Fish We Catch

Spotted Sea Trout: inshore and near-shore over grass, sand and mud bottoms. Deeper waters during the warmest and coolest months. Use live shrimp or baitfish fished near bottom by free lining or under a popping cork, or soft-bodied jigs or surface plugs cast while drifting.

Limits: 15" minimum overall, 5 per person per day, including one over 20"

Cobia: both inshore and near-shore around pilings, buoys, and wrecks; along beaches during spring and early summer. Use trolling or casting lures, jigs or live pinfish.

Limits: 33" minimum to fork of tail, one per person per day

Redfish (red drum): inshore near grass beds, oyster bars, docks and pilings; deeper channels during warmest and coolest months. Use live shrimp or pinfish fished on bottom or free-lined, or soft bodied jigs bounced slowly along the bottom.

Limits: 18" minimum 27" maximum overall, one per person per day

Spanish Mackerel: inshore, near-shore and off-shore, especially over grass beds and reefs; absent from north Florida waters in winter. Free-lining live shrimp or cut bait. Or casting silver spoons or jigs worked in a fast motion.

Limits: 12" minimum to fork of tail, 15 per person per day

Ladyfish: inshore fish, in bays and estuaries; occasionally enters freshwater, occurring in tidal pools and canals; often forms large schools and harasses bait at the surface. Will hit just about anything from live bait to all types of artificial either on top-water or fast-moving jigs.

Limits: none

Tarpon: primarily inshore fish, although adult fish spawn offshore where the ribbon-like larval stage of the fish can be found. Tarpon are sight-fished along Florida’s Nature Coast, and are sought after by fly-fishing enthusiasts. But they are also landed using live bait, including white bait, pinfish and blue crabs.

Limits: none – however, a permit is required to keep fish

Sheepshead: inshore species around oyster bars, seawalls and in tidal creeks; moves near-shore in late winter and early spring for spawning, gathering over debris, artificial reefs and around navigation markers. Use shrimp, fiddler crabs or pieces of fresh blue crab fished on the bottom.

Limits: 12" minimum to fork of tail

Flounder: inshore on sandy or mud bottoms, often ranging into tidal creeks; occasionally caught on near-shore rocky reefs. Working jigs or live bait near the bottom.

Limits: 12" minimum overall, ten per person per day.

Pompano: inshore and near-shore waters, especially along sandy beaches, along oyster banks, and over grass beds, often in turbid water; may be found in water as deep as 130 feet. Catch with live shrimp or small jigs.

Limits: 10" minimum / 20" maximum to fork of tail, ten per person per day.

Jack Crevalle: common in both inshore waters and the open sea. This fish is a veracious feeder and will hit almost anything, including all types of artificial and live bait.

Limits: none