Florida saltwater fishing rules, in plain English

Region-by-region limits, look-alike fish ID and verified pier and bridge guides. Every page links to the official FWC source. Last verified: October 14, 2026.

Pick your region

• Tampa Bay
• Sarasota & Southwest
• Florida Keys
• Jacksonville & Northeast
• Panhandle & Emerald Coast

Fishing rules

• Spotted seatrout regions 2026
  9 regions, 15–19" slot, bag 2–5
• Snook season: Gulf vs. Atlantic
  Seasons, slots and the Venice line
• Snook permit for catch-and-release
  Yes, you need it: $10/yr
• Redfish limits by region
  18–27", 1/day, vessel limits
• Flounder season & size
  Closed now (Oct 15–Nov 30)
• Sharks you can keep from shore
  Species list, permit, gear
• Is chumming legal?
  Banned from the beach for any species
• Stone crab rules
  Opens Oct 15: claws 2 7/8", 5 traps
• Blue crab rules
  10 gal/day, trap registration
• Seniors 65+ & State Reef Fish Angler
  Free, but required on private boats

Look-alike species

• Permit vs. pompano
  ID + limits
• Seatrout vs. weakfish
  ID + limits
• Mutton vs. lane vs. mangrove
  ID + limits

All piers & bridges →