Red Snapper in Florida Keys
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.
Next three days
| Day | Bite | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, Sep 13 | 5 | New Moon feeding boost. Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky. Weak tides. Harvest closed in: Atlantic (catch and release) |
| Mon, Sep 14 | 5 | Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky. Weak tides. Harvest closed in: Atlantic (catch and release) |
| Tue, Sep 15 | 5 | Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky. Harvest closed in: Atlantic (catch and release) |
Seasonal pattern
Editorial baseline for Florida. Green months are prime, yellow fair, red slow. Preferred water temperature 60–85°F.
Regulations that apply here
Applies to: state and adjacent federal waters · Licenses: State Reef Fish Survey registration required
| Species / zone | Season | Size | Bag | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.