What's Biting FLSarasota Bay and Charlotte Harbor
Permit in Sarasota Bay and Charlotte Harbor
Live crabs on flats and around wrecks. Keys and southeast wrecks in spring are the peak.
Next seven days
| Day | Bite | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, Oct 30 | 8 | Strong tide swing 2.5 ft |
| Sat, Oct 31 | 8 | Strong tide swing 2.3 ft |
| Sun, Nov 1 | 4 | Rain likely 85%. Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky |
| Mon, Nov 2 | 5 | Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky |
| Tue, Nov 3 | 5 | |
| Wed, Nov 4 | 5 | Light wind |
| Thu, Nov 5 | 5 |
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 72–88°F.
Regulations that apply here
Applies to: state and federal waters unless noted
| Species / zone | Season | Size | Bag | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit inside the SPZ Special Permit Zone (SPZ) boundaryThe Special Permit Zone includes state and adjacent federal waters south of a line running due east from Cape Florida in the Atlantic at 25° 40' North Latitude, waters of Biscayne Bay south of Rickenbacker Causeway, and south of a line just south of Cape Sable running due west through federal waters at 25° 09' North Latitude. | open now Closed April 1-July 31 | 22" fork length | 1 per harvester | State waters: Hook and line only. Federal waters: Hook and line and spearing. Vessel Limit: No more than 2 per vessel Prohibited Gear: harvest prohibited by or with the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park. |
| Permit, all other state and federal waters outside the SPZ All other state and federal waters outside the SPZ | open now Open year-round | Not less than 11" or more than 22" fork length; may possess 1 over 22" included in the per person bag limit | 2 per harvester | State waters: Hook and line only. Federal waters: Hook and line and spearing. Vessel Limit: No more than 2 over 22" per vessel Prohibited Gear: harvest prohibited by or with the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park. |
- Pompano Endorsement Zone (PEZ) is a zone created that allows commercial fishermen who hold a pompano endorsement (PE) to use gill nets legally for pompano in federal waters off Florida. This zone is from federal waters lying between 25°09' North Latitude (Cape Sable) and 26°00' North Latitude (Hurricane Pass in Collier County) in the Gulf of America.
Source: FWC, extracted 2026-10-29. Review flags: The page lists 'Permit inside the SPZ' and 'Permit, all other state and federal waters outside the SPZ' as separate regulation blocks; species names are taken as written.; The PEZ section appears to describe a commercial endorsement zone and does not contain recreational season/size/bag limits; it is included in general_notes only.