Florida Keys
Hogfish in Florida Keys
Spearfishing on reefs, or live shrimp on light bottom rigs. Seasons and sizes differ between the Keys and the Gulf.
Next three days
| Day | Bite | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, Sep 13 | 6 | New Moon feeding boost. Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky. Weak tides |
| Mon, Sep 14 | 6 | Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky. Weak tides |
| Tue, Sep 15 | 6 | Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky |
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 65–85°F.
Regulations that apply here
Applies to: state and adjacent federal waters · Licenses: State Reef Fish Angler designation required for private vessel anglers on Atlantic and Gulf coasts intending to fish for or harvest certain reef fish; must renew annually.
| Species / zone | Season | Size | Bag | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hogfish Atlantic State Waters boundaryincludes all state and federal waters south of Cape Sable, including the Florida Keys | open now Open May 1-Oct. 31 | 16" fork length | 1 per harvester | In the Atlantic reef fish fishery, gear rules require dehooking tools, and as of Jan. 1, 2021, non-stainless steel hooks in all state waters, and non-offset circle hooks N. of 28 ° N. latitude. Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park. |
| Hogfish Atlantic federal waters | open now Open May 1-Oct. 31 annually | 16-inch minimum size limit | 1-fish/person recreational bag limit |
- All anglers on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of Florida who intend to fish for or harvest certain reef fish from a private vessel are required to obtain the State Reef Fish Angler designation, and renew annually.
Source: FWC, extracted 2026-09-12. Review flags: The page mentions 'Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park' but does not list the specific regulations on this page.