Mutton Snapper

Mutton Snapper Fishing in Florida

Mutton snapper live in coastal waters near structure. On both the Gulf and Atlantic coasts the limit is 18 inches total length and 5 per person within the 10-snapper aggregate bag limit.

Florida rules from FWC, checked Sep 2026

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. Everything here was copied from FWC in Sep 2026 and is listed with its source at the bottom of this page. We are not a regulatory authority. Confirm the current rule with your captain or with FWC before you keep a fish.

Florida state record

  • 30.25 lb Dry Tortugas · November 29, 1998 · Richard Casey

From FWC Florida Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle), checked Sep 2026. Records are certified by FWC and can be broken at any time.

How big mutton snapper run

Federal interviewers measured 384 of them on charter trips between 2022–2024. The middle half ran 16.5–26.2 inches, with a median of 20.5 inches. More were put back than kept — 779 released against 334 landed — which is what a closed season or a tight limit looks like in the numbers.

NOAA Fisheries MRIP dockside interviews, 2022–2024. A sample of the fish boats brought in, not a total, and not a forecast for any one trip.

About the fish

SizeUp to 30 inches and 25 pounds
Where it livesCoastal waters near structure
What it eatsFish, crustaceans and snails

FWC says mutton snapper spawn in July and August.

From FWC's species profile, checked Sep 2026.

Which rules apply to your trip

  • Muttons count toward Florida's 10-snapper daily limit per person.
  • On the Atlantic coast, special regulations apply to mutton snapper when fishing in Biscayne National Park.

Mutton snapper, both coasts: when you can keep one

Gulf and Atlantic, state and federal waters.

  • All anglersOpen year roundFWC.
18 inches total lengthSize limit
5 per personDaily limit. Inside the 10-snapper daily aggregate.

Questions about mutton snapper

How big does a mutton snapper have to be?

18 inches total length.

How many can I keep?

5 per person, inside the 10-snapper daily limit.

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