters From Ochlockonee River to Apalachicola FL out to 20 Nm39
- Coastal waters from Suwannee River to Keaton Beach out 20 NM20
- Coastal waters from Chokoloskee to Bonita Beach FL out 20 NM81
- Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM22
- Coastal waters from Jupiter Inlet to Deerfield Beach FL out 20 NM6
- Coastal Waters from Mexico Beach to Apalachicola out 20 NM24
- Coastal waters from St. Augustine to Flagler Beach FL out 20 NM4
- Coastal waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River FL out 20 NM131
- Flagler Beach to Volusia-Brevard County Line 0-20 nm21
- Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and Buttonwood Sound109
- Gulf of America including Dry Tortugas and Rebecca Shoal Channel16
- Lake Okeechobee11
- Pensacola Bay Area including Santa Rosa Sound46
- Sebastian Inlet to Jupiter Inlet 0-20 nm88
- St. Andrews Bay Waterways79
- Straits of Florida from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile Bridge out 20 NM
- Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out 20 NM
- Tampa Bay waters195
- Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm92
- Western Choctawhatchee Bay23