Florida Keys
Greater Amberjack in Florida Keys
Wrecks, towers and deep reefs. Live baits and vertical jigs. Short seasons, check before you go.
Next three days
| Day | Bite | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, Sep 13 | 7 | New Moon feeding boost. Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky. Weak tides |
| Mon, Sep 14 | 6 | Heat, fish early or late. Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky. Weak tides |
| Tue, Sep 15 | 6 | Heat, fish early or late. Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky |
Seasonal pattern
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Editorial baseline for Florida. Green months are prime, yellow fair, red slow. Preferred water temperature 65–82°F.
Regulations that apply here
Applies to: state and adjacent federal waters · Licenses: State Reef Fish Survey participation is mandatory. Annual renewal.
| Species / zone | Season | Size | Bag | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Amberjack Atlantic boundaryState and Federal waters | open now January–March and May–December. Closed April. | Minimum Size Limit: 28” Fork Length | Daily Bag Limit: 1 per person | Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park. |
| Lesser Amberjack and Banded Rudderfish Statewide boundaryAtlantic and Gulf | open now Open year-round | Minimum Size Limits: Atlantic and Gulf - Cannot be less than 14" or greater than 22" fork length | Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Atlantic and Gulf - 5 per person aggregate of the two species | Legal Gear: spears, gigs, hook and line, seine, cast net. Reef fish gear requirements apply Bag limit is an aggregate of Lesser Amberjack and Banded Rudderfish. |
- Have you signed up for the State Reef Fish Survey yet? Participation mandatory. Annual renewal.
Source: FWC, extracted 2026-09-12. Review flags: The page lists 'Lesser Amberjack and Banded Rudderfish' together under State waters regulations with an aggregate bag limit. This has been combined into one rule entry.; Almaco jack is listed as an unregulated species with a default bag limit, but no specific size or season restrictions are provided on this page.