NWS zone GMZ052 · South Florida and the Keys
Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out 20 NM fishing forecast
Florida · Gulf coast
Score now
- Named spots
- 0
- Species scored
- 22
- Tide stations
- 0
Overview
Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out 20 NM is NWS marine zone GMZ052 on the Florida Gulf coast, in the South Florida and the Keys species region. The Waterlands engine treats it as open coast, near shore. It holds 0 named features from the USGS Geographic Names Information System.
22 species are scored here in this forecast; Common snook, Crevalle jack, Red drum, King mackerel and Wahoo are at peak season now.
At 11:00 PM it scores 67 (great), led by Common snook. The best window for the rest of today is 11 PM-12 AM (flood tide), peaking at 67 for Common snook. Over the next 14 days the best hour is Sat, Nov 7 at 11 PM, scoring 86.
Best times to fish
Waterlands engine forecast computed 11:03 PM EST.
Best window today
11 PM-12 AM · Flood tide
Top species: Common snook
Best hour of each day, next 14 days
Mon, Nov 2
72
6 PM
Common snook
Tue, Nov 3
77
7 AM
Crevalle jack
Wed, Nov 4
82
8 AM
Common snook
Thu, Nov 5
83
8 AM
Common snook
Fri, Nov 6
85
4 PM
Common snook
Sat, Nov 7
86
11 PM
Common snook
Best day
Sun, Nov 8
85
4 PM
Common snook
Mon, Nov 9
86
12 AM
Common snook
Tue, Nov 10
83
12 AM
Common snook
Wed, Nov 11
77
2 PM
Crevalle jack
Thu, Nov 12
73
2 AM
Common snook
Fri, Nov 13
77
3 AM
Common snook
Sat, Nov 14
77
8 AM
Common snook
Sun, Nov 15
75
3 AM
Common snook
Species · 22
Listed for the South Florida and the Keys region. Scores are this hour; season is where the species is in its year.
Peak season, about 3 more weeks · Best day Sat, Nov 7 at 11 PM (86)
Peak season, about 3 more weeks · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 8 AM (81)
Peak season, about 16 more weeks · Best day Fri, Nov 6 at 10 PM (78)
Peak season, about 21 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (74)
Shoulder season, about 3 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 6 PM (71)
Shoulder season, about 16 more weeks · Best day Sat, Nov 7 at 11 PM (76)
Shoulder season, about 25 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (65)
Shoulder season, about 3 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (71)
Shoulder season, about 21 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (60)
Shoulder season, about 16 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (62)
Shoulder season, about 12 more weeks · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 8 AM (57)
Shoulder season, about 25 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (62)
Shoulder season, about 3 more weeks · Best day Sat, Nov 7 at 8 AM (56)
Shoulder season, about 3 more weeks · Best day Mon, Nov 9 at 12 PM (63)
Shoulder season, about 12 more weeks · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 8 AM (52)
Peak season, about 12 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (52)
Off season, about 3 more weeks · Best day Mon, Nov 2 at 6 AM (35)
Off season, about 16 more weeks · Best day Mon, Nov 2 at 6 AM (35)
Shoulder season, about 16 more weeks · Best day Sun, Nov 8 at 4 PM (66)
Shoulder season, about 3 more weeks · Best day Sun, Nov 8 at 10 PM (56)
Shoulder season, about 25 more weeks · Best day Mon, Nov 2 at 12 AM (20)
Named spots · 0
Nearest tide stations
Regulations
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Synced with FWC Nov 2, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.
This bay system’s spots fall in Federal waters (Atlantic) (1 spot) and Special Permit Zone (1 spot).
Federal waters, South Atlantic (off Florida) · NOAA Fisheries
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
10 per day · Minimum 20 in, fork length
Season: No closed season on file
10 per person or 54 per vessel, whichever is less. On a headboat, 10 per paying passenger.
50 CFR part 622, subpart M (Atlantic dolphin and wahoo) · 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
2 per day
Season: No closed season on file
50 CFR part 622, subpart M (Atlantic dolphin and wahoo) · verified Sep 13, 2026
Special Permit Zone (SPZ) · FWC
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
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
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
1 per day (1 billfish combined) · Minimum 63 in, lower jaw fork length
Season: No closed season on file
Report landed billfish to NOAA within 24 hours. A federal HMS Angling Permit is needed in federal waters, not in state waters. Sailfish you plan to release may not be removed from the water in federal waters, or in state waters if you hold an HMS permit. 1 billfish per person per day. Open year-round.
FWC Recreational Regulations: Billfish, Tuna, and Swordfish · 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
2 per day
Season: No closed season on file
No minimum size. Open year-round.
FWC Recreational Regulations: Wahoo · 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
- Eastern Choctawhatchee Bay13
- 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
- Tampa Bay waters195
- Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm92
- Western Choctawhatchee Bay23