Speckled Trout Slot Limit Florida
The statewide slot limit for spotted seatrout is 15-20 inches total length, and anglers may keep one spotted seatrout larger than 20 inches as part of the daily bag limit. Spotted seatrout may not be harvested by snagging or snatch-hooking or by any multiple hooks with live or dead natural bait. It shall be unlawful for any person to take, catch, or possess any speckled trout less than 14 inches in total length provided however, the catch of speckled trout by pound net or haul seine may consist of up to 5.0%, by weight, of speckled trout less than 14 inches in total length.
Anglers, prepare your rods and reels; the recreational harvest season for spotted seatrout in southern Florida will reopen on Jan. 1. The opening rings in 2012, a recreational closure-free year that will include several spotted seatrout management changes effective Feb. 1.
Here in Florida there is a 15-to-20 inch slot limit, but you can possess one fish greater than 20 inches. There is a 4-fish bag limit in the southern region and 5-fish bag limit in the northern region. Trout season is open year-round, but be sure to check with the FWC because limits and seasons change often. The Speckled Trout bite is full of actions in November. As the water temperature declines, the Speckled Trout will begin moving towards their winter time haunts. The fish will transition from the grass flats to protected bayous and canals throughout Northwest Florida.
Recreational spotted seatrout management changes include:
• The removal of all recreational spotted seatrout closures, including the annual Feb. 1 closure that would have affected anglers in northeast and northwest Florida;
• An increased recreational bag limit of six fish in the northeast region of the state.
Spotted seatrout harvest has been closed in the southern region of the state since Nov. 1.
The southern region includes any Florida state waters and federal waters south of the Flagler-Volusia county line on the east coast and, in the Gulf, south of a line running due west from the westernmost point of Fred Howard Park Causeway, which is about 1.17 miles south of the Pinellas/Pasco county line.
The maximum daily bag limit for spotted seatrout in the southern region of the state is four fish per person. In northeast and northwest regions, the daily limit is five spotted seatrout per person until the new rules take effect Feb. 1.
The statewide slot limit for spotted seatrout is 15-20 inches total length, and anglers may keep one spotted seatrout larger than 20 inches as part of the daily bag limit.
Spotted seatrout may not be harvested by snagging or snatch-hooking or by any multiple hooks with live or dead natural bait. Spotted seatrout may be taken only with hook-and-line gear and cast nets, and must be landed in a whole condition.
Georgia Fishing
All limits per person unless specified. FL = fork length, TL = total length (see “How to Measure a Fish” below)
Species | Open Season | Daily Limit and Possession Limit | Minimum Size (inches) |
| Amberjack* | All year | 1 | 28 FL |
| American Eel | All year | 25 | 9 TL |
| Atlantic croaker | All year | 25 | |
| Atlantic sturgeon | No Harvest | ||
| Billfish (Blue marlin, White marlin, Sailfish)* | Catch and Release Only | ||
| Black drum | All year | 15 | 14 TL |
| Black sea bass* | All year | 15 | 12 TL |
| Bluefish | All year | 15 | 12 FL |
| Cobia | Mar. 1 – Oct. 31 | 1 per angler, max 6 per boat. | 36 FL |
| Dolphin* | All year | 10 (Not to exceed 60 per boat, except for headboats which are allowed 10 per paying customer. | 20 FL |
| Flounder | All year | 15 | 12 TL |
| Gag grouper* | All year | 2 | 24 TL |
| King mackerel* | All year | 3 | 24 FL |
| Red drum (Channel bass, Spottail bass, Redfish) | All year | 5 | 14 TL (23 TL maximum) |
| Red porgy* | All year | 3 | 14 TL |
| Red snapper* | All year | 2 | 20 TL |
| Sharks (other than Hammerheads, SSC and Prohibited Sharks)* | All Year | 1 per angler or boat, whichever is less | 54 FL |
| Sharks: Hammerheads (Great, Scalloped, and Smooth) | All Year | 1 per angler or boat, whichever is less | 78 FL |
| Small shark composite (SSC)* (Atlantic sharpnose, Bonnethead, Spiny dogfish) | All Year | 1 per angler | 30 FL |
| Prohibited Sharks (NO HARVEST) | Sand tiger, Sandbar, Silky, Bigeye sand tiger, Whale, Basking, White, Dusky, Bignose, Galapagos, Night, Reef, Narrowtooth, Caribbean sharpnose, Smalltail, Atlantic angel, Longfin mako, Bigeye thresher, Sharpnose sevengill, Bluntnose sixgill, and Bigeye sixgill | ||
| Sheepshead | All year | 15 | 10 FL |
| Spanish mackerel* | All year | 15 | 12 FL |
| Spot | All year | 25 | |
| Spotted seatrout | All year | 15 | 14 TL |
| Striped bass (Saltwater) | All year | 2 | 22 TL |
| Striped bass (Savannah River) | All year | 2 | 27 TL |
| Tarpon | All year | 1 | 68 FL |
| Tripletail | All year | 2 | 18 TL |
| Weakfish | All year | 1 | 13 TL |
* These species are also federally managed from 3 to 200 miles offshore. Go to www.safmc.net for federal regulations. | |||
Tagged Fish
Coastal Resources Division (CRD) biologists are conducting long-term studies on the growth, migration and fishing exploitation rates of red drum, black drum, tarpon, and tripletail. If you catch a tagged fish, please record and report the following information: 1) your name, address, and phone number, 2) fish species, 3) date caught, 4) tag number, 5) total length and location, and 6) whether the fish was kept or released. To report a tagged fish call (912) 264-7218. If released, please do not remove the tag.
If kept, please return the tag to GADNR/CRD, One Conservation Way, Brunswick, GA 31520. If the tag number is not legible lightly scrape the tag with your fingernail or similar flat object.
Speckled Trout Slot Limit Florida Keys
If you are an angler who practices catch and release and would like to become a cooperative angler please contact the Cooperative Angler Tagging Program at 912-264-7218.