Redfish, speckled trout and sheepshead: inshore fishing rules on the Emerald Coast
Anglers on the Emerald Coast may keep one redfish a day between 18 and 27 inches, three spotted seatrout a day between 15 and 19 inches, and eight sheepshead a day at least 12 inches long, as of Oct. 30, 2026, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Redfish and sheepshead are open year-round. Spotted seatrout, also called speckled trout, is closed in February in the Panhandle.
Redfish and spotted seatrout rules are set by region in Florida. Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa and Bay counties are all in the Panhandle region, which runs from the Florida-Alabama line east to near Alligator Point in Franklin County, per the FWC. Sheepshead rules are the same statewide.
What are the inshore fishing limits on the Emerald Coast?
Recreational limits for the three most common inshore fish in Florida’s Panhandle state waters, as of Oct. 30, 2026, per the FWC:
| Species | Season | Size limit (total length) | Daily bag limit | Other limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redfish (red drum) | Open year-round | 18 to 27 inches | 1 per person | 4 per vessel; 4 per person when traveling by land (FWC red drum) |
| Spotted seatrout | March 1 to Jan. 31; closed in February | 15 to 19 inches | 3 per person | One fish over 19 inches per vessel, or per person from shore, counts in the bag (FWC spotted seatrout) |
| Sheepshead | Open year-round | 12 inches minimum | 8 per person | 50 per vessel in March and April (FWC sheepshead) |
A fish outside the size limit, over the bag limit or caught during a closed season must be released.
What are the redfish rules in the Florida Panhandle?
Redfish in the Panhandle region must measure 18 to 27 inches total length, and each angler may keep one per day, according to the FWC red drum page. The season is open all year.
A boat may hold no more than four redfish, and a person traveling by land away from a fishing site may carry no more than four. The FWC says bag limits also apply in areas next to the fishing site, such as docks and parking lots.
Redfish may be caught only with hook and line or a cast net. Spearing, gigging, bowfishing and snatch hooking are not allowed, and neither is using multiple hooks with live or dead natural bait, per the FWC. Commercial harvest of redfish is prohibited in Florida.
When is speckled trout season in the Florida Panhandle?
Spotted seatrout season in the Panhandle region is open March 1 through Jan. 31 and closed for all of February, according to the FWC spotted seatrout page. That means the 2027 closure runs Feb. 1 to 28, 2027.
Each angler may keep three spotted seatrout per day, and each must be 15 to 19 inches total length. One fish longer than 19 inches may be kept per boat, or per person when fishing from shore, and that fish counts toward the three-fish bag limit, per the FWC.
Legal gear for spotted seatrout is hook and line or a cast net. Snatching and multiple hooks with natural bait are prohibited.
What are the sheepshead rules in Florida?
Sheepshead must be at least 12 inches total length, and each angler may keep eight per day, all year, according to the FWC sheepshead page. During March and April a boat may keep no more than 50 per trip.
The FWC says its sheepshead rules for state waters also extend into federal waters. Legal gear includes hook and line, cast net, seine, spear and gig. Snatching and multiple hooks with natural bait are prohibited.
What rules apply on charter boats and when cleaning fish?
Captains and crew on for-hire trips may not keep a bag limit of redfish or spotted seatrout, according to the FWC.
Redfish and spotted seatrout must stay whole, with head and tail attached, until they are landed ashore, per the FWC.
Do I need a license to fish for redfish and trout?
Most anglers 16 and older need a Florida saltwater fishing license to keep redfish, spotted seatrout or sheepshead, according to the FWC. As of Oct. 30, 2026, the annual license costs $17 for Florida residents, and nonresidents pay $17 for three days, $30 for seven days or $47 for a year.
Florida residents fishing from shore or a pier can use the free shoreline-only license. Anglers under 16, Florida residents 65 and older with proof, and passengers on a licensed charter boat are among those who do not need a license, per the FWC exemptions page.
Where to check inshore fishing rules before you go
The FWC posts current limits for each species on its saltwater regulations pages and publishes a yearly review of Panhandle redfish rules. Rules on this page are current as of Oct. 30, 2026. The FWC answers questions at (850) 488-4676.
Spotted a rule change or a closed ramp? Send it to the Emerald Coast Dispatch through the contact page.
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Questions and answers
- How many redfish can you keep in the Florida Panhandle?
- One per person per day, between 18 and 27 inches total length, with no more than four per boat, as of Oct. 30, 2026, according to the FWC. The season is open year-round.
- When is trout season closed in the Florida Panhandle?
- Spotted seatrout season is closed in February in the FWC Panhandle region, which includes Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa and Bay counties. It is open March 1 through Jan. 31.
- What is the size limit for speckled trout in Destin?
- Spotted seatrout must be 15 to 19 inches total length, and anglers may keep three per day. One fish over 19 inches may be kept per boat, or per person from shore, per the FWC.
- How many sheepshead can I keep in Florida?
- Eight per person per day, each at least 12 inches total length, year-round, according to the FWC. In March and April a boat may keep no more than 50.
- Can I fillet redfish on the boat in Florida?
- No. Redfish and spotted seatrout must stay whole until they are landed ashore, according to the FWC.