Waterlands

NWS zone GMZ034 · South Florida and the Keys

Gulf of America including Dry Tortugas and Rebecca Shoal Channel fishing forecast

Florida · Gulf coast

Score now

70Great
Common snook · 8:00 PM EDT
Named spots
16
Species scored
18
Tide stations
0
Open in the tide mapAll Florida bay systems

Overview

Gulf of America including Dry Tortugas and Rebecca Shoal Channel is NWS marine zone GMZ034 on the Florida Gulf coast, in the South Florida and the Keys species region. The Waterlands engine treats it as inland water (bays, sounds, straits). It holds 16 named features from the USGS Geographic Names Information System.

18 species are scored here in this forecast; Common snook and Crevalle jack are at peak season now.

At 8:00 PM it scores 70 (great), led by Common snook. The best window for the rest of today is 8-9 PM (dusk), peaking at 70 for Common snook. Over the next 14 days the best hour is Thu, Sep 24 at 7 AM, scoring 79.

Best times to fish

Waterlands engine forecast computed 8:05 PM EDT.

Best window today

8-9 PM · Dusk

Top species: Common snook

70Great

Best hour of each day, next 14 days

  1. Tue, Sep 22

    76

    6 PM

    Crevalle jack

  2. Wed, Sep 23

    77

    7 PM

    Crevalle jack

  3. Thu, Sep 24

    79

    7 AM

    Crevalle jack

    Best day

  4. Fri, Sep 25

    79

    7 AM

    Crevalle jack

  5. Sat, Sep 26

    79

    8 AM

    Crevalle jack

  6. Sun, Sep 27

    79

    8 AM

    Crevalle jack

  7. Mon, Sep 28

    79

    9 AM

    Crevalle jack

  8. Tue, Sep 29

    79

    9 AM

    Crevalle jack

  9. Wed, Sep 30

    77

    4 AM

    Common snook

  10. Thu, Oct 1

    77

    11 AM

    Crevalle jack

  11. Fri, Oct 2

    76

    7 AM

    Crevalle jack

  12. Sat, Oct 3

    75

    7 AM

    Crevalle jack

  13. Sun, Oct 4

    76

    8 AM

    Crevalle jack

  14. Mon, Oct 5

    77

    9 AM

    Crevalle jack

Species · 18

Listed for the South Florida and the Keys region. Scores are this hour; season is where the species is in its year.

68Great
Common snookCentropomus undecimalis · inshore

Peak season, about 9 more weeks · Best day Tue, Sep 29 at 4 AM (76)

68Great
Atlantic tarponMegalops atlanticus · inshore

Shoulder season, about 22 more weeks · Best day Mon, Sep 28 at 9 AM (76)

67Great
Crevalle jackCaranx hippos · nearshore

Peak season, about 9 more weeks · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 8 AM (79)

59Good
PermitTrachinotus falcatus · inshore

Shoulder season, about 22 more weeks · Best day Fri, Sep 25 at 7 AM (70)

59Good
Red grouperEpinephelus morio · offshore

Shoulder season, about 27 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 24 at 7 AM (67)

58Good
Gray snapperLutjanus griseus · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 31 more weeks · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 2 AM (70)

55Good
Red drumSciaenops ocellatus · inshore

Shoulder season, about 1 more week · Best day Mon, Sep 28 at 3 AM (68)

49Good
BonefishAlbula vulpes · inshore

Shoulder season, about 1 more week · Best day Tue, Sep 29 at 9 AM (63)

44Fair
Spotted seatroutCynoscion nebulosus · inshore

Shoulder season, about 9 more weeks · Best day Mon, Sep 28 at 3 AM (56)

35Fair
Black drumPogonias cromis · inshore

Off season, about 1 more week · Best day Mon, Oct 5 at 9 AM (61)

35Fair
CobiaRachycentron canadum · nearshore

Off season, about 5 more weeks · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 3 AM (35)

35Fair
Florida pompanoTrachinotus carolinus · surf

Off season, about 1 more week · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 11 AM (56)

35Fair
Greater amberjackSeriola dumerili · offshore

Off season, about 1 more week · Best day Mon, Oct 5 at 9 AM (57)

35Fair
King mackerelScomberomorus cavalla · pelagic

Off season, about 1 more week · Best day Mon, Oct 5 at 9 AM (58)

35Fair
Little tunnyEuthynnus alletteratus · pelagic

Off season, about 1 more week · Best day Mon, Oct 5 at 9 AM (57)

35Fair
SheepsheadArchosargus probatocephalus · inshore

Off season, about 5 more weeks · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 1 AM (35)

35Fair
Spanish mackerelScomberomorus maculatus · nearshore

Off season, about 1 more week · Best day Mon, Oct 5 at 9 AM (62)

20Poor
Gag grouperMycteroperca microlepis · offshore

Off season, about 1 more week · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 12 AM (20)

Named spots · 16

Ranked by score this hour. Each spot has its own hourly forecast, tide, current and regulations.

4 more spots, A to Z

Nearest tide stations

No NOAA tide station page sits within 60 km of this zone’s center.

Regulations

FWC saltwater regulations Buy a Florida fishing license License types

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Synced with FWC Sep 22, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.

This bay system’s spots fall in Monroe County (16 spots), Southwest (red drum) (16 spots), Southwest (snook) (16 spots), Special Permit Zone (16 spots), Southwest (seatrout) (16 spots), Monroe County (Gulf side) (12 spots) and Monroe County (Atlantic side) (4 spots).

Monroe County state waters (Florida Keys) · FWC

Gag grouperClosed

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

King mackerelRetention open

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

Red grouperRetention open

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

Red Drum Southwest Region · FWC

Red drumRetention open

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

Snook Southwest Region · FWC

SnookCatch & release

No retention

Season: May 1 to Sep 30, 2026

Changes to retention open on Oct 1, 2026

Harvest is closed, but snook may be caught and released with a snook permit and a saltwater fishing license. 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

Special Permit Zone (SPZ) · FWC

PermitRetention open

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

Spotted Seatrout Southwest Region · FWC

Spotted seatroutRetention open

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

Monroe County state waters, Gulf side (north and west of U.S. Highway 1) · FWC

Greater amberjackRetention open

1 per day · Minimum 34 in, fork length

Season: Sep 1 to Oct 13, 2026

Changes to closed on Oct 14, 2026

Private-vessel anglers need the State Reef Fish Angler designation. Reef fish gear rules apply. Land with head and fins intact. FWC set the 2026 Gulf season to September 1 through October 13 by executive order, matching the federal season. 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 Recreational Regulations: Amberjack · verified Sep 13, 2026

Monroe County state waters, Atlantic side (south and east of U.S. Highway 1) · FWC

Greater amberjackRetention open

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

Statewide

Black drumRetention open

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

BonefishCatch & release

No retention

Season: No closed season on file

No multiple hooks with natural bait.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Bonefish · verified Sep 13, 2026

CobiaRetention open

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

Crevalle jackRetention open

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

Florida pompanoRetention open

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

Gray snapperRetention open

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

PermitRetention open

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

SheepsheadRetention open

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

Spanish mackerelRetention open

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

TarponCatch & release

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