2026 regulation year
Apalachicola Bay (Panhandle region) 2026 — Florida Fishing Regulations
Florida statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Apalachicola Bay (Panhandle region) carries 3 special-regulation overlays on top of Florida's 2026 fishing rules — covering Redfish (red drum), Spotted seatrout. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
Get change alerts
Watch Apalachicola Bay (Panhandle region) (FL) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.
State-level special regulation
Closed shellfish harvest; redfish zone special rules
Source: Florida special-water list
Per-species rules on Apalachicola Bay (Panhandle region)
Redfish (red drum) regulations →
1 / day per person, 18–27 in slot, 4 fish per vessel
Spotted seatrout regulations →
3 / day, 15–19 in slot; the Panhandle region is closed for the month of February
Official source
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission publishes the authoritative 2026 Florida fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official Florida fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's emergency-order feed — check it before any Florida trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in Florida
- Apalachicola River
- Banana River (Merritt Island NWR)
- Big Bend (Steinhatchee, Crystal River, Homosassa)
- Big Pine Key and Lower Keys
- Biscayne National Park (Atlantic)
- Boca Grande Pass
- Bridges, jetties, oyster bars and dock pilings statewide
- Charlotte Harbor & Southwest regions
- Chipola River
- Crystal River / Kings Bay
- Everglades National Park (10,000 Islands / Florida Bay)
- Federal waters (beyond 9 nm Gulf / 3 nm Atlantic)
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Apalachicola Bay (Panhandle region)?
- Apalachicola Bay (Panhandle region) carries 3 special-regulation overlays that override Florida's statewide 2026 rules, covering Redfish (red drum) and Spotted seatrout. One of them reads: "Closed shellfish harvest; redfish zone special rules." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Apalachicola Bay (Panhandle region)?
- Yes. Apalachicola Bay (Panhandle region) is in Florida, so a valid Florida fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Apalachicola Bay; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Florida rules.
- Do Apalachicola Bay (Panhandle region)'s special rules replace Florida's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Florida's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Apalachicola Bay by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
- Which species have special rules on Apalachicola Bay?
- Redfish (red drum) and Spotted seatrout have a water-body-specific rule on Apalachicola Bay (Panhandle region), each linking to its full Florida regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Florida limits.