First Coast
Redfish (Red Drum) in First Coast
Sight fish tailing reds on shallow flats, or work oyster bars and mangrove points with cut bait, gold spoons and soft plastics. Fall schooling is the peak.
Next three days
| Day | Bite | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, Sep 13 | 10 | New Moon feeding boost. Light wind. Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky. Strong tide swing 4.6 ft |
| Mon, Sep 14 | 9 | Light wind. Heat, fish early or late. Strong tide swing 4.5 ft |
| Tue, Sep 15 | 9 | Breezy 20 mph. Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky. Strong tide swing 4.3 ft |
Seasonal pattern
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Editorial baseline for Florida. Green months are prime, yellow fair, red slow. Preferred water temperature 60–85°F.
Regulations that apply here
Applies to: state and adjacent federal waters · Licenses: Redfish Catch, Hold and Release Tournament Exemption Permit (if applicable)
| Species / zone | Season | Size | Bag | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Drum (Redfish) Southeast Region boundaryThe northern boundary is located at the Martin-Palm Beach county border and the region extends south to the Miami-Dade/Monroe County line. This region includes the Loxahatchee River and its tributaries. | open now Open year-round | Not less than 18" no more than 27" total length | 1 fish per person per day; 2 fish vessel limit | Legal Gear: hook and line, cast nets. Illegal Gear: Spearing (includes spearfishing, gigging and bowfishing, and snatch hooking) and/or use of multiple hooks in conjunction with live or dead natural bait is prohibited Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore Captain and Crew bag limit prohibited while on a for-hire trip Commercial harvest prohibited 4 fish per person transport limit applies when traveling in a vehicle on land away from a fishing site. Special Regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park. |
| Red Drum (Redfish) Indian River Lagoon Region boundaryThe northern boundary is located at Lytle Avenue/South Causeway in New Smyrna Beach and extends south to Martin-Palm Beach County line. Does not include the Loxahatchee River or its tributaries. | open now Open year-round | — | Catch-and-Release only. | Legal Gear: hook and line, cast nets. Illegal Gear: Spearing (includes spearfishing, gigging and bowfishing, and snatch hooking) and/or use of multiple hooks in conjunction with live or dead natural bait is prohibited Catch-and-Release only. Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore Captain and Crew bag limit prohibited while on a for-hire trip Commercial harvest prohibited 4 fish per person transport limit applies when traveling in a vehicle on land away from a fishing site. |
| Red Drum (Redfish) Northeast Region boundaryThe northern boundary is located at the Florida-Georgia border and extends south to Lytle Avenue/South Causeway in New Smyrna Beach. | open now Open year-round | Not less than 18" no more than 27" total length | 1 fish per person per day; 4 fish per vessel limit | Legal Gear: hook and line, cast nets. Illegal Gear: Spearing (includes spearfishing, gigging and bowfishing, and snatch hooking) and/or use of multiple hooks in conjunction with live or dead natural bait is prohibited Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore Captain and Crew bag limit prohibited while on a for-hire trip Commercial harvest prohibited 4 fish per person transport limit applies when traveling in a vehicle on land away from a fishing site. |
- Bag limits apply in areas adjacent to fishing sites such as docks and parking lots
- 4 fish per person transport limit applies when traveling in a vehicle on land away from a fishing site.
- Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore
- Captain and Crew bag limit prohibited while on a for-hire trip
- Commercial harvest prohibited
- Legal Gear: hook and line, cast nets
- Illegal Gear: Spearing (includes spearfishing, gigging and bowfishing, and snatch hooking) and/or use of multiple hooks in conjunction with live or dead natural bait is prohibited
Source: FWC, extracted 2026-09-12. Review flags: The Panhandle Region bag limit text contains a trailing quotation mark in the source text ('4 fish vessel limit"').; Special regulations for Biscayne National Park are mentioned but not detailed on this page.