Redfish is the species most locals ask about, and the answer depends on where you are fishing. This is the red drum entry from the 2026 eRegulations coastal species page (retrieved October 2026).
The page lists red drum “Size Limits: Not less than 18” or more than 27”.” That is a slot. A fish under 18 inches or over 27 inches goes back.
For the bag limit, the page groups regions. For “Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast” the limit is “1 per harvester, not to exceed 2 per vessel.” Panhandle, Big Bend and Northeast regions allow “1 per harvester, not to exceed 4 per vessel.” The Indian River Lagoon is “catch and release only.”
So the Charlotte Harbor and Southwest regions share one rule: one fish each, two fish per boat. The page does not list which counties or waters fall in each region. The management zones page says Florida has nine red drum management regions and that “the daily bag limit is one fish in all the Florida state waters” except the Indian River Lagoon. The page points to MyFWC.com/redfish for maps, so use the map to confirm which region your spot is in.
The page does not give the boundary between state and federal waters, so check before you assume a spot is open to harvest.
A saltwater license unless exempt. Our license guide lists the options and the resident annual price of $17.00 shown on eRegulations. There is no separate redfish permit on the page.
A cast net may be used to take red drum, per the recreational gear page, but the slot and bag limit still apply. See our cast net post.
Our redfish species page and redfish baits and lures post cover where and how. Confirm every number on the state’s site before you keep a fish, because rules change.