Waterlands

Species guide · Florida

Greater amberjack fishing in Florida

Seriola dumerili, an offshore species also called AJ, amberjack and reef donkey. Listed for the South Florida and the Keys, Eastern Gulf and South Atlantic regions. Shoulder season, about 16 more weeks.

Right now it scores best in Biscayne Bay at 60, one of 28 Florida bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.

Season now

Shoulder season
Where it's scoring nowAll Florida waters

Season by month

From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.

South Florida and the Keys

Shoulder season, about 16 more weeks
  1. Jan: Shoulder season
  2. Feb: Shoulder season
  3. Mar: Peak season
  4. Apr: Peak season
  5. May: Peak season
  6. Jun: Shoulder season
  7. Jul: Off season
  8. Aug: Off season
  9. Sep: Off season
  10. Oct: Shoulder season
  11. Nov: Shoulder season
  12. Dec: Shoulder season

Peak: Mar to May. In season (shoulder or peak): Oct to Jun.

Research notes, South Florida and the Keys region

Humps, wrecks and deep reef edges off the Keys and Southeast Florida. Spawning runs March through June (NOAA), when fish gather in the largest numbers.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

Eastern Gulf

Shoulder season, about 3 more weeks
  1. Jan: Off season
  2. Feb: Off season
  3. Mar: Shoulder season
  4. Apr: Peak season
  5. May: Peak season
  6. Jun: Peak season
  7. Jul: Shoulder season
  8. Aug: Shoulder season
  9. Sep: Shoulder season
  10. Oct: Shoulder season
  11. Nov: Shoulder season
  12. Dec: Off season

Peak: Apr to Jun. In season (shoulder or peak): Mar to Nov.

Research notes, Eastern Gulf region

Wrecks, artificial reefs and ledges off the Panhandle and west Florida in 60-240 ft. Same seasonal pattern and Gulf rules as the western Gulf.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

South Atlantic

Shoulder season, about 3 more weeks
  1. Jan: Off season
  2. Feb: Off season
  3. Mar: Shoulder season
  4. Apr: Peak season
  5. May: Peak season
  6. Jun: Peak season
  7. Jul: Shoulder season
  8. Aug: Shoulder season
  9. Sep: Shoulder season
  10. Oct: Shoulder season
  11. Nov: Shoulder season
  12. Dec: Off season

Peak: Apr to Jun. In season (shoulder or peak): Mar to Nov.

Research notes, South Atlantic region

Wrecks, towers and Gulf Stream ledges from Northeast Florida to Cape Hatteras. Regulatory: South Atlantic closes commercial harvest in April; check SAFMC for recreational rules.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

Where it's scoring now · 28

Florida bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's greater amberjack score this hour.

1
60Good
Biscayne Bay

Best window today 4-11 PM (60) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (64) · 82 named spots

2
57Good
Coastal waters from Jupiter Inlet to Deerfield Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 6-11 PM (59) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 7 AM (64) · 6 named spots

3
52Good
Coastal waters from St. Augustine to Flagler Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 4-9 PM (53) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 4 PM (60) · 4 named spots

4
52Good
Sebastian Inlet to Jupiter Inlet 0-20 nm

Best window today 4-9 PM (55) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 8 AM (61) · 88 named spots

5
52Good
Straits of Florida from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile Bridge out 20 NM

Best window today 6-10 PM (59) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (63)

6
52Good
Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm

Best window today 4-9 PM (55) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (59) · 92 named spots

7
48Good
Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM

Best window today 6-9 PM (61) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (66) · 22 named spots

8
46Good
Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out 20 NM

Best window today 5-9 PM (58) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (62)

9
45Good
Coastal Waters east of Puerto Rico, around Vieques, and around and just north of Culebra and Saint John

Best window today 6-10 PM (51) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (57)

10
44Fair
Flagler Beach to Volusia-Brevard County Line 0-20 nm

Best window today 5-9 PM (50) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 4 PM (57) · 21 named spots

11
43Fair
Lake Okeechobee

Best window today 4 PM-12 AM (45) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 7 AM (48) · 11 named spots

12
42Fair
Coastal Waters from Cabo San Juan to the waters between Anegada Island and Virgin Gorda and North 10 NM

Best window today 6-9 PM (49) · Best day Wed, Nov 11 at 4 PM (56)

13
41Fair
Caribbean Waters of Puerto Rico from 10 NM to 17N, including the Coastal Waters of Saint Croix

Best window today 5 PM-12 AM (43) · Best day Wed, Nov 11 at 4 PM (55)

14
20Poor
Apalachee Bay or Coastal Waters From Keaton Beach to Ochlockonee River Fl out to 20 Nm

Best window today 4 PM-12 AM (20) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 12 AM (20) · 49 named spots

15
20Poor
Bayside and Gulfside from Craig Key to West End of Seven Mile Bridge

Best window today 4 PM-12 AM (20) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 12 AM (20) · 199 named spots

16
20Poor
Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound

Best window today 4 PM-12 AM (20) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 12 AM (20) · 126 named spots

17
20Poor
Coastal Waters From Ochlockonee River to Apalachicola FL out to 20 Nm

Best window today 4 PM-12 AM (20) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 12 AM (20) · 39 named spots

18
20Poor
Coastal waters from Suwannee River to Keaton Beach out 20 NM

Best window today 4 PM-12 AM (20) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 12 AM (20) · 20 named spots

19
20Poor
Coastal waters from Chokoloskee to Bonita Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 4 PM-12 AM (20) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 12 AM (20) · 81 named spots

20
20Poor
Coastal Waters from Mexico Beach to Apalachicola out 20 NM

Best window today 4 PM-12 AM (20) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 12 AM (20) · 24 named spots

21
20Poor
Coastal waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River FL out 20 NM

Best window today 4 PM-12 AM (20) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 12 AM (20) · 131 named spots

22
20Poor
Eastern Choctawhatchee Bay

Best window today 3 PM-12 AM (20) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 12 AM (20) · 13 named spots

23
20Poor
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and Buttonwood Sound

Best window today 4 PM-12 AM (20) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 12 AM (20) · 109 named spots

24
20Poor
Gulf of America including Dry Tortugas and Rebecca Shoal Channel

Best window today 4 PM-12 AM (20) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 12 AM (20) · 16 named spots

25
20Poor
Pensacola Bay Area including Santa Rosa Sound

Best window today 3 PM-12 AM (20) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 12 AM (20) · 46 named spots

26
20Poor
St. Andrews Bay Waterways

Best window today 3 PM-12 AM (20) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 12 AM (20) · 79 named spots

27
20Poor
Tampa Bay waters

Best window today 4 PM-12 AM (20) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 12 AM (20) · 195 named spots

28
20Poor
Western Choctawhatchee Bay

Best window today 3 PM-12 AM (20) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 12 AM (20) · 23 named spots

Not scored in this forecast: Anegada Passage east of Virgin Gorda and Saint Croix south to 17N, Atlantic Waters of Puerto Rico AND USVI from 10 NM to 19.5N and Mona Passage Southward to 17N.

How and where it feeds

Water temperature
Feeds from 64°F to 86°F, best between 68°F and 80°F.
Water depth
50 to 300 ft of water.
Structure
Wreck, reef, pinnacle, ledge and bank, in that order of preference.
Tide and current
Prefers moving water, with moderate current.Tide stage matters less than current offshore. Current running across a wreck or rig tends to hold fish on the up-current side, and dead-slack water often slows the bite.
Light
Little tied to dawn and dusk.
Pressure
Little response to pressure changes.
Wind and sea limits
20 kt of wind and 5 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.

Tackle and technique

Amberjack school around wrecks, oil rigs, towers and high-relief reefs in 60 to 250 feet, often suspended well above the bottom. Drop a live blue runner or work a heavy jig through the school, then pump hard, because a big AJ runs straight back into the structure. Heavy conventional gear with 50 to 80 pound line is standard.

Methods
vertical jigging, live bait fishing, speed jigging, bottom fishing
Lures
speed jigs, butterfly jigs, large bucktail jigs, diamond jigs, topwater poppers
Bait
live blue runners, live cigar minnows, hardtails, live pinfish, bonito strips

Regulations

FWC saltwater regulations Buy a Florida fishing license License types

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Synced with FWC Nov 3, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.

GulfClosed

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

AtlanticRetention 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. Special rules apply in Biscayne National Park. Reef fish gear rules apply. Land with head and fins intact. Open January through March and May through December. Closed in April.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Amberjack · verified Sep 13, 2026

Monroe County (Gulf side)Closed

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

Monroe County (Atlantic side)Retention 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

Federal waters (Gulf)ClosedFederal

No retention

Season: Oct 14, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027

The closure also applies in state waters aboard vessels with a federal Gulf charter or headboat permit for reef fish. Closed for the rest of the 2026-2027 fishing year. The 2027-2028 season opens September 1, 2027.

NOAA Fishery Bulletin FB26-029, Gulf greater amberjack recreational season length · verified Sep 13, 2026

Federal waters (Atlantic)Retention openFederal

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

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