Weather you are on Vacation a weekend angler or a pro do NOT take these rules and regulations lightly or you will be paying big fines. You must have the proper license to fish in Florida the good thing is the state of Florida offers many different types and lengths of license you can use the site below to find the exact license you will need ( Note: many fishing charters include the license in there overall price so make sure you have everything you need before going)
Florida Fishing License
Redfish, Red Drum, Puppy Drum, Channel Bass
(Not less than 18" or more than 27" and only 1 fish per harvester per day.)
Common Snook, Swordspine Snook, Black Snook, Fat Snook, Robalo
(Not less than 28" or more than 32" Atlantic - Not less than 28" or more than 33" Gulf of Mexico, Monroe County, Everglades Nat. Park
Season Closed Dec. 15–Jan. 31, June–Aug. Atlantic
Dec.–Feb., May–Aug. Gulf of Mexico, Monroe County, Everglades Nat. Park
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reminds anglers that the harvest season for snook in Gulf of Mexico, Everglades National Park and Monroe County waters, which usually begins on March 1, will not be open this year. The FWC issued an executive order on Jan. 15 that temporarily extends closed harvest seasons for snook statewide until Sept. 1 to protect snook populations affected by recent prolonged cold weather in Florida..
The order, which took effect on Jan. 16, provides that no person may harvest or possess snook in all state and federal waters off Florida until September. Anglers may still catch and release snook during the closure, and the FWC encourages everyone to handle and release these fish carefully to help ensure their survival upon release.)
Cobia, Ling, Crab Eater, Lemon Fish
(Minimum size 33" to fork 1 per harvester or 6 per vessel per day, whichever is less.)
Black Drum, Drum Fish, Drum
(Not less than 14" or more than 24". Five per harvester per day. May possess 1 over 24")
Spotted Seatrout, Sea Trout, Speckled Trout, Gator Trout
(Not less than 15" or more than 20" (statewide) except one fish over 20" per person. 4 per harvester per day South Region 5 per harvester per day N.E. and N.W. Regions.
Season Closure: Nov. & Dec. S. Region / Feb. N.E. and N.W.)
Tarpon, Sabalo, Silver King
(Requires $50 tarpon tag to possess or harvest and two fish possession limit.)
Lady Fish, Poor Man's Tarpon
(No limit or size regulation.)
Blue Fish, Bluefish
(12" minimum size to the fork, limit of 10 per day per angler.)
Crevalle Jack, Jack Fish
(No limit or size regulation.)
Dolphin, Mahi Mahi, Dorado
(20" minimum to fork of tail, 10 fish per angler and not to exceed 60 per vessel possession limit.)
King Mackerel, King Fish, Kingfish, Mackerel
(24" to fork in tail minimum size limit, limit of two per angler per day.)
Spanish Mackerel
(12" minimum to fork in tail, 15 per angler per day.)
Tripletail, Triple Tail, Bouy Bass
(15" minimum size limit, 2 per angler per day.)
Cubera Snapper, Snapper
(Not less than 12" or more than 30", Included within 10 per harvester per day Snapper aggregate bag limit if under 30", Allowed 2 Cubera Snapper over 30" per harvester or vessel per day, whichever is less. 30" or larger not included within the Snapper aggregate bag limit.)
Mangrove Snapper
(10" minimum size limit, five per angler per day.)
Amber Jack
(Must be at least 28" fork of the tail in the Atlantic; 30" fork of the tail in the Gulf. One per harvester per day.)
Gag Grouper, Grey Grouper
(There are several types of grouper in Florida with the Grey or Gag being one of the most popular. Please look at the FWC literature for additional information regarding this and other grouper species. 24" minimum in the Atlantic with two fish per angler per day possession limit.
NOAA Fisheries Service has announced that effective January 4, 2010, all recreational and commercial harvest of grouper in Atlantic federal waters is prohibited. This interim rule will be effective until June 2, 2010 and could be extended for another 186-day period.)
Red Snapper, American Red Snapper
(20" Atlantic Ocean; 16" Gulf of Mexico minimum size, 2 per angler per day.
NOAA Fisheries Service has announced that effective January 4, 2010, all recreational and commercial harvest of red snapper in Atlantic federal waters is prohibited. This interim rule will be effective until June 2, 2010 and could be extended for another 186-day period.)
Sailfish, Sail Fish
(63" minimum from tip of bottom jaw to fork of tail. Limit of one per day per angler. Additional permits are required in federal waters.)
Goliath Grouper or Jewfish
(It is unlawful to harvest, possess, land, purchase, sell, or exchange)
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