Fishing Regulations & Guidelines

Know before you go. NE Florida saltwater regulations, license info, catch & release best practices, and species rules — sourced from FWC.

Important: This page is a quick-reference summary for NE Florida anglers. Regulations change — always verify current rules at MyFWC.com before your trip. our904 is not affiliated with FWC and this is not legal advice.

Latest · 2026 Season Update

Atlantic red snapper season expanded to 39 days

For the first time in over a decade, Florida is managing the Atlantic recreational red snapper fishery under a state-level Exempted Fishing Permit. The 2026 season opens Friday, May 22 (Memorial Day weekend) and runs through June 20, with three additional weekends in October: Oct 2-4, 9-11, and 16-18. That's 39 total days versus the 2-day window we got last year.

Applies to Atlantic state and federal waters off the Jacksonville-to-Cape-Canaveral coast. Bag and size limits unchanged: 1 fish per person per day, 20-inch minimum total length. Verify current limits with FWC before any trip.

Full red snapper 2026 guide → FWC official page

Heads-Up · Visiting Anglers

Out-of-state visitors can no longer buy short-term licenses online

FWC pulled the online sale of 3-day and 7-day saltwater visitor licenses earlier this year. If you're visiting from out of state and want a short-term license, you now have to buy it in person at a county tax collector's office. There are no retail license vendors at the beach, so plan an extra hour into your first day to get there and back.

Alternatives: book a licensed charter (the captain's license covers everyone aboard), or buy an annual non-resident license online if you'll be fishing more than a few days a year.

Where to buy → FWC visitor license page

FWC Saltwater Regs Get Your License Fish Handling Guide

🪪 Fishing License

All Florida residents and visitors must have a valid fishing license when fishing in saltwater. This includes catch-and-release, crabbing, or helping someone else fish (baiting hooks, netting, etc.).

Who Doesn't Need a License

Under 16 years old — completely exempt
Residents 65+ — free Resident 65+ Hunt/Fish Certificate available at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com
Fishing from a licensed charter or for-hire vessel
Fishing from a pier with a valid pier license (like the Jax Beach Pier)
Residents using a cane pole with live bait, shore-fishing in your home county
Active military on leave (30 days or less)
Disabled persons with state certification

How to Get a License

Purchase online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, through the Fish|Hunt FL app (Apple/Android), at your local county tax collector, or at bait & tackle shops.

Free Fishing Days

Florida offers several free saltwater fishing days each year when no license is required. Great for introducing new anglers.

Snook Permit: If you're targeting Snook, you need a separate Snook permit in addition to your saltwater license. Purchase it at the same time as your license.

📏 NE Florida Species Regulations

Jacksonville falls within the FWC Northeast Region — from the Florida-Georgia border south to New Smyrna Beach. These are the rules for the species you'll encounter most often fishing our waters. State waters extend 3 miles offshore on the Atlantic side.

Inshore Species

Species	Size Limit	Bag Limit	Season	Notes
Red Drum (Redfish)	18" – 27" slot	1/person, 4/vessel	Year-round	No spearing. Must stay whole until ashore.
Spotted Seatrout	15" – 19" slot	3/person	Year-round	No multiple hooks with natural bait.
Flounder	14" min	5/person	Closed Oct 15 – Nov 30	Gigging allowed.
Sheepshead	12" min	8/person	Year-round	Vessel limit 50 in Mar-Apr.
Snook	28" – 32" slot	1/person	Closed Dec 15 – Jan 31 & Jun 1 – Aug 31	Requires snook permit. Hook & line only.
Tarpon	—	Catch & release only	Year-round	Over 40" must stay in water. Hook & line only.
Pompano	11" min (fork)	6/person	Year-round	Hook & line only in state waters.

Offshore / Reef Species

Species	Size Limit	Bag Limit	Season	Notes
Red Snapper	20" min	2/person	Year-round (state) — federal waters check season	Federal season varies annually.
Mangrove/Gray Snapper	10" (state) / 12" (federal)	5/person (10-snapper agg.)	Year-round
Lane Snapper	8" min	10/person (10-snapper agg.)	Year-round
Vermilion Snapper	12" min	5/person	Year-round	Not in the 10-snapper aggregate.
Gag Grouper	24" min	2/person (4-grouper agg.)	Closed Sep 15, 2025 – Aug 31, 2026	Currently closed. Check FWC for updates.
Red Grouper	20" min	2/person (4-grouper agg.)	Year-round (state)	Fed closure Feb 1 – Mar 31 past 20 fathoms.
Black Grouper	24" min	4/person (4-grouper agg.)	Year-round (state)	Fed closure Feb 1 – Mar 31 past 20 fathoms.
Black Sea Bass	13" min	7/person	Year-round	Non-stainless, non-offset circle hooks required. Dehooking device required.
Amberjack (Greater)	28" min (fork)	1/person	Check FWC — closures vary	Within 4-grouper aggregate in some contexts.
Cobia	36" min (fork)	1/person, 2/vessel max	Year-round

Pelagic / Surf Species

Species	Size Limit	Bag Limit	Season	Notes
King Mackerel	24" min (fork)	2/person	Year-round	Hook & line and spearing only.
Spanish Mackerel	12" min (fork)	15/person	Year-round
Whiting	No min	No limit	Year-round	Great beginner species.

Reef Fish Gear Rules: When targeting reef fish (grouper, snapper, amberjack, triggerfish, black sea bass), you must use non-stainless steel hooks, and non-offset circle hooks are required north of 28°N (which includes all of NE Florida). A dehooking device is also required. All grouper must be landed with head and fins intact.

🐟 Catch & Release Best Practices

Responsible catch and release keeps our fishery healthy. Whether you're releasing an undersized fish or practicing voluntary C&R, these practices dramatically improve survival rates.

Handle with Care

Wet your hands before touching any fish — this preserves the protective slime coating that guards against infection
Hold fish horizontally to prevent internal organ damage — never hold a fish vertically by the jaw
Never grab by the gills or eyes
Use a knotless, rubber-coated landing net to support body weight
Minimize time out of water — "Catch, Photo, Release"

Quick Hook Removal

Use a dehooking tool to speed up release — even needle-nose pliers work
If gut-hooked, cut the line as close to the hook as possible while the fish is still in the water
Release fish head-first so water flows through the gills

Tackle Tips That Help Fish Survive

Circle hooks are 90% more likely to hook in the mouth instead of the gut — don't "set" the hook, let the fish take it
Crimp your barbs flat for faster removal — catch rates stay about the same
Use non-stainless steel hooks (bronze/steel) — they deteriorate faster if left in a fish
Remove 1-2 treble hooks from lures to reduce damage

Reviving Exhausted Fish

Support the belly and point the fish head-first into the current
In a kayak, move the fish in figure-eight patterns to push water through the gills
Never move a fish back-and-forth — this prevents proper gill flow
For deep-water reef fish showing barotrauma (bloated belly, eyes bulging), use a descending device to return them to depth

Pier Fishing Tips

Keep dehooking tools and line cutters accessible
Only bring a fish onto the pier if you're keeping it
For catch-and-release, cut the line near the hook rather than risk dropping the fish

Photography

Hold the fish horizontally, supporting with both hands
Photograph over the water whenever possible
Tarpon over 40" must stay in the water — photograph in the water

Before You Go: Decide which species you'll keep before leaving the dock. Know your target species identification, current regulations, and proper measurement. Match your tackle to your target for a quicker fight — exhausted fish have lower survival rates.

🗺️ State vs. Federal Waters

Florida state waters extend 3 nautical miles from shore on the Atlantic side. Beyond that, you're in federal waters managed by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, where rules can differ — especially for red snapper, grouper, and amberjack seasons.

Many of the JOSFC reef sites on our Fishing map sit in federal waters (beyond 3 miles). Always confirm which jurisdiction you're fishing in and check both state and federal rules.

South Atlantic Council FWC Full Species List

📱 Fish Rules App

Download the free Fish Rules app for real-time regulation lookups based on your GPS location. It automatically tells you what's in season, bag limits, and size limits for wherever you're fishing. Highly recommended for offshore trips where state/federal boundaries matter.

Get Fish Rules App

🔗 Official FWC Resources

Last updated: April 2026. Regulations change — always verify at MyFWC.com before your trip.
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