Tampa Bay
Permit in Tampa Bay
Live crabs on flats and around wrecks. Keys and southeast wrecks in spring are the peak.
Next three days
| Day | Bite | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, Sep 13 | 8 | New Moon feeding boost. Light wind. Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky |
| Mon, Sep 14 | 8 | Light wind. Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky. Strong tide swing 2.0 ft |
| Tue, Sep 15 | 8 | Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky. Strong tide swing 2.1 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 72–88°F.
Regulations that apply here
Applies to: state and federal waters unless noted
| Species / zone | Season | Size | Bag | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit Special Permit Zone (SPZ) boundaryState and adjacent federal waters south of a line running due east from Cape Florida in the Atlantic at 25° 40' North Latitude, waters of Biscayne Bay south of Rickenbacker Causeway, and south of a line just south of Cape Sable running due west through federal waters at 25° 09' North Latitude. | open now Closed April 1-July 31 | Minimum Size Limit: 22" fork length | Daily Bag Limit: 1 per harvester; Vessel Limit: No more than 2 per vessel | State waters: Hook and line only. Federal waters: Hook and line and spearing. Prohibited Gear: harvest prohibited by or with the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited |
| Permit All other state and federal waters outside the SPZ | open now Open year-round | Slot Limit: Not less than 11" or more than 22" fork length; may possess 1 over 22" included in the per person bag limit | Daily Bag Limit: 2 per harvester; Vessel Limit: No more than 2 over 22" per vessel | State waters: Hook and line only. Federal waters: Hook and line and spearing. Prohibited Gear: harvest prohibited by or with the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park. |
- The Pompano Endorsement Zone (PEZ) is a zone created that allows commercial fishermen who hold a pompano endorsement (PE) to use gill nets legally for pompano in federal waters off Florida. This zone is from federal waters lying between 25°09' North Latitude (Cape Sable) and 26°00' North Latitude (Hurricane Pass in Collier County) in the Gulf of America.
Source: FWC, extracted 2026-09-12. Review flags: The page lists 'Permit inside the SPZ' and 'Permit, all other state and federal waters outside the SPZ' as separate regulatory blocks. These have been mapped to distinct zones in the rules array.; The 'Pompano Endorsement Zone (PEZ)' description refers to commercial fishermen and gill nets, which is outside the scope of recreational regulations but included in general notes for context.