Species guide

Bonefish Fishing

Bonefish live inshore in shallow water, often less than a foot deep, usually over lush seagrass flats and occasionally over white sand. FWC made bonefish a catch-and-release-only species in 2013.

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Bonefish

Every charter here names bonefish on its own website, checked on the captain's own site

Check before you keep a fish. Seasons and limits change, sometimes in the middle of a season, and a court or an agency can change them overnight. Seasons and limits are set state by state. The ones on this page are Florida's, copied from FWC in Sep 2026 and listed with their source at the foot of the page. We are not a regulatory authority. Confirm the rule for the water you will fish with your captain or with that state's wildlife agency.

Where to fish for bonefish

163 charters name bonefish on their own website, across 48 towns in 1 state.

State records for bonefish

The heaviest bonefish each state has certified, biggest first.

StateWeightWhereYearAngler
Florida 16.19 lb Islamorada 2007 Robert Schroedersource

Each from that state's own records page, linked on every row. A location links to its town only where the agency named that town — a record logged to "Gulf of Mexico" or an offshore block belongs to no city. Weights are printed as the agency prints them. Records are certified by the state and can be broken at any time.

About the fish

SizeUp to 18 pounds, rarely more than 10
Where it livesInshore shallow water, often less than a foot deep, usually over seagrass flats and occasionally over white sand
What it eatsShrimp, crabs and other invertebrates

FWC says bonefish may live longer than 23 years.

From FWC's species profile, checked Sep 2026.

Which rules apply to your trip

  • Bonefish are catch and release only. FWC's bonefish rules also extend into adjacent federal waters.
  • FWC's rule does allow you to hold one fish briefly, at the spot you caught it, to photograph, measure and weigh it.

Harvest rules

When can you keep one in Florida?

Statewide

State waters and adjacent federal waters.

  • All anglersCatch and release onlyFWC rule, in force since September 2013.
None may be kept (catch and release only)Size limit
Catch and release onlyDaily limit. FWC allows temporary possession of a single bonefish at the site of capture, to photograph, measure and weigh it.

Gear rules

Multiple hooks with live or dead natural bait may not be used to harvest or attempt to harvest bonefish.

Questions about bonefish

Can I keep a bonefish?

No. FWC made bonefish catch and release only in September 2013.

Can I photograph it first?

Yes. FWC allows you to hold one fish briefly where you caught it, to photograph, measure and weigh it.

When do people fish for them?

FWC says bonefish can be caught year round in the Keys, with the peak generally March through October.

What gear is prohibited?

Multiple hooks used with live or dead natural bait to harvest or attempt to harvest bonefish.

Seasons, sizes and bag limits on this page were copied from FWC, bonefish and FWC, saltwater rule history and FWC, bonefish profile in Sep 2026. Rules change, sometimes mid-season. Check the current rule with your captain or FWC before you keep a fish.