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Flounder: Florida size, bag and season

As of / last verified: against official sources · Source: FWC: Flounder (southern/Gulf)

Flounder limit in Florida: 14 inches total length and 5 per person. Harvest is closed every year from October 15 through November 30 in state waters and in federal waters off Florida. The rule covers Gulf, southern, summer and fringed flounder. Legal gear includes hook and line, spears, gigs, seine and cast net.

Quick answer

Rules in flux
Harvest closes Oct 15 through Nov 30 every year.
Size
14" total length
Bag
5 per person
Closure
Closed annually Oct. 15 through Nov. 30
Species covered
Gulf, southern, summer and fringed flounder
Waters
State and federal waters off Florida
Southern flounder: side view for identification
Flounder (southern/Gulf). Credit: NOAA Fisheries (SEFSC Pascagoula Laboratory, Brandi Noble collection). Public domain
Total length vs fork lengthTotal length runs from the tip of the closed mouth to the tip of the squeezed tail. Fork length runs from the tip of the snout to the center of the tail fork.How FWC measures fishTOTAL LENGTH: mouth closed → tip of squeezed tailFORK LENGTH: snout → center of tail forkTL species include: red drum, snook, spotted seatrout, weakfish, snappers, groupers, flounder, sheepsheadFL species include: pompano, permit, Spanish & king mackerel, cobia, amberjacks, hogfish, dolphin
Measure in a straight line with the fish on its side; don't follow its curve. Flounder are measured in total length. Source: FWC Fish Measurement. Original graphic.

Flounder (southern/Gulf) limits

WatersSizeBagSeason
Gulf and Atlantic state waters, and federal waters off Florida14" total length5 per personClosed annually from Oct. 15 through Nov. 30

Special regulations apply in Biscayne National Park. Multiple hooks with live or dead natural bait, and snatching, are prohibited. As of October 14, 2026, the annual closure begins the next day.

Rules in flux. Harvest closes Oct 15 through Nov 30 every year.

How do you identify Flounder (southern/Gulf)?

Where and when to catch Flounder (southern/Gulf) in Florida?

Southern flounder use brackish bays and estuaries and sometimes range into tidal creeks and freshwater. Gulf flounder are inshore on sandy or mud bottoms, often in tidal creeks, and are occasionally caught on nearshore rocky reefs. Both are bottom fish thought to spawn offshore, and both can change color to match the bottom. Southern flounder mostly eat small fish. Gulf flounder eat crustaceans and small fish. The harvest closure is statewide, including federal waters off Florida, every October 15 through November 30.

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Regions

Related rules on this site

Frequently asked questions

What is the flounder size limit?

14 inches total length.

What is the flounder bag limit?

5 per person.

When is flounder season closed?

Every year from October 15 through November 30, in Gulf and Atlantic state waters and in federal waters off Florida.

Which flounder species do these rules cover?

Gulf flounder, southern flounder, summer flounder and fringed flounder.

How do you tell a Gulf flounder from a southern flounder?

Gulf flounder have three prominent eyelike spots forming a triangle. Southern flounder may have five or more spots, but those spots are not eyelike.

Official sources

Last verified: October 14, 2026.

Related guides

Disclaimer: This page is a plain-English summary for general information. It is not legal advice. Rules, seasons and boundaries can change at short notice, including by emergency order. Always check the current regulations on MyFWC.com before you fish.