Ed Killer / tcpalm South Fla. Report

 

Florida fishing regulations and fishing season opening and closing dates:

Snook: Harvest opens Feb. 1 along Florida's Atlantic Coast. Bag limit: One snook per day per angler. Size limit: No shorter than 28 inches and no longer than 32 inches. License: Anglers must have a valid Florida saltwater fishing license and $10 snook stamp.

• Spotted seatrout: Harvest re-opened Jan. 1. Central East region regulations — Bag limit: 2 per harvester, zero captain and crew bag limit when on a for-hire trip. Slot limit: More than 15 inches and less than 19 inches total length. May possess one over 19 inches per vessel or, if fishing from shore, one over 19 inches per person, included in the bag limit. Harvest closed Nov. 1-Dec. 31.
• Grouper: Harvest closed Jan. 1. Includes gag grouper, red grouper, black grouper, scamp, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth, coney, graysby, red hind and rock hind. Harvest re-opens May 1.
• Hogfish: Harvest re-opens May 1.
• Cobia: Bag limit: Two fish per vessel. Size limit: 36 inches fork length. No closed season.
• Redfish: Harvest of redfish has been banned in the Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon since Sept. 1, 2022. FWC will reevaluate in the future.
• Lobster: Harvest will close March 31. No egg bearers, 3-inch minimum carapace length. Lobster stamp required. Sport season (mini-season) will be July 24-25, 2024.
• Alligator: Hunt season opened Aug. 15-Nov. 1. Permits required.
• Flounder: Size limit: 14 inches. Bag limit: 5 fish per person. Harvest closed Oct. 15-Nov. 30.
• Bass: Bass at Headwaters Lake will soon become all catch-and-release.

For complete fishing regulations in Florida go to MyFWC.com.

Mosquito Lagoon

Sight casting opportunities exist for speckled trout, black drum and snook. Use caution when handling trout for release because this is spawning season and many of the females are full of eggs. Use live shrimp, jerk baits or artificial shrimp for best results

Surf

On beaches undisturbed by nourishment projects there has been a good number of sand fleas which lends itself to good fishing for whiting, pompano and croaker. Bluefish and Spanish mackerel can be caught on longer casts with jigs or chrome plugs.

Sebastian Inlet

The north jetty is open to anglers. Threadfin herring (greenies) are schooling around the jetties. Snook, redfish, black drum and jacks can be caught during the incoming tide around those schools. There have been some snapper caught around the T Dock.

Indian River Lagoon

Thousand Islands have been a good place to catch redfish and black drum along the mangrove shorelines. Toss live shrimp or topwater plugs early in the morning to get bites from speckled trout, small tarpon, snook and jacks.

Freshwater

There has been good fishing for speckled perch in many ponds and lakes. Use speck jigs with or without live minnows. Bass have been bedding along the edges. Use lipless crank baits or topwater frogs to get reaction bites.

• report courtesy of Ed Killer  TCPalm's outdoors writer.