Regulations

Minimum size - 30" to the fork.  1 per person per day.

General Information

A strong fighter that powers deep and defies lifting with a great deal of stamina that matches their strength, the Greater Amberjack have a brown or gold overall color and have a very heavy body. There are no scutes forward of the tail fin and they have a dark oblique line extending from forward of the eye to the dorsal fin.

Distribution

Found in all of Florida, the Bahamas and Caribbean, adults are common at various depths, ranging from reefs several hundred feet deep to fairly shallow wrecks and reefs. Big ones also come close to shore at times, particularly in the Keys and the Islands. Artificial reefs and wrecks all along the Gulf Coast often harbor huge schools of smaller Amberjack, and many Gulf wrecks are home to big ones as well.

Tackle and Techniques

Amberjack are most often caught on charter boats on heavy rods and reels with 50 pound or more test. Experienced light-tackle fishers can successfully battle them with spinning and baitcasting and even fly rod rigs. Around wrecks, they frequently follow hooked fish to boat side, and also may rise to the top voluntarily. They then can be cast to with surface plugs, spoons, jigs, or big fly rod streamers and poppers.

Drifting, trolling or casting are options to catch these fighters.

Bait

Live chum will draw Amberjack from the depths. The best bait is any sort of live fish, the livelier the better.

Regulations

Minimum size - 14".  Maximum size - 24".  5 per person per day.  May possess one over 24".  Snatching prohibited.

General Information

Somewhat similar to the redfish in shape, but Black Drum are usually distinguishable by color and always by the feelers or barbels on the underside of the lower jaw. Young Drum have dark vertical stripes on white sides. The stripes fade with age and adult Drum are usually blackish above and whitish below and some develop a bronze hue. These fish offer a strong, bullish fight.

Distribution

Black Drum can be found in surf and estuaries. Like redfish, Drum forage along shell bars, shorelines and shallow flats. Big Drum stick mostly to inside channels and surf.

Tackle and techniques

Surf tackle and saltwater boat rods are used when targeting big fish, but even lunkers can be caught rather easily on spinning and casting tackle with a bit of patience. Drum are not avid lure-chasers but can be taken on slowly worked jigs in deep water and by carefully presented streamer flies and jigs on the flats. Fly fishing for these fish is a real challenge.

Bait

Any sort of crustacean, from shrimp to cut blue crab to whole small crab, make fine bait for Black Drum.

Regulations

Minimum length - 33" to the fork.  1 per person per day or 6 per vessel, whichever is less. 

General Information

Cobia are year round residents in south Florida and part time residents in other parts of the state. Along both coasts, anglers notice cobia migrating northward in the spring and to the south in the fall. They travel in small schools and are often seen in the company of large rays. Anglers use the sight of the ray's wing tips breaking the surface of the water as an indication that cobia may be present.

The fish spawn in summer and early fall offshore in the Atlantic Ocean and in the open waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Cobia grow quickly. A two year old fish can be 24" in length.

Distribution

Cobia are usually caught offshore but there are some notable exceptions. The fish are full time residents in large west coast bays such as Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor. There are also an increasing number of reports of cobia being caught very close to shore and in the passes and backwaters along the southwest coast. Wherever they occur, look for this species around natural and man-made submerged structures. Anglers without boats have the best chance of catching a cobia from land off one of the piers along the Gulf of Mexico coast in the panhandle.

Tackle and techniques

You'll need a medium to heavy duty spinning rod and reel with 15 to 30 pound test line, heavy monofilament leader, and a good drag system on your reel to go after these fighters. This is necessary because the fish, once hooked, makes it's initial runs towards the closest structure. Your job is to turn the fish and keep it from reaching something the fish can use to cut you off. In the summer, when the water is warm, cobia will be close to the surface and you can sight fish for them.

Bait

Cobia have a hard time passing up a small live fish or crab. Free line the bait when the fish are feeding near the surface or use just enough weight to get your bait down but still allow it some freedom to move. A large jig tipped with a chunk of squid is the most successful artificial lure. The goal is to cast ahead of the fish and bring it back towards the fish.

Regulations

No minimum size. 10 per person per day.

General Information

A strictly open water fish with striking colors. The body is golden iridescent with a deep green dorsal fin speckled with blue. Females spawn from November through July and produce eggs that, if they survive, will become 36" fish by the time they are one year old.

Dolphin travel in schools consisting of fish of approximately the same age and size. Fish less than three pounds are called chickens. Schoolies range from three to eight pounds. Gaffers are in excess of 8 pounds and are so called because a gaff is necessary in order to get the fish in the boat. The largest dolphin are slammers. These include the jumbo sized males referred to as bulls, fish easily distinguished by the distinctive lobed forehead.

Distribution

Dolphin are year round residents in south Florida. They regularly move north along the Atlantic coast in the summertime via the Gulf Stream. They also migrate to the northern Gulf of Mexico where there is a viable sport fishery based along the panhandle coast. Anglers along the west central and southwest coast must travel at least 50 miles offshore to find these fish as they migrate up and down the coast.

Tackle and Techniques

Dolphin love to hang around anything that floats. This includes lines or patches of seaweed and any type of man made or natural floating debris. Even one small piece of material is enough to attract a small school of chickens of schoolies. Never pass up the opportunity to cast your bait around floating objects.

In the absence of floating material trolling is another reliable way to find the fish. Boats usually run several lines overboard at the same time. Don't be surprised if you get one fish on and suddenly find every rod bending under the strain of a fish. Remember, dolphin travel in schools.

Boat tackle with 20 pound test line or higher works for trolling. When casting, a medium duty spinning reel with 15 pound test line will work on the smaller and medium sized fish.

Bait

A rigged ballyhoo is the traditional trolling bait, but one of the specially designed dolphin and big game lures also bring in their fare share of fish. When casting around floating debris, use cut bait or a ballyhoo. If the fish are around and a feeding frenzy develops, lures, jigs or anything light colored and flashy will get a strike.

Secrets to Success

* When you catch the first fish, leave it in the water. Chances are very good that other dolphin will show up to keep the hooked fish company.

Regulations

Minimum size - 12".  10 per person per day. May be harvested by spearing.  Snatching prohibited. 

General Information

This flat, bottom dwelling fish, represented in Florida by two species- the summer and southern flounder, is more common than many anglers think. The southern is larger of the two species. While anglers will catch most of these fish on the bottom, the fish is known to feed at all levels of the water column.

Distribution

The largest fish come from the northern part of Florida although good numbers of smaller fish are caught in the southern half of the state. The best places to find flounder are the passes, inlets, near shore waters, and backwater bays close to the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico. Peak season is in the fall.

Tackle

The traditional medium duty spinning or bait-casting rod and reel with 6-20 pound test line and a monofilament leader is more than sufficient for this species.

Bait

Small live finger mullet are the bait of choice along the Atlantic coast. Bull minnows are a favorite of upper Gulf coast anglers. Lures seldom generate strikes by flounder except for jigs tipped with shrimp and worked slowly along the bottom.

Secrets to Success

* The flounder's bite can be very subtle so you must be feeling for a gentle tapping. With time you can learn to distinguish the fish's bite to determine when to set the hook. Resist your temptation to set the hook as soon as you feel the bite. Let the fish take the bait and swim away with it. Count to 15 giving the fish time to swallow the bait, and then set the hook hard.

Regulations

Black Grouper:  Minimum size - 22".   Closed season in Gulf February 1 to March 31.  4 per person per day (Gulf). 
Gag Grouper:  Minimum size - 22".  Closed season in Gulf February 1 to March 31.  2 per person per day (Gulf). 
Red Grouper:  Minimum size - 20".  Closed season in Gulf February 1 to March 31.  2 per person per day (Gulf). 
 

General Information

This group of species share an interesting life history trait. All groupers begin life as males and over time transform into females. The spawning season is in the winter and spring except for the jewfish which spawns in the summer.

Grouper are usually caught offshore grouper but the younger individuals live in sea grass beds or around mangroves. Occasionally anglers catch legal sized fish in the deeper holes of the backwaters. Groupers live close to the bottom and always associate with some type of submerged structure.

Distribution

There are a number of grouper species caught in Florida. The gag and red groupers and the jewfish (a species permanently closed to all harvest) are the most widely distributed species. Most of the other species - Nassau, Red Hind, Rock Hind, Black, Yellowfin and Scamp live in and around the coral reefs of extreme south Florida.

Tackle and Techniques

Grouper fishing is primarily an offshore fishery. Drifting a bait a foot or so off the bottom is the typical technique used by recreational anglers. Slow trolling a bait or lure over hard bottom also produces fish. Standard boat tackle with 20 to 40 pound test line and a 40-80 pond test leader is employed so that anglers have a chance to turn the fish's head away from an underwater ledge or piece of manmade structure and bring it to the surface.

Bait

Grouper will eat anything just about anything that comes their way. A live pinfish, piece of squid, or chunk of fresh cut bait are proven baits when drifting or at anchor. When trolling anglers use deep diving saltwater plugs or jigs.  Jigs can also work when worked vertically while drifting or at anchor.

Secrets to Success

Groupers don't move real far for a meal. The prefer to wait for the meal to come close to where they are and that is usually only a foot or two from some place of refuge. When you feel a fish bite, set the hook as soon as you think the fish has the hook and reel in as much line as you can as quickly as possible. Monofilament line stretches up to 28% and that give the fish enough line to duck back into its place of refuge. What you want to do is prevent this by turning the fish's head up towards the surface. There is a trend among veteran grouper anglers to use one of the new braided or fused lines when fishing for grouper. With nearly no stretch, you have a better chance of turning the fish's head before it can get under a rock, a condition in which the fish almost always wins and the angler loses.

Regulations

None.

General Information

Jack Crevalle have a hard, compressed body with a blunt head and black spot on the rear edge of the gill cover. They have hard scutes forward of the sickle-shaped tail. Extremely hard fighters, these fish usually offer a long first run using their flat sides to good advantage when waging a tug-of-war.

Distribution

Found in all Florida waters and the Greater Antilles, but Jack Crevalle are rare in the Bahamas and smaller Caribbean islands. The Crevalle may show up at any time in virtually all Florida waters, from the deep reefs to well up coastal rivers. They usually run in schools, the smaller the individual fish, the larger the school. The biggest Jacks often cruise in pairs and are usually found in or near major inlets and around offshore wrecks and reefs of both coasts, but may come into deep bays and canals where they chase mullet and often herd the prey against seawalls.

Tackle and Techniques

Most Jacks are fairly small and are caught on the full range of light tackle by fishers seeking other game. If you target larger Jacks of 10 pounds or more, sturdy spinning, baitcasting and fly tackle should be used, with lines no less than 8-pound test.

Bait

Small Jacks will gulf down almost any sort of natural bait, live or dead, as well as all the popular casting and fly rod lures. Big Jacks, however, generally like their meals moving very fast. To assure hookups, using fresh and frisky live fish or quickly- and noisily-retrieved artificial lures is best. Top water plugs are good, as are fast-whipped jigs. Fly rodders often have to work very hard, stripping their streamers or poppers as fast as their elbows will move.

Regulations

Total closure.

General Information

This is by far the largest of the Groupers, but at any size, there's no mistaking a Jewfish. Juveniles are brilliantly marked with a series of irregular dark brown bars against a light brown or gray background, extending from head to tail. Numerous black spots are usually present as well on the head, sides and fins. Adults have the same pattern but in more subdued shades of brown that are not so brilliantly contrasted. The tail is round as are the posterior, dorsal, anal and pectoral fins.

Jewfish are traditionally seen in many sizes from a few pounds to 500 pounds. They have been reported to reach half a ton. The really huge fish are rare anymore but are slowly returning. The World and Florida record is 680 pounds.

The smaller Jewfish are excellent in taste and big ones are quite good as well. This is the main reason for their precipitous decline and total closure in Florida in the 1980's.

Distribution

Jewfish are found throughout Florida and the Bahamas. Juveniles to around 100 pounds frequent mangrove creeks and bays of Southwest Florida, especially the Ten Thousand Islands and Everglades National Park. Adults can be found at a variety of depths, from holes and channels of coastal waters out to offshore ledges and reefs. They can also be found around pilings of bridges and under deepwater docks and piers.

Tackle and Techniques

Baitcasting, spinning and fly tackle are acceptable for the inshore fish. Again, though, it takes all the muscle you and your tackle can come up with to battle Jewfish of 100 pounds or more.

Bait

Jewfish will hit the full range of lures and flies that are used by snook casters. The best natural baits are live Jack and live catfish inshore, and live or dead large fish for offshore giants including bonito and amberjack up to 15 pounds or more.

Regulations

None.

General Information

A slender, silvery fish with a deeply forked tail and a large, scoop-shaped lower jaw, these fish offer wild acrobatics when hooked. They get off spectacular and frequent jumps and larger ones are strong pullers. Ladyfish are common at 1 to 2 pounds; 3 to 4 pounders are whoppers.

Distribution

Found in all Florida waters, the Bahamas and Caribbean, Ladyfish occur the full length of both coasts, ranging from the open sea off beaches and shorelines to inlets and bays and far up coastal streams. They seem to have no preferred surroundings, but follow wherever good feeding conditions take them. They love to feed at night and are common around lighted areas of piers and docks. They often gather in large schools.

Tackle and Techniques

Ladyfish are scrappy on any light casting tackle, including fly. They offer great sport on ultralight tackle.

Bait

Most are caught on cut strips, small live fish or live shrimp by fishers vying for something else, particularly for trout. Ladyfish are ready strikers on most artificial lures of appropriate size. Jigs and small top water plugs rate high, as do popping bugs and small white streamer flies.

Regulations

Minimum size - 24" to the fork.  2 per person per day but is reduced to one fish in the Gulf and Atlantic when the fishery is closed to all harvest in Federal waters.

General Information

This migratory species live its entire life in the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Once fished to dangerously low levels, king mackerel have rebounded to respectable numbers. Because this is a pelagic species few details of its life history are known. Tagging studies suggest that there are two populations that visit Florida's offshore waters, one centered in the Atlantic and the other in the Gulf of Mexico.

Distribution

Anglers south of Jupiter Inlet will find kingfish in the Atlantic year round. North of the inlet the fishery is restricted to the warmer months of the year. Along the lower Gulf coast the fish migrate from the keys and appear in the spring and fall. They are heading to their summer feeding grounds off the Florida panhandle. King mackerel are almost always taken in open waters, usually by boats a mile or more offshore. A few fish move close to the beach and give anglers on the ocean piers and in the surf a chance to land a big one.

Tackle and Techniques

These strong fighting fish require tough tackle. For anglers fishing from a boat that means boat tackle with 20 pound test line or higher. This will work when trolling or drifting. Kingfish have a mouthful of sharp teeth so you'll need to use a 60-80 pound test monofilament or wire leader.

Finding these fish can be a chore. Trolling is the fastest way to cover a large area. Because the fish seldom travel close enough to the surface to sight fish for them, troll your bait well below the surface.

Bait

Small live fish are the preferred bait. Cut bait also works when drifting or trolling. A piece of whole or cut bait with a plastic skirt is often used when trolling. Large fish shaped plugs are another good trolling bait.

Regulations

Minimum size - 10" to the fork.  Maximum size - 20" to the fork.  6 per person per day aggregate bag of Permit and Pompano.  May possess one over 20" of either Permit or Pompano.

General Information

Permit have a deeper body and blunter head than the pompano. They have a sickle-shaped tail, no scutes and overall are silver. Like pompano, small Permit may also show some yellow on the underside. These fish rate as one of the very best gamefish - a long runner on the flats and a strong, stubborn deep fighter offshore. They are also one of the most challenging to fool, especially with artificial lures.

Distribution

Occurring in all Florida waters, the Bahamas and Caribbean, Permit are found in the surf, inlets and passes of both coasts but are more numerous in the southern half of Florida. In warm weather, they roam South Atlantic reefs and many Gulf wrecks.

Tackle and Techniques

Although offshore Permit are large enough to provide sport with light and medium saltwater tackle, the epitome of Permit fishing is to stalk them by sight on shallow flats, and cast directly to them. Light spinning, baitcasting and fly tackle can be used in the shallows provided the fisher has a good supply of line and a means (preferably a guide with a push-pole) of chasing the fish.

Bait

The best natural bait is any sort of small live crab. Dead pieces of crab and lobster also work well. Live shrimp are often accepted, especially if skittered across the surface, and then allowed to sink. If using small skimmer jigs, try to get the Permit to follow the lure, then stop it dead and let it sink into the grass or mud. The best flies are those with weighted or epoxy heads that will sink in the manner of a leadhead jig.

Regulations

Minimum size - 10" to the fork.  Maximum size - 20" to the fork.  6 per person per day aggregate bag of Permit and Pompano.  May possess one over 20" of either Permit or Pompano.

General Information

This is definitely the most tasty member of the jack family. Pompano are very closely related to permit, and you will sometimes find both species schooling together close to shore along the west coast.

Distribution

Most pompano are caught within a half mile of the shoreline. Many are taken by anglers fishing from one of the ocean piers or from the surf. Pompano are year round residents in south Florida and summer residents in north Florida.

Tackle and Techniques

Seldom growing over three pounds, pompano are the perfect fish to go after with light tackle. You can even use ultra-light tackle with as light as 4-6 pound test line. The pompano's mouth is small so use a small hook, such as a # 1 or 1/0. Fly rodders can step down from their usual 8 to 9 weight rigs and use a 7 weight line and corresponding rod and reel.

Bait

Pompano feed on crustacean and one of their favorites is a live sand flea. Tackle shops often have them frozen and those will work if you can't dig up a few live baits for yourself. Sand fleas are small crabs that live beneath the surface of the beach in the surf zone. It is easy to find them if you know what to look for. As the waves recede off the beach look for ripples or bubbles coming from the sand. They indicate the presence of sand fleas. To get then simply dig with your hands or use a specially designed scoop to dig them up. Along the Atlantic coast, around the Melbourne and Cocoa Beach area, surf anglers like to use clams for bait. Live shrimp also works well.

Small jigs tipped with a piece of fresh dead shrimp is the most effective lure. Make your retrieve slow and try to bounce the jig across the bottom. This action stirs up the sand making the lure look like a small crustacean working its way along the bottom.

Regulations

Minimum size - 18".  Maximum size - 27".  1 per person per day.  Gigging, spearing and snatching prohibited.  Harvest in Federal waters is prohibited. 

General Information

This is one of the top recreational saltwater gamefish in the state. Redfish spawn from August to November in the offshore waters near passes and inlets. September is usually the peak month. Those that survive the open water larval fish stage, move into the estuaries as juveniles where they will live for several years. Anglers sometimes encounter large schools of these young fish, often called rat reds. The schools do migrate although scientists believe that they do not move over great distances.

Distribution

At one time the fish was in danger of being over-harvested because of commercial activity. It's strong recovery led to the recent change that eliminated the closed season for this species.

The redfish's recovery from the brink of being wiped out is a direct result of its designation as a "restricted species" in 1989. This ended the commercial harvesting of the fish, a move that ultimately saved the species being wiped out by highly efficient offshore commercial netters. With the change of the redfish's status to a non-commercial species, stocks have been able to recover and the fish is now abundant in many parts of the state. Redfish are now common throughout the coastal waters and near shore areas of the state. A stocking program in Biscayne Bay has also brought redfish back to this lower southeast coast are for the first time in nearly 30 years.

Tackle and Techniques

Anglers have a wide option when it comes to the tackle needed to catch redfish. When fishing the open waters of the flats try an ultra-light rod and 2 pound test line. It will definitely test your skill. A more conventional combination is a 6-7" rod with 12 to 15 pound test line with a 40 pound test leader. It will work on the flats, along mangrove shorelines, and in the deeper waters. In a corresponding fashion, fly fishers can use an 8 or 9 weight rig and make the fishing interesting by varying the tippets from 2 to 12 pound test.

Normally redfish move onto the flats to feed when the water temperature rises above 70 degrees. They will tolerate much higher temperatures but tend to remain there for less time as the water temperature approaches the upper 80s.

Tidal stage also has a strong influence on when redfish move onto the flats. The best time is during the first half of the flooding or ebbing tide. The fish's advantage over the angler at this time is water depth. You either need a very shallow draft boat which can be poled or run with a trolling motor or must wade onto the flat to get to the fish. Many anglers prefer to wade because redfish can see and hear boats. An angler walking through the water is much less obvious to a redfish.

When water temperature drops below 70 degrees, redfish abandon the flats and head for the slightly deeper and warmer waters of channels near the flats. The fish still get hungry so work the drop-offs until you find the fish.

Bait

Redfish grow fast. In one year most are a foot long. To grow that much redfish must do a lot of eating and most of it comes from what they pick up off the bottom. Stomach analyses reveal that their natural diet consists of small crabs and shrimp. This explains why shrimp is one of the most widely used baits.

Crustaceans may be what you find in the fish's stomachs but anglers know that with a voracious appetite, redfish will take a variety of other offerings. Small live baitfish, just about any jig, gold and silver spoons, and even top water plugs are potential meals if they are presented correctly. Of these, the top water plug is an interesting bait to use when fishing the flats because the fish must come to the surface and rollover to get its mouth in position to strike the bait.

Secrets to Success

* Redfish are very aware of what's going on above the surface of the water when they are on the flats. They can see and hear anglers, especially when they are in boats. This is why wading for them often results in more hook-ups than staying on the boat. Be quiet and keep a low profile.

* Sightfishing for redfish is one of the most exciting types of fishing for saltwater anglers. The principle of the technique is not to cast until you see the fish. You can locate them on the flats by looking for the fish's tail which breaks the surface when they stick their nose in the mud to feed (what anglers call tailing redfish) or when you can see the hump of water they push in front of them as the cruise across the flats.

When you find tailing fish wait for them finish eating and begin to move. As they swim away cast your bait ahead and past the fish. The idea is to have your bait intersect the fish's path and hopefully catch it's attention. When their nose is in the mud, the fish often cannot see your bait.

Redfish associate with stingrays. And stingrays, when they feed, stir up the bottom and create what anglers call a "mud." This highly visible sign should be an automatic signal to cast towards the muddy area. Redfish frequently hang around the rays looking for food that is stirred up by the rays.

Redfish don't move around too much. If you find fish on a flat or in a channel, it's a good idea to go back to the same spot the next day. Chances are good that the fish will be there again.

HABITAT: Inshore or near shore around seawalls, navigation markers, or over debris.

TYPICAL WEIGHT: Inshore -- 2 pounds; offshore 8 to10 pounds

FOOD QUALITY: Excellent

Regulations

Minimum size - 12".  15 per person per day.  Snatching prohibited. 

General Information

Because of its bold and distinctive black and white vertically striped body, sheepshead are often referred to as the convict fish.

Distribution

Sheepshead is one of the "staple" fish in Florida. It is a year round resident throughout the state. Land bound anglers find them around bridge and dock pilings and boaters will catch them around oyster bars and near shore reefs and wrecks.

Tackle and Techniques

You won't need any special tackle for sheepshead. Reels rated for 6-12 pound test line with a corresponding rod is sufficient when fishing in the backwaters. Attach 12-18" of 20 pound test line as a leader and you're ready to go. When fishing offshore over wrecks and rocks, a medium to heavy duty spinning rig or a basic boat rod and reel with 20 pound test line and a 40 pound test leader will make it easy but still keep the fun in catching these strong fighting and tasty fish.

Bait

This species is a adept bait stealer. Equipped with front teeth that look remarkably like our front teeth, sheepshead can pick the bait off your hook without hooking themselves. Towards the back of their mouth they have molar-like teeth that crush and grind their food. Live fiddler crabs, live or dead shrimp, and sand fleas are some of the favorite baits.

Secrets to Success

* When fishing around bridge pilings, use a flat blade shovel to scrape some of the barnacles off the pilings. This natural chum often attracts fish to the area. Drift your bait into the chum slick and wait for the action to begin. Use only enough weight to keep your bait in the chum.

* Sheepshead have small mouth so select a small, sharp hook. The first signs of a bite are one or more light taps. Ignore these and wait until you detect a heavy feeling on the line. That's when you want to set the hook. Keeping the weight used down to a minimum gives you the most sensitivity to feel those first few light taps.

Click on thumbnails to open pictures.

Regulations

Cubera Snapper:  Minimum size - 12".  Included within 10 per person per day Snapper bag limit if under 30". 

Gray (Mangrove) Snapper:  Minimum size - 10".  5 per person per day.  Included within 10 per person per day Snapper bag limit.

Lane Snapper:  Minimum size - 8".  Included within 10 per person per day Snapper bag limit.

Mutton Snapper:  Minimum size - 16".  Included within 10 per person per day Snapper bag limit.

Red Snapper:  Minimum size - 16" (Gulf).  Closed season August 15 to May 31 (Gulf).  2 per person per day.  Included within 10 per person per day Snapper bag limit. 

Schoolmaster Snapper:  Minimum size - 10".  Included within 10 per person per day Snapper bag limit.

Vermillion Snapper:  Minimum size - 10" (Gulf).  10 per person per day.  Not included within 10 per person per day Snapper bag limit. 

All other Snapper:  Minimum size - 12".  Included within 10 per person per day Snapper bag limit.  Includes Blackfin, Dog, Mahogany, Queen, Silk and Yellowtail. 

General Information

The rules for snapper fishing are complicated; perhaps unduly so according to many anglers. But, with 15 species of snappers in Florida's waters, the popularity of the fish with anglers, and the slow growth rate of these species, the regulations are and will continue to be necessary if over-fishing is to be avoided.

Distribution

The five most common species are the mangrove (also known as gray), lane, red, yellowtail and mutton. Mangrove snapper range from mangrove and salt marsh fringed back bays to offshore hard bottom areas, wrecks, and coral reefs. Lane snapper have a state-wide distribution but tend to leave the northern half of Florida during the colder months of the year. It is the smallest of the major species, maturing by the time it is 6 inches long.

Red snapper is most abundant in the deeper offshore waters of the northern part of the state. As evidence of the fish's slow growth rate, scientists who have done growth studies of red snapper estimate that a 20 year old red snapper only weighs about 35 pounds.

Yellowtail snapper have a bright yellow streak on the side of the fish's body running from head to tail. The best place to catch this species is in southeast Florida, especially the Keys. Another Keys specialty is the mutton snapper, the last of the top five species. It is an occasional catch in the offshore waters of other parts of the state.

Tackle and Techniques

When fishing inside waters for mangrove snapper and offshore for lane snapper, a light spinning or bait-casting tackle with 6-12 pound test line, the workhorse of the backwater anglers, will suffice. When heading offshore where you can encounter much larger specimens, boat tackle with 20-30 pound test line and a heavy monofilament leader will be necessary.

One unique ways to catch mutton snapper is fishing the flats in the Florida Keys. It is the only species that routinely visit these flats, places where anglers traditionally stalk permit. Fortunately the same tackle, a 7 foot spinning rod with a reel with 6-12 pound test line or a 7 to 9 weight line and corresponding rod and reel, used for doing battle with a permit works for muttons.

Snapper fishing is among the easiest styles of saltwater angling to learn. You drop your bait in the water, usually down to the bottom unless you're fishing for snapper and using a chum slick, the fish finds it and bites and you try to get the fish to the boat. It sounds boring but any fish weighing more than a few pounds will give you a good fight and quickly change your mind.

Bait

Talk about a non-picky feeder. Snapper will take live shrimp, small live pinfish, squirrel fish, and ballyhoo or chunks of cut bait. These also happen to be the same treats that attract grouper.

Using chum to get snapper in a feeding mode is another way to catch fish. It is the standard method for catching yellowtail snapper when fishing offshore from the Keys and any place you fish at night for any snapper species.

When targeting mutton snapper on the flats, try a small live crab if they are available or a live shrimp. Soft plastic crab lures are the top artificial bait and crab pattern flies or streamers that imitate baitfish are the choices for fly fishers.

Secrets to Success

* Snappers actively feed after the sun goes down. Try fishing your favorite offshore wreck or reef at night and use a chum slick to let the fish know you're there. The chum can attract hundreds of fish off the bottom and provide everyone on the boat with enough action and fish in the cooler.

Regulations

Minimum size - 28".  Maximum size - 33".  Closed seasons are December - February 28 (or 29 if it's leap year) and May, June, July and August of each year. 1 fish per person per day.  Snook permit required in addition to saltwater fishing license.  Snatching and spearing prohibited. 

General Information

Snook may be the perfect gamefish. It is a tremendous fighter, requires skill to land and is one of the best eating fish you'll ever taste. Primarily inshore fish, snook don't travel the vast distance that other species are noted for. Most snook, often referred to as linesiders, spawn from April to October in the offshore waters near passes and inlets. The juvenile fish that survive those first few weeks of life in the open water eventually move into the estuaries where the fish live most their lives. The fish can tolerate fresh water for extended periods of time and it is not unheard of for anglers fishing in fresh water areas that eventually connect to the coastal waters to catch snook when fishing for largemouth bass.

There are four species of snook, but anglers don't need to worry about distinguishing one species from another. Three species, the fat snook, swordspine snook, and tarpon snook, never get larger than 18 inches so if caught, would have to be immediately released due to their size. Anglers are after the common snook, a fish that can grow to the size of a small log and weigh over 30 pounds.

Distribution

Snook are warm water fish This limits their distribution to the waters south of Tampa Bay along the west coast and south of Cape Canaveral along the east coast. When the water temperatures drop below about 60 degrees, snook head for warmer waters. This is the reason for the December and January closed seasons. The fish become very lethargic when the water is cold and can easily be exploited by unethical anglers. At the northern range of the fish, some individuals die if they cannot find a warm water refuge. Snook are most commonly caught in protected waters and passes. They prefer to hang around overhanging mangroves, dock pilings, and any submerged structure. Some fish are caught in the near shore waters over reefs and other structure.

Tackle and Techniques

A medium weight spinning or bait-casting rod and reel with 8 to 20 pound test line is a good idea. Snook are strong fighters. When fishing in areas where there is an abundance of cover, stick to tackle at the heavier end of this range. This fish is noted for its ability to run towards submerged structures and cut you off. It is also essential that you use a heavy monofilament leader, in the 40 to 80 pound range, to reduce break-offs caused by the fish cutting the line with their sharp gill covers.

Snook like to rest in an eddy and wait for the moving water to bring them food. For this reason, you will find anglers fishing for snook where the tidal flow is strong and there are eddies for the fish to use.

Bait

Snook will eat anything that looks good to them and is in range when they are hungry. Their favorite food is a small live fish, but live shrimp and small crabs are seldom turned down. Anglers should learn to use cast nets if they don't already know so that they can net their own bait. Usually you can freeline a bait fish and let it drift with the current. Occasionally a split shot is added to the line in areas where the current is especially strong.

Artificial lures are also popular baits for snook. Both soft and hard bodied lures shaped like baitfish, jigs tipped with shrimp and gold or silver spoons are traditional favorites. MirrOlures and Zara Spooks are two of the more popular brand names that you hear many when talking about catching snook. Ask at a local bait and tackle store which size, style and colors combination is working best at the moment.

When fishing for snook, cast your bait as close to the structure or shoreline as possible. Snook often will pass up a good looking meal if it doesn't pass right in front of its nose. Top snook anglers have good casting skills and can skip a bait underneath an overhanging mangrove branch without getting hung up.

Secrets to Success

* Fish at night for snook. Look for lights on docks and along seawalls that are close to the water. Snook will lurk in the shadows and dart out into the light when they see a meal swim by. Since small bait fish are attracted to the light and they are the snook's favorite meal your chances of finding snook around any light are pretty good.

* Anglers fishing from a seawall, dock or bridge that don't have a light, can dangle a Coleman lantern just above the water's surface. Once the light attracts the baitfish, the snook won't be far behind.

* When the water temperature drops into the 60s snook may move far up small tidal creeks and canals. Tolerant of freshwater they will move into these regions for brief periods. Look for them to be in the deepest holes you can find and hope they are hungry.

Regulations

2 per person per day limit.  Requires a $50 tarpon tag to possess or harvest.  Snatching or spearing prohibited.  Boca Grande Pass has seasonal regulations.  Contact DMFM for current information. 

General Information

Tarpon are very primitive fish. The swim bladder of these fish connects to the fish's throat and they can use it as a primitive lung. This allows the smaller and younger fish to gulp air when the water is low in dissolved oxygen. This is a common occurrence in the shallow backwater bays during the summer, the place where small tarpon spend most of their time. One of the ways to scout for the presence of the "silver king" is to look and listen for tarpon to "roll" on the surface. That's when they gulp air and pass it into the swim bladder.

Tarpon begin their spawn in mid May and reach peak activity in June and July. Large, females may carry as many as 20 million eggs. The fish swim offshore to spawn but within 30 to 45 days, the young fish that have survived are an inch long and are moving into the estuaries where they will live for the next few years. The small fish move far up the tidal creeks looking for small protected areas where they can live and escape their predators. Some of these fish become land-locked in small ponds and ditches as summer rains subside and the mangrove forest dries out. This explains why many people see and catch tarpon in areas where it looks like the fish could never have reached.

Tarpon take from 10 to 13 years to mature. At this time the males weigh about 40 pounds and the females are close to 60 pounds. Once sexually mature a tarpon can reproduce for up to 45 years.

Fortunately for anglers, tarpon are not in danger of being over fished. The fish has a very low food value and virtually no one keeps one for food. They are exclusively a sport fish. That fact keeps the number of fish that are caught and kept at a low level. When you combine this with the $50 special tag that anglers need in order to take a specimen, the number of "kills" attributed to anglers goes down even further. The special permit, instituted in 1989, lowered the number of tarpon kept by sport anglers from 300 to about 80 in 1993.

Distribution

The best tarpon fishing is along the coast in the southern half of the state however tarpon are caught anywhere along the coast during the summer months when the water is warm.

Tackle and Techniques

Big fish require big tackle and those going after the 150 pounders and up need to use a seven to eight foot stout rod and a reel capable of holding 200 yards of 15-30 pound test line. A good bass flipping stick will work in lieu of buying a special tarpon rod.. Fly rodders need 11 or 12 weight line and corresponding rod and reel. Seven to nine weight combinations work for tarpon up to 30 pounds. Use 30 pound test backing and have at least 200 yards on the spool in addition to the fly line.

Whether using conventional tackle or a fly rod, a 20 to 40 pound leader, depending on the size line you're using, is necessary. Attach a one foot piece of 100 pound test line to the end of the leader and tie the hook to that. The heavy line is necessary helps prevent the fish from fraying or chewing through the line. Many anglers tie a Bimini Twist on the end of their spinning or plug rods and then tie the leader to that. This knot doubles the end of the line and makes a stronger connection with the leader. Hooks ranging from 3/0 to 7/0 are used with size varying according to the size of bait being used and angler preference.

Bait

Live mullet or crabs are the top choice for live baiters. Tarpon will also take other live baits such as large shrimp, ladyfish, catfish, and pinfish. Contrary to what some anglers say, tarpon will bite a piece of cut bait. When tarpon are feeding on a school of bait fish, they stun some fish as they attack the school. A piece of cut bait apparently resembles a stunned fish close enough for a tarpon to go after it.

Spinning and casting anglers can use lures that resemble mullet and other baitfish. Some of the more popular lures used by tarpon anglers are the Zara Spook, Creek Chub Darter, Chartreuse Bomber Long A, 52m MirrOlure, Bagley Finger Mullet, Ratlin' Flash, and Ratl' Trap. Experienced anglers usually replace the hooks that come on the lures with 3X strength hooks because of the tremendous biting force of the fish.

Streamers are considered one of the best tarpon flies. Orange and red are popular colors. The cockroach is another widely used fly.

Secrets to Success

* Always use a sharp hook. Tarpon have very hard, bony mouths, Sharpen hooks before you use them, even ones fresh out of the package.

* Let big tarpon have control the first few minutes. This is when they do the most jumping and all you can really do is hold on anyway.

* Dip your rod when the fish jumps. This gives the line some slack and you are less likely to have the fish spit out the lure or break the line.

* Tarpon spook very easily when there is noise in the water. Try to turn the motor off when close to your site and use a trolling motor or push pole to get in casting distance.

* When you feel a fish on the line, let it run with the bait for a few seconds then set the hook hard

* You will jump more fish than you will catch so enjoy whatever thrills each fish provides

* When using artificial lures or flies, make your retrieve slow and straight. Don't retrieve the lure so that it is coming at the fish as this usually scares them off. Make a presentation that brings the lure across or at a quartering diagonal away from the direction in which the fish is swimming.

Regulations

Minimum size - 15".  Maximum size - 20".  One fish over 20" per person.  Closed season in the S. region - November and December.  4 per person per day in the S. region.  Closed season in the N. region - February.  5 per person per day in the N. region.  

S. Region means state waters south of and including Pinellas County on the Gulf and south of and including Volusia County on the Atlantic.

N. Region means state waters north of the Pinellas County on the Gulf and north of Volusia County on the Atlantic.

General Information

If you wanted to nickname a fish the "comeback kid" the spotted sea trout would be the leading candidate. Until two years ago, the numbers of trout being caught was on the decline. But, on July 1, 1995, Florida's newest constitutional amendment took effect and most commercial nets were banned form the state's coastal waters. Since then there has been a renaissance in trout fishing. Anglers report catching the fish on a year round basis and in more numbers than previous years.

Spotted sea trout spawn from spring through the summer in the estuaries along both coasts. As juveniles, the fish live secret lives hidden among sea grass beds. Once they mature, the fish seldom move far from where they spawned. Females live for 6-8 years and males live 5-8 years.

Distribution

Trout are found throughout the state except they become scarce from Lake Worth to Miami and in the lower Florida Keys. A lack of estuarine habitat in these areas accounts for the rarity of the fish.

Tackle and Techniques

Light spinning or bait-casting tackle with 6-12 pound test line and 20 pound test monofilament leader is sufficient. The best place to find trout is in the sea grass beds. You can cast while drifting across a grass flat or troll using an electric trolling motor.

Bait

A live shrimp or baitfish bait rigged to a line with a popping cork is the number one method for trout fishing. Jigs tipped with a small piece of shrimp and gold spoons are very effective artificial baits. Weedless varieties are desirable when you fish in the sea grass.

Secrets to Success

* This species segregates itself by size. When you encounter a congregation of trout, chances are real good they will all be within an inch or two of each other. If they are too small, move on and look for the bigger ones.

Regulations

Minimum size - 15".  2 per person per day.  Hook and line gear only.  Snatching prohibited. 

General Information

Tripletail have a deep, somewhat rounded shape and gives the appearance of an oversized panfish. The color varies but is usually brownish and mottled. The head is concave above the mouth. Most run 2 to 12 pounds, but rare catches reach 30 or more.

Despite its clumsy looks, the Tripletail is a good gamefish in all respects. It willingly strikes artificial lures and its fight is characterized by short, frantic runs and startling jumps. Big ones in deep water are also good at bulldogging. Like Cobia, Tripletail are adept at fouling lines.

Distribution

Found in Florida, the Bahamas and Caribbean, most are found closer to shore in most coastal areas during warm months, and in larger bays usually around markers or trap floats.

Tackle and Techniques

Casting tackle - fly, plug or spinning - provides the best and most spectacular sport with Tripletails, but saltwater outfits with lines up to 30-pound test are not out of place for big fish in tight places.

Bait

Streamer flies, plastic and bucktail jigs and mirror plugs are among the pet lures. The best natural baits are live shrimp and small live fish. Strip baits and dead shrimp are also taken.

HABITAT: Mostly coastal, offshore at times

TYPICAL WEIGHT: 1 to 3 pounds common, 5 to 7 fairly common

FOOD QUALITY: Good, especially smoked or fried

Regulations

12" minimum size limit (fork); no closed season; 15 per person per day limit.  Transfer of Spanish Mackerel to other vessels at sea is prohibited. 

General Information

This species is highly migratory. In general, schools of fish move northward along the Atlantic and Gulf Coast in the spring and make the return trip south in the fall. An open water species, Spanish mackerel spawn offshore of Florida beginning in April.

Distribution

This species is caught somewhere in Florida every month of the year. Year round action occurs in extreme south Florida including the Keys. In the spring the migration begins and anglers along both coasts start seeing the fish show up as the ocean waters warm up. The schools of mackerel follow the warming trend and by June are commonly caught in the northern Gulf of Mexico and off the Jacksonville coast.. There will remain here, especially in the Gulf, until the fall when the first cold fronts send the fish south for the winter.

With mackerel being migratory and swimming in schools, anglers may find them around in huge numbers one day and nearly gone a day or two later. You can catch this species from the surf, off ocean piers and from a boat anywhere from inside the passes to a mile or two of shore along the Atlantic coast or five miles offshore along the Gulf of Mexico coast.

Tackle and Techniques

Medium duty spinning or bait casting tackle with 6-12 pound test line is suitable. Use a heavy monofilament leader or a small diameter wire leader. This fish has a mouthful of small sharp teeth that can cut a monofilament leader.

A good way to locate the schools of fish is to look for birds such as pelicans and terns. If you see groups of them working a small area it's a good indication that they are feeding on a school of baitfish. In the absence of the birds, look for a large patch of disturbed water. That's also an indication of the baitfish. If mackerel are around it's a good bet that they will be under the baitfish and feeding on them.

Another way to locate schools of fish is to troll with a spoon or jig. Even at a slow speed you can cover a lot of water in a short period of time. Eventually you will find some fish if they are in the area. When you hook the first fish continue to work the area. Being a schooling species there will be more than one fish around.

Bait

Spanish mackerel like live shrimp or baitfish. Hook the bait and free-line it in the water column. For trolling or casting a spoon or jigs work best. If you see the fish but they don't seem to be hungry try changing to a smaller sized bait or lure.

Secrets to Success

* This species segregates itself by size. When you encounter a congregation of trout, chances are real good they will all be within an inch or two of each other. If they are too small, move on and look for the bigger ones.