Red Snapper regulations
Offshore reefs, ledges and wrecks. Live pinfish, cigar minnows and cut bait on bottom rigs. Season is short and strictly regulated, check the rules first.
Applies to: state and adjacent federal waters · Licenses: State Reef Fish Survey registration required
| Species / zone | Season | Size | Bag | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Snapper Gulf of America boundarystate and federal waters unless specified; Gulf state waters are from shore to 9 miles | open now 2026 Season: Summer Season: May 22 - July 31 (Daily); Fall Season: Sep. 1 - Oct. 4 (Daily); Oct. 9 - 11, 16 - 18, 23 - 25 (Fri., Sat., & Sun.); Oct. 30 - Nov. 1 (Fri., Sat., & Sun.); Nov. 7 - 8, 14 - 15, 21 - 22 (Sat. & Sun.); Nov. 26 - 29 (Thanksgiving weekend); Dec. 5 - 6, 12 - 13, 19 - 20 (Sat. & Sun.); Dec. 25 - 27 (Christmas weekend); Jan. 1 - 4, 2027 (Daily) | 16" TL | 2 per person (included in the 10 per harvester per day state snapper aggregate bag limit) | Charter captain and crew: zero Season applies to recreational anglers fishing from private vessels in Florida Gulf state and federal waters Charter for-hire vessels that do not have a federal permit are limited to harvest during the recreational season in Florida Gulf state waters only |
| Red Snapper Atlantic boundarystate and federal waters unless specified; Atlantic state waters are from shore to 3 miles | closed now State: Open; Federal: Closed | 20" TL | 2 per person (included in the 10 per harvester per day state snapper aggregate bag limit) |
- Reef fish gear requirements apply
- Make sure you're signed up for the State Reef Fish Survey
- Return ‘Em Right resource available for best release practices
Source: FWC, extracted 2026-09-12. Review flags: Gulf Red Snapper closed periods are derived from the specific open days listed for the Fall season; exact closed dates between open windows are inferred based on the calendar structure provided.; Lane Snapper Gulf regulations note a change effective April 1, 2026; current page text reflects the new limits (10" min, 20 bag) for State waters.
Seasonal pattern
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Forecasts by region
- Red Snapper in Panhandle
- Red Snapper in Big Bend and Nature Coast
- Red Snapper in Tampa Bay
- Red Snapper in Sarasota Bay and Charlotte Harbor
- Red Snapper in Southwest and Ten Thousand Islands
- Red Snapper in Florida Keys
- Red Snapper in Southeast Florida
- Red Snapper in Treasure Coast
- Red Snapper in Space Coast
- Red Snapper in First Coast