Saltwater Species Directory

Ambush predator with a jet-black lateral line. Holds tight to mangrove roots, dock lights and bridge shadow lines, facing into moving water.

Bag limit

1 per harvester per day

Size / slot limit

Slot: not less than 28" and not more than 33" total length (Atlantic); 28"–33" Gulf

Season

Atlantic: closed Dec 15–Jan 31 and Jun 1–Aug 31. Gulf: closed Dec 1–end Feb and May 1–Aug 31.

Gear: Hook and line only. Snatching prohibited. Snook Permit required.

Habitat: Mangrove shorelines, passes, bridges, beach troughs

Copper-bronze schooler with a signature tail spot. Tails on shallow grass flats on high water and stacks in potholes as the tide drains.

Bag limit

1 per harvester per day; 2 per vessel (varies by management zone)

Size / slot limit

Slot: not less than 18" and not more than 27" total length

Season

Open year-round in most zones; catch-and-release only in some SW Florida zones.

Gear: Hook and line only; gigging and snatching prohibited.

Habitat: Grass flats, oyster bars, marsh drains, surf

The Silver King. Rolls at dawn in passes and along beaches during the spring migration; air-gulps at the surface in low-oxygen backwaters.

Bag limit

Catch-and-release only

Size / slot limit

Harvest prohibited except under a tarpon tag for an IGFA record attempt

Season

Year-round catch-and-release

Gear: Hook and line only. Fish over 40" must remain in the water.

Habitat: Passes, beaches, bridges, backcountry basins

Structure-loving and leader-shy. Bigger fish move offshore to wrecks and ledges; juveniles crowd docks and mangrove edges.

Bag limit

5 per harvester per day within the 10-snapper aggregate limit

Size / slot limit

Minimum 10" total length (Atlantic and Gulf)

Season

Open year-round

Gear: Hook and line, spearing, cast net allowed for some snapper.

Habitat: Docks, bridges, wrecks, nearshore ledges

Speckled flats resident with canine fangs. Gators sit over deep grass on cold mornings and slide shallow as the sun warms the bottom.

Bag limit

3 per harvester per day (zone dependent), 1 may exceed 20"

Size / slot limit

Slot: not less than 15" and not more than 19" total length

Season

Open year-round in most zones; seasonal closures in select NW zones.

Gear: Hook and line only; multiple hooks allowed on artificial lures.

Habitat: Turtle grass flats, potholes, deep bayous

Heavy structure bully that runs straight back into the rocks. Moves shallow to nearshore hard bottom in the cooler months.

Bag limit

2 per harvester per day within the 4-grouper aggregate

Size / slot limit

Minimum 24" total length (Gulf); 24" Atlantic

Season

Gulf: Sep 1–Dec 31 (state waters). Atlantic: May 1–Dec 31.

Gear: Non-stainless circle hooks and dehooking device required.

Habitat: Rock ledges, wrecks, artificial reefs, hard bottom

The flats trophy. Sickle tails wave over crab-rich hard bottom in the Keys; spawning fish stack on offshore wrecks in late spring.

Bag limit

1 per harvester per day; 2 per vessel in the Special Permit Zone

Size / slot limit

Slot: 11"–22" fork length; 1 over 22" per vessel per day

Season

Special Permit Zone closed to harvest May 1–Jul 31.

Gear: Hook and line only; snatching prohibited.

Habitat: Keys flats, channel edges, offshore wrecks

Hard-bottom grouper that excavates its own pit in the limestone. The Gulf's most common keeper grouper on live bottom in 60–150 ft.

Bag limit

2 per harvester per day within the 4-grouper aggregate

Size / slot limit

Minimum 20" total length (Gulf); 20" Atlantic

Season

Gulf: open year-round in state waters. Atlantic: closed Jan 1–Apr 30.

Gear: Non-stainless circle hooks, dehooking device and venting tool required.

Habitat: Limestone live bottom, ledges, artificial reefs

The heavyweight of the reef grouper family. Patrols deep Keys reef edges and wrecks, and will crush a trolled plug on the drop-off.

Bag limit

2 per harvester per day within the 4-grouper aggregate

Size / slot limit

Minimum 24" total length

Season

Gulf: Jun 1–Dec 31. Atlantic: May 1–Dec 31.

Gear: Non-stainless circle hooks and descending device required.

Habitat: Deep reef edges, wrecks, Keys drop-offs

Fast, acrobatic inshore shark that migrates down the Atlantic beaches in huge winter schools chasing mullet and menhaden.

Bag limit

1 per harvester per day, 2 per vessel (shark aggregate)

Size / slot limit

Minimum 54" fork length

Season

Open year-round; many species are prohibited — check the FWC list.

Gear: Non-offset, non-stainless circle hooks required when using natural bait from shore.

Habitat: Beach troughs, passes, nearshore bars

Brawling schooling bulldog. Blows up bait pods in passes and along beaches and pulls harder pound-for-pound than almost anything inshore.

Bag limit

No statewide bag limit

Size / slot limit

No minimum size limit

Season

Open year-round

Gear: Hook and line; fast topwater plugs and big spoons.

Habitat: Passes, beaches, bridges, river mouths

Convict-striped structure grazer with human-like teeth. Stacks on pilings, jetties and nearshore reefs for the late-winter spawn.

Bag limit

8 per harvester per day

Size / slot limit

Minimum 12" total length

Season

Open year-round; 5-fish vessel limit Mar 1–31.

Gear: Hook and line, spearing; small hooks with fiddler crabs or shrimp.

Habitat: Bridge pilings, jetties, oyster bars, nearshore reefs