Species guide

Red Grouper Fishing

Red grouper is open year-round in Gulf state waters (not including Monroe County). In Gulf federal waters it is closed February 1 to March 31 seaward of 20 fathoms, and "the edges" are closed January 1 to April 30. In the Atlantic, including all Monroe County state waters, it is open May 1 to December 31.

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Red Grouper

Every charter here names red grouper 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 and NOAA Fisheries 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 red grouper

200 charters name red grouper on their own website, across 87 towns in 1 state.

State records for red grouper

The heaviest red grouper each state has certified, biggest first.

StateWeightWhereYearAngler
Florida 42.25 lb St. Augustine Inlet 1997 Del Wiseman Jr.source
North Carolina 37.9 lb Wilmington 2019 William Burreysource
Alabama 34.6 lb — 2002 Michael Dale Sargent Jr.source
South Carolina 33.81 lb Little River 2022 J. Pazonasource
Georgia 26.4 lb — 2021 Bruce C. Bartlett Jr.source
Texas 25 lb Gulf of Mexico 2020 Brian Johnsonsource

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.

How big red grouper run

Federal interviewers measured 1,221 of them on charter trips between 2022–2024. The middle half ran 19.7–27 inches, with a median of 22.8 inches.

Separately, MRIP's catch records for those trips count 7,515 released against 1,139 kept — more put back than taken, which is what a closed season or a tight limit looks like. That is a different tally from the fish that were measured, not a breakdown of them.

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 42 inches and 50 pounds; common to 20 inches
Where it livesOver hard and muddy bottoms. Fish 1 to 6 years old live on nearshore reefs
What it eatsA variety of fishes and invertebrates

FWC says red grouper spawn in April and May and prefer water between 66 and 77 degrees.

From FWC's species profile, checked Sep 2026.

Which rules apply to your trip

  • Gulf or Atlantic is the first question, and Monroe County is the trap: all state waters off Monroe County follow the ATLANTIC rules, on both the Atlantic and the Gulf side.
  • In the Gulf, federal waters seaward of the 20-fathom break are closed to red grouper February 1 to March 31, and "the edges" are closed January 1 to April 30. Gulf state waters (not including Monroe County) are open year-round.
  • In Gulf state waters, the charter captain and crew have a 0-fish bag limit for red grouper.
  • Participation in the State Reef Fish Survey is mandatory to fish for grouper in Florida waters.

Harvest rules

When can you keep one in Florida?

Gulf: red

Gulf state and federal waters, not including the state waters of Monroe County.

  • State watersOpen year roundFWC.
  • Federal waters seaward of 20 fathomsHarvest closed February 1 to March 31 seaward of 20 fathoms; "the edges" closed January 1 to April 30.Applies to red, black, scamp, yellowfin and yellowmouth.
20 inches total lengthSize limit
2 per personDaily limit. Counts inside the Gulf limit of 4 grouper per person per day.

Atlantic: red

Atlantic state and federal waters, including Monroe County state waters.

  • All anglersOpen May 1 to December 31FWC. Also closed January 1 to April 30 along with several other Atlantic grouper.
20 inches total length. Special regulations apply in Biscayne National Park.Size limit
Up to 3 per person. Special regulations apply in Biscayne National Park.Daily limit. Counts inside the Atlantic limit of 3 grouper or tilefish per person per day.

Gear rules

Reef fish gear rules apply and grouper must be landed with head and fins intact. In Gulf state waters that means non-stainless, non-offset circle hooks with natural bait, a dehooking device, and a descending device or venting tool rigged and ready. In the Atlantic the circle hook rule splits at 28 degrees north.

Questions about red grouper

How big does a red grouper have to be?

20 inches total length, on both coasts.

How many red grouper can I keep?

In the Gulf, 2 per person inside the 4-grouper daily limit. In the Atlantic, up to 3 per person inside the 3-fish grouper and tilefish limit.

When is red grouper closed?

In the Atlantic and all Monroe County state waters, January 1 to April 30. In the Gulf, federal waters seaward of 20 fathoms are closed February 1 to March 31, and "the edges" are closed January 1 to April 30. Gulf state waters are open year-round.

Seasons, sizes and bag limits on this page were copied from FWC, grouper regulations and FWC, reef fish gear rules and NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Gulf gag season and NOAA Fisheries, 2026 South Atlantic gag season and FWC, red grouper profile in Sep 2026. Rules change, sometimes mid-season. Check the current rule with your captain or FWC before you keep a fish.