68A-23.005. Bag Limits, Length Limits, Open Season: Freshwater Fish

(1) The open season for fishing shall be from July 1 until June 30 of the following year, except as otherwise provided by these rules.

(2) This rule does not apply to game fish lawfully acquired for aquarium use in accordance with Rule 68A-23.009, F.A.C.

(3) No person shall have in his possession more than two days’ bag limit of freshwater game fish. In any water body where there are specific regulations as to bag limits, minimum length, maximum length, or protected length limits for any species, which are different from the general regulations, the specific regulations supersede the general provisions of this rule section.

(4) Bag or length limits for lakes designated as Fish Management Areas shall be as specified in Rules 68A-20.004 and 68A-20.005, F.A.C.

(5) Bag or length limits for lakes within designated boundaries of Wildlife Management Areas shall be as specified in Rules 68A-15.061, 68A-15.062, 68A-15.063, 68A-15.064, 68A-15.065, F.A.C.

(6) State-wide bag limits: Except as otherwise provided in these rules, no person shall take in any one day more than the following:

(a) Five (5) black bass, of which only one may be 16 inches or longer in total length.

(b) Twenty-five (25) crappie.

(c) Fifty (50) in the aggregate for all other panfish.

(d) Two (2) butterfly peacock bass, only one (1) of which can be greater than 17 inches total length. No person shall kill or possess any speckled peacock bass.

(e) American Eels must be nine inches or greater in total length for recreational and commercial harvest. The recreational bag limit for American Eels is twenty five (25) per angler per day.

Wholesale/Retail purchase exemption. Recreational anglers purchasing American eel as bait may possess more than the legal bag limit provided that the eels were purchased from a licensed dealer. The burden shall be upon the person claiming the benefit of this exemption to show, by receipts, bills of sale, or other appropriate documentation, that such fish were purchased from a licensed wholesale or retail dealer.

(7) In that portion of the state north and west of the Suwannee River (including in the Suwannee River and in any tributary river, creek or stream of the Suwannee River), bag or length limits are as follows:

(a) Black bass – no person shall kill or possess any Suwannee Bass, Shoal Bass, Spotted Bass, or Choctaw Bass that is less than 12 inches in total length.

(b) Striped bass, white bass, or sunshine bass – In all areas other than the lower Ochlockonee and associated tributaries downstream of the Jackson Bluff Dam, no person shall kill or possess more than 3 striped bass nor any striped bass less than 18 inches total length. On the lower Ochlockonee and associated tributaries downstream of the Jackson Bluff Dam, no person shall kill or possess more than 3 striped bass only one of which may be greater than 24 inches. The daily aggregate bag limit of white bass, striped bass and sunshine bass shall be 20.

(c) Lake Seminole (Northwest Florida) – see Rule 68A-23.0131, F.A.C., for bag or length limits for certain freshwater game fishes.

(d) Lake Talquin (including that portion of the Ochlockonee River lying between Lake Talquin and the railroad trestle that is located immediately below US Highway 90, that portion of the Little River lying between Lake Talquin and County Road 268, that portion of the Rocky Comfort Creek lying between Lake Talquin and County Road 65-B, and that portion of Bear Creek lying between Lake Talquin and Bear Creek Road, those portions of Ocklawaha and Hammock creeks lying between Lake Talquin and State Road 267, those portions of Blount’s, Freeman [Stoutamire], and Harvey and Polk creeks lying between Lake Talquin and State Road 20): No person shall kill or possess any crappie less than 10 inches in total length.

(e) Chipola River and its tributaries: No person shall kill or possess any Shoal Bass on the Chipola River or its tributaries. Any Shoal Bass that are caught must be released immediately.

(8) In that portion of the state south and east of the Suwannee River, bag or length limits or areas closed to fishing are as follows:

(a) Striped bass and sunshine bass – the daily aggregate bag limit of striped bass and sunshine bass shall be 20, no more than 6 of which may be more than 24 inches total length.

(b) Fishing is prohibited in Silver Glen Springs in Lake and Marion counties and in Salt Springs in Marion County and within 50 yards of the springs. Fishing is prohibited from the headwaters of Rainbow Springs to a point one mile downstream on Rainbow River within Marion County.

(c) No person shall kill or possess any black bass in the following areas:

1. In Wildcat Lake within the boundaries of the Ocala National Forest.

2. In the St. Johns River Water Management Area, in Indian River and Brevard counties (commonly known as Farm-13 and including the Stickmarsh).

3. In the St. Johns River Water Management-owned area formerly known as the S.N. Knight Farm in Indian River County (commonly known as Kenansville Reservoir).

4. In the St. Johns River Water Management-owned area in Indian River County known as Fellsmere Water Management Area (commonly known as Headwaters Lake and Egan Lake).

(d) Lake Okeechobee ‒ defined as any point lakeward of a boundary line delineated by the following points: Intersection of St. Rd. 78 and US 441, US 441 SE to St. Rd. 5 (“80”) St. Rd. 5 (“80”) to St. Rd. 25 (US 27) St. Rd. 25 (US 27) to St. Rd. 78 St. Rd. 78 to US 441 Including: Harney Pond Canal (C-41) north of St. Rd. 78 to South Florida Water Mgmnt. District (SFWMD) structure S-71 C-41-A Canal, southeast of the S-84 structure Indian Prairie Canal (C-40) north of St. Rd. 78 to SFWMD structure S-72 All of Taylor Creek and Nubbin Slough in Okeechobee County C-38/Kissimmee River south of SFWMD structure S-65E to St. Rd. 78, All of L-50 Canal in Glades County, Fisheating Creek to US 27, All of Sportsman’s Canal (LD-3) in Glades County. No person shall kill or possess any crappie less than ten inches (10'') in total length.

(9) An angler participating in the TrophyCatch Program may temporarily possess in live condition one largemouth bass, 8 pounds or greater, over the legal length limit and bag limit in order to obtain photographic or video documentation of the fish. All largemouth bass retained for this purpose must be released alive into the waterbody in which it was caught immediately after documentation.

(10) An angler may possess one largemouth bass 16.5 pounds or greater, per day over the legal length or bag limit when submitting for the certification of a potential state record provided they contact the Commission at this link (https://myfwc.wufoo.com/forms/potential-state-record-largemouth-bass/). Largemouth Bass maintained in live condition may only be possessed on the waterbody or adjacent shore from which the fish was caught and may only be released alive in the same waterbody, unless otherwise directed by Commission staff.

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History–New 8-1-79, Amended 5-19-80, 6-4-81, 6-21-82, 7-1-83, Formerly 39-23.05, Amended 2-27-86, 5-10-87, 3-1-88, 4-13-88, 7-1-89, 4-11-90, 7-1-92, 8-23-92, 4-20-93, 7-1-94, 9-15-94, 4-1-96, 7-1-98, 10-20-98, Formerly 39-23.005, Amended 7-1-00, 7-1-01, 7-1-04, 7-1-05, 7-1-06, 7-1-08, 7-1-11, 5-22-13, 9-9-13, 11-26-14, 7-1-16, 3-23-20, 6-7-22, 1-24-23, 7-1-24.