Fishing Seasons in Florida: What to Catch Month by Month

Florida is one of the few states where you can fish productively every single day of the year. There’s no ice-out to wait for, no months-long cold snap that shuts everything down. But that doesn’t mean every season fishes the same — water temperature, baitfish migrations, spawn cycles, and weather patterns create distinct windows where certain species and techniques peak. Knowing what to target and when is the difference between a good day on the water and a great one.

Here’s how the fishing calendar breaks down across the state, month by month and season by season, for both saltwater and freshwater. For a full overview of everything the state offers, see our complete Florida fishing guide.

Spring (March – May)

Saltwater

Spring is when Florida’s saltwater fishing shifts into its highest gear. The tarpon migration is the headline event — silver kings begin staging in Boca Grande Pass, the Keys, and the beaches of the Gulf Coast by mid-April, and by May the migration is in full swing from Homosassa to Key West. This is the single most anticipated fishing event in the state, and the charter calendars in Boca Grande and Islamorada book out months in advance.

Snook move out of their winter holding spots in residential canals and river mouths and start feeding aggressively on the beaches and passes. The beach snook bite along the Gulf Coast — from Naples to Sarasota — is a uniquely Florida experience, with fish cruising the surf line in clear water. Cobia appear along the Gulf beaches from March through May, following rays and swimming on the surface where sight-casting with live eels or jigs is the primary technique. Spanish mackerel flood the beaches and piers statewide, and kingfish start showing on the near-shore reefs.

Offshore, the spring marks the beginning of mahi mahi season in the Atlantic, with fish stacking up on weed lines and floating debris from Palm Beach to the Keys. The grouper season reopens in the Gulf on April 1 (for most species), and red snapper fishing improves as water temperatures climb. Permit fishing on the Keys flats peaks in April and May.

Regionally, the spring bite varies significantly. The Panhandle warms up later — cobia and Spanish mackerel arrive in March, but tarpon don’t show until May. The Nature Coast around Homosassa and Crystal River sees its first tarpon in late April and peaks in June. From Tampa Bay south, the spring transition happens faster, with snook on the beaches by March and tarpon in the passes by mid-April. The Keys are already in full swing by March, with permit, bonefish, and tarpon all active on the flats.

Freshwater

The largemouth bass spawn runs from January through March in most of Florida, so by spring you’re catching the tail end of the spawn in Central Florida and the peak spawn in the Panhandle. Post-spawn bass are hungry and aggressive, making April one of the best months for numbers on lakes like Okeechobee, the Kissimmee Chain, and Stick Marsh. Bluegill and shellcracker begin their bedding cycle in March and April — these panfish concentrate on sandy-bottom beds in shallow water, and the bite is fast and easy with crickets, worms, or small flies.

The spring shad run on the St. Johns River winds down by March, but butterfly peacock bass in the South Florida canals are entering their most active period as water temperatures climb into the 80s.

Summer (June – August)

Saltwater

Summer is the peak of offshore season in Florida. The tarpon migration continues through June in the Keys and along the Gulf beaches, with the Homosassa flat seeing its best action in June and early July. Snook spawn along the beaches and inlets from June through September — this is when the biggest females of the year are caught, staging in passes and along the surf.

Offshore, the Gulf of Mexico heats up with red snapper season (typically a short federal window in June or July), amberjack, and mangrove snapper on the reefs. In the Atlantic, the summer is peak mahi mahi and blackfin tuna season, with wahoo and sailfish catches mixed in on the deeper trolling runs. Shark fishing is excellent statewide — bull sharks, blacktips, spinners, and hammerheads are all active in warm water, and the Panhandle and South Florida surf produce the biggest catches.

Inshore, the summer pattern shifts to early morning and late evening fishing to avoid the midday heat. Snook, redfish, and trout still bite, but the most productive windows are the first two hours of light and the last hour before dark. Night fishing around bridges and docks — particularly for snook and tarpon — becomes a major pattern from Tampa Bay south. The mangrove snapper bite on inshore structure peaks in July and August.

The regional differences in summer are mostly about what’s offshore. The Panhandle is red snapper country — Destin, Panama City, and Pensacola charters fill up months in advance for the federal season. The Gulf Coast from Tampa to Naples sees its best mangrove snapper and grouper action of the year on the near-shore reefs. The Atlantic side from Stuart to Jacksonville is peak mahi mahi and blackfin tuna territory, with the Gulf Stream running close enough for half-day trips. The Keys offer the most diversity, with reef fishing, offshore trolling, and flats fishing all producing through the heat.

Freshwater

Summer is the toughest season for Florida bass fishing. Water temperatures in the 90s push bass deep and make them lethargic — early morning topwater or deep-cranking are the primary patterns. The exception is the South Florida canals, where peacock bass thrive in the heat and are most active from June through September. Bream (bluegill, shellcracker, and stumpknocker) continue to bite well on lakes and rivers throughout the summer, particularly in moving water.

Summer is also the wet season in Florida, with afternoon thunderstorms nearly every day from June through September. The rain raises water levels in lakes and rivers, pushes fresh bait into feeder creeks, and can trigger aggressive feeding windows — particularly in the hour before a storm arrives.

Fall (September – November)

Saltwater

Fall is the most consistently productive fishing season in Florida. Water temperatures drop from the summer highs into the mid-70s, and the combination of cooling water, migrating baitfish, and hungry fish creates a feeding frenzy that lasts for three months. The mullet run — the annual southward migration of millions of finger mullet along both coasts — is the engine that drives the fall bite. Every predator in the ocean follows the mullet: snook, tarpon, redfish, bluefish, jacks, sharks, and everything else that eats baitfish.

The mullet run typically starts on the Atlantic coast in September and works south through November, hitting the Treasure Coast, Palm Beach, and Miami before wrapping around through the Keys. On the Gulf side, the run peaks in October and November. Fishing the mullet run is simple — find the bait schools, and the predators are there. Topwater explosions, birds diving, and tarpon crashing through schools of mullet on the beach are daily occurrences during peak run.

Inshore, fall is prime time for redfish. The annual bull red run brings the largest redfish of the year to the passes, jetties, and near-shore waters from September through November. On the flats, schools of slot-size reds push onto the shallow grass in cooler water, and the sight-fishing in places like Mosquito Lagoon, Charlotte Harbor, and the Everglades reaches its peak. Spotted seatrout fishing also improves dramatically in fall as fish move onto the shallow flats.

Offshore, the fall transition brings kingfish migrations along both coasts, the beginning of sailfish season on the Atlantic side (November), and continued grouper and snapper action in the Gulf.

Regionally, the fall bite hits different areas at different times. The mullet run starts earliest on the northeast coast (Jacksonville, St. Augustine) in September and works south through October and November. The Treasure Coast and Palm Beach see the heaviest mullet run activity in October, while the Gulf side from Tampa to Naples peaks in late October and November. The Panhandle cools earliest — by November, the inshore bite has slowed, but the offshore grouper and snapper fishing is excellent through Thanksgiving. The Keys fish well through the entire fall, with the transition from summer to winter species creating the most diverse catch opportunities of the year.

Freshwater

Fall is when Florida’s bass fisheries wake back up after the summer doldrums. As water temperatures drop into the low 80s and then 70s, largemouth bass move shallow and start feeding heavily to build reserves for the winter spawn. October through December is the pre-spawn period on most Florida lakes, and the fish are aggressive and catchable. Lakes Okeechobee, Toho, and Kissimmee all see a dramatic uptick in big-fish catches starting in October.

Crappie (speckled perch) fishing also picks up in fall, with fish moving toward deeper brush piles and bridge pilings before staging for their winter spawn. The Panhandle lakes — Talquin, Seminole, Jackson — are the best crappie waters in the state and peak from October through February.

Winter (December – February)

Saltwater

Winter is sailfish season on the Atlantic coast. The bite peaks from December through March along the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach, with Stuart serving as the epicenter. Charter boats fly kite-rigged live baits in the Gulf Stream, and multi-release days are the norm during peak season. This is world-class blue-water fishing within sight of the beach.

Inshore, winter brings the best sheepshead fishing of the year. These structure-oriented fish stack up around bridges, docks, jetties, and rock piles from December through March, and they’re one of the best-eating fish in the state. Fiddler crabs and shrimp fished tight to structure are the standard approach. The sheepshead bite is particularly strong around the Skyway Bridge piers, the Sebastian Inlet, and the passes along the Gulf Coast.

Spotted seatrout fishing peaks in winter, with the largest fish of the year (gator trout over 25 inches) caught on the deeper grass flats from November through February. Redfish remain active on the flats year-round in South and Central Florida, though cold fronts can push them into deeper potholes and creek mouths temporarily. Snook become catch-and-release only during their winter closure (December 1 – last day of February in the Gulf, December 15 – January 31 in the Atlantic), and cold-stunned snook become vulnerable during severe cold snaps.

The Florida Panhandle slows significantly in winter, with water temperatures dropping into the 50s. But the Gulf Coast from Tampa south stays productive year-round, and the Keys fish well through every month of winter.

The regional split in winter is the most dramatic of any season. The Panhandle and North Florida fish more like the rest of the Southeast — cold fronts shut down the inshore bite for days at a time, and offshore trips are weather-dependent. Central Florida (Tampa Bay, Charlotte Harbor) stays productive but requires adjusting to cold-front patterns — fish move to deeper holes and warm-water discharges during cold snaps, then push back onto the flats during warming trends. South Florida and the Keys are barely affected by winter — water temperatures rarely drop below the mid-60s, and the fishing is consistently excellent. The sailfish bite from Stuart to Palm Beach peaks during the coldest months, making winter the best time to visit the Atlantic coast for offshore anglers.

Freshwater

Winter is the best season for bass fishing in Florida. The spawn runs from late December through March, starting in South Florida and moving north as the season progresses. Pre-spawn and spawning Florida bass are the biggest and most catchable fish of the year — females loaded with eggs move onto shallow flats, beds, and bank structure where they’re accessible to every technique. Lake Okeechobee, the Kissimmee Chain, Stick Marsh, and the Harris Chain all produce their best fish of the year between January and March.

The American shad run on the St. Johns River kicks off in December and runs through February. Shad migrate upriver to spawn, and anglers intercept them with small jigs and light tackle around Lake Monroe, DeLand, and Sanford. It’s a niche fishery that draws a dedicated following.

Crappie fishing peaks in January and February, with fish staging on brush piles and spawning on shallow sandy banks. Live minnows or small jigs fished around submerged structure are the standard approach. The best crappie lakes — Okeechobee, Talquin, Seminole, and the Kissimmee Chain — produce limits of slab crappie regularly through the winter months.

Florida Fishing Calendar

★★★ = Peak season    ★★☆ = Good fishing    ★☆☆ = Slow or limited

Key Fishing Seasons and Closures

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best month to fish in Florida?

October and November are the most productive months overall. The mullet run drives a feeding frenzy along both coasts, water temperatures are ideal for inshore species, and the bass fishing is picking up on freshwater lakes. The winter months (December–February) are best for sailfish, sheepshead, and spawning bass. Many of Florida’s state records were caught during these peak windows.

Can you fish year-round in Florida?

Yes — Florida offers productive fishing every month of the year. The species and patterns change with the seasons, but there is no off-season. Even the slowest months (July–August for inshore) still produce fish if you adjust your timing to early morning or late evening.

When is tarpon season in Florida?

Tarpon season runs from April through July, with May and June being the peak months. Boca Grande Pass, the Florida Keys, and the Homosassa flat are the top destinations. Resident tarpon can be caught year-round in South Florida canals and the Everglades backcountry.

When is the mullet run in Florida?

The mullet run typically starts in September on the Atlantic coast and runs through November, moving south along the coastline. On the Gulf Coast, the run peaks in October and November. It triggers the best inshore fishing of the year as every predator species follows the migrating baitfish.

What fish are in season in Florida right now?

Check the FWC website at MyFWC.com for current season dates and bag limits, and make sure your Florida fishing license is up to date. Regulations change annually, and some species (like red snapper and grouper) have specific seasonal windows that vary by region and year.

When is the best time to bass fish in Florida?

The best bass fishing in Florida runs from October through March, with the spawn peaking in January and February. Pre-spawn and spawning fish are the biggest and most aggressive of the year. Lake Okeechobee, the Kissimmee Chain, and Stick Marsh are the top destinations during this window.

Sources: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). FWC Saltwater Seasons and Closures.