Florida fishing license rules follow the species of fish, not the water you stand next to. In a canal or brackish creek where both kinds of fish live, you need a freshwater license for freshwater species and a saltwater license for saltwater species, or a combination license for both. The 2026-27 freshwater handbook F.A.Q. (eRegulations, updated July 20, 2026) says so directly.
The F.A.Q.: “License requirements follow the species of fish, regardless of where they are caught.” It adds that where fish of both types can be found, “If you are using species-specific gear, your license should be appropriate (e.g., freshwater or saltwater) to the species you are targeting. Otherwise you need an appropriate type license to keep your catch and must immediately release any species for which you are not licensed.”
The handbook’s own case: someone with only a freshwater license fishing for bass or bream in a river who catches a red drum “must immediately release the red drum.” FWC adds: “A license is required to attempt to take fish. If you cast a line or catch and release, you need a fishing license” (FWC, retrieved Oct. 6, 2026).
The F.A.Q. says “you may take mullet from fresh water with only a freshwater fishing license.” FWC’s exemption list repeats it for “Florida residents who are fishing for mullet in fresh water who hold valid Florida resident freshwater fishing license.”
FWC lists the Annual Resident Saltwater Fishing and Freshwater Fishing Combination at $32.50. The annual resident licenses are $17.00 each. The handbook does not define brackish water or list canals, so the species rule above is the text it states. For a local example, see our freshwater canal fishing guide and the Southwest Florida fishing license guide.