Where to fish for yellowtail snapper
148 charters name yellowtail snapper on their own website, across 52 towns in 1 state.
State records for yellowtail snapper
The heaviest yellowtail snapper each state has certified, biggest first.
| State | Weight | Where | Year | Angler |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 10.5 lb | Tolers Cove Marina | 2017 | A. Stonesource |
| Louisiana | 10.2 lb | Eugene Island Block 295 | 2001 | Michael J. Ledetsource |
| Florida | 10.19 lb | Ft. Myers | 2015 | Jeff Bowlessource |
| Texas | 9.87 lb | Gulf of Mexico | 1992 | Steve Kinzelsource |
| Alabama | 9.6 lb | — | 2019 | Joshua Boydsource |
| North Carolina | 9.25 lb | Off Calabash | 2019 | Aiden Grantsource |
| Mississippi | 7.6 lb | — | 2023 | Gavin Friendsource |
| Georgia | 5 lb | — | 2014 | Eddie Nelson Vanmetter IIsource |
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 yellowtail snapper run
Federal interviewers measured 3,175 of them on charter trips between 2022–2024. The middle half ran 10.1–14.6 inches, with a median of 11.6 inches.
Separately, MRIP's catch records for those trips count 3,937 kept against 2,375 released. 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
FWC says yellowtail snapper spawn in mid-summer.
From FWC's species profile, checked Sep 2026.
Which rules apply to your trip
- Yellowtail count toward Florida's 10-snapper daily aggregate bag limit. Not every snapper counts toward it; vermilion snapper, for example, are not included.
- FWC notes that special regulations apply to yellowtail snapper when fishing in Biscayne National Park.
Harvest rules
When can you keep one in Florida?
Yellowtail snapper, Florida waters
Gulf and Atlantic state waters.
- All anglersOpen year roundFWC.
Questions about yellowtail snapper
How big does a yellowtail snapper have to be?
12 inches total length.
How many can I keep?
Up to 10 per person, inside the 10-snapper daily limit.
Seasons, sizes and bag limits on this page were copied from FWC, snapper regulations and FWC, yellowtail snapper profile in Sep 2026. Rules change, sometimes mid-season. Check the current rule with your captain or FWC before you keep a fish.