Current FWC regulations

Season
Statewide
Year-round (open)
Indian River Lagoon (Volusia through northern Palm Beach)
Catch and release only — no harvest
Size limit
18 – 27 inches total length
Bag limit
1 per person / day. Vessel limits: 4 (Panhandle, Big Bend, Northeast), 2 (Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast).
Legal gear
Hook and line only. Snatching, spearing, and gigging prohibited.
Notes
Only 1 fish per angler over the vessel limit contributes. Indian River Lagoon is closed to harvest to help the fishery recover.

These limits are summarized from public FWC data and reviewed monthly. Florida regulations can change on short notice — always verify at MyFWC.com/Fishing before keeping a fish.

Best time to fish

Year-round bite, but fall bait migrations produce huge schools on flats.

Best baits and tackle

Live shrimp, mullet, pinfish, and cut bait. Artificials: gold spoons, soft plastics on jigheads, weedless swimbaits, and topwater in low light.

Where to find them

Grass flats 2-5 ft deep, oyster bars, mangrove creek mouths, potholes, tidal cuts. Sight-fish tailing schools in early morning on falling tides.

Sources Cross-referenced with the FWC Saltwater Regulations and FWC Freshwater Regulations. Reviewed July 2026.

Species photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons contributors and public agencies (USFWS / NOAA / state fisheries). Licensed CC-BY, CC-BY-SA, or public domain.