Indian River Lagoon spotted seatrout closes November 1
The IRL spotted seatrout season ends October 31 and reopens January 1. Through October 31, the rules are a 15- to 19-inch slot and a two-fish daily bag. The closure applies from near New Smyrna Beach south to Stuart; northeast and southeast Florida regions stay open year-round.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission closes spotted seatrout harvest in the Indian River Lagoon region on November 1, 2026. The closure runs through December 31; the season reopens January 1, 2027. Through October 31, the bag limit is two fish per person per day. The slot limit is 15 to 19 inches total length; no fish over 19 inches may be retained.
The IRL region for this rule runs from near New Smyrna Beach (at 29°01.755'N in Volusia County) south to the Martin-Palm Beach County line near Stuart. That corridor covers Brevard County waters including Cocoa Beach and Melbourne, Indian River County (Vero Beach), St. Lucie County (Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie), and Martin County. Two other Florida Atlantic regions operate under different rules with no winter closure: the Northeast region (from the Florida-Georgia line south to the IRL northern boundary, including the St. Johns River) allows three fish per day with the same 15- to 19-inch slot, year-round. The Southeast region (from the Martin-Palm Beach line south through Miami-Dade and Monroe counties) allows three fish per day with one fish over 19 inches per vessel per day, year-round.
One additional IRL note for inshore anglers: red drum in the IRL region are catch-and-release only, year-round. Other Florida Atlantic regions allow a one-fish bag. Anglers fishing the IRL corridor should confirm current rules for each target species before the trip. The FWC spotted seatrout page at myfwc.com is the controlling source. FWC can update regulations between publications; the agency page on the day of the trip is the reliable check.
On the water: Rules and conditions can change quickly. Confirm current regulations and official marine forecasts for your exact trip.