Size, bag and season for recreational red drum in Florida (Atlantic) waters, as published by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Also on the agency page: Atlantic-coast regions differ: Northeast (FL-GA line to Lytle Ave/South Causeway, New Smyrna Beach): 18–27", 1/person, 4/vessel, year-round. Indian River Lagoon (New Smyrna Beach to Martin-Palm Beach line): CATCH-AND-RELEASE ONLY. Southeast (Martin-Palm Beach line to Miami-Dade/Monroe line, incl. Loxahatchee): 18–27", 1/person, 2/vessel, year-round. Hook and line or cast net only; no spearing/gigging/snatch hooking; no multiple hooks with natural bait; 4-fish transport limit on land; no captain/crew bag on for-hire.
This rule has area, mode or permit conditions that do not fit in a summary. Read the agency page before you keep a fish.
Stale: this row was last checked Oct 10, 2026, past our 30-day limit. Treat it as history and go to the agency page.
Rules change in season, sometimes by emergency notice. This page summarizes the agency page on the date shown. If this summary and the agency page disagree, the agency page controls.
Most Atlantic states manage red drum with a slot, a minimum and a maximum. The upper limit protects big spawning bulls, and anglers used to minimum-only rules are the ones who get caught out. Not every state is a slot: New York sets no minimum, only a 27-inch maximum, and parts of Florida are catch-and-release only. Read your state's row.
Florida (Atlantic) rules apply in state waters, generally out to 3 nautical miles. Harvest and possession of red drum are prohibited in Atlantic federal waters (the EEZ). The recreational fishery is a state-waters fishery. NOAA Fisheries · red drum ↗
Rules for the same fish change at the state line. If you run across it or land in the next state, those rules apply.
| State | Size | Bag | Status as of Oct 13, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 18"–25" total length (slot) | 1 per person per day, not to exceed 2 per boat per day (state waters) | Openas of Oct 13 |
| Georgia | 14"–23" total length (slot) | 5 per person per day | Openas of Oct 13 |
| Florida (Atlantic) | 18"–27" total length (slot) | Northeast Region: 1 per person per day, 4 per vessel | Openas of Oct 13 |
Attributed operator claims, not verified catches. The full Bite Wire →
Captain Roger Bump's October 1 forecast for northeast Florida described redfish on shallow flats and creek systems, taking live shrimp under popping corks and weedless soft plastics. Flounder were moving to grass lines and dock structure as October cooling began, with speckled trout on topwater near grass edges.
