Florida regulations
Bluegill (Sunfish) Regulations in Florida 2026
Florida bluegill regulations in 2026: 50 fish/day bag limit. Zone-specific exceptions may apply — see the rule table below. Sourced from FWC.
Rules (59)
Caloosa Park Lake, Palm Beach CountyCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Min size
- 8"
- Min size
- 8"
less than 8 inches in total length must be released immediately
Cemetery Lake
- Daily bag
- 5
- Daily bag
- 5
no more than 5 bluegill and redear sunfish 8 inches or longer in total length per day.
Derby Lakes
- Daily bag
- 5
- Daily bag
- 5
Anglers may keep no more than 5 bluegill and redear sunfish 8 inches or longer in total length per day.
Doral Glades Park Lake, Miami-Dade CountyCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Min size
- 8"
- Min size
- 8"
less than 8 inches in total length must be released immediately
Lake Okeeheelee, Palm Beach CountyCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Min size
- 8"
- Min size
- 8"
less than 8 inches in total length must be released immediately
Lakes Tohopekaliga (West Lake Tohopekaliga), Cypress, Hatchineha, And Kissimmee, Osceola And Polk Counties
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 12"
Bluegill less than 12 inches in total length must be released immediately.
Marl Pit 2, Charlotte County
- Daily bag
- 10
- Daily bag
- 10
- Min size
- 10"
- Min size
- 10"
combined bag limit with redear sunfish combined bag limit with bluegill less than 10 inches must be released immediately
Marl Pits 1 And 3, Charlotte County
- Min size
- 8"
- Min size
- 8"
less than 8 inches in total length must be released immediately
Merritt’s Mill Pond, Jackson CountyCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Daily bag
- 10 fish/day
- Min size
- 10"
less than 10 inches in total length must be released immediately
Miami-Dade
- Min size
- 8"
Bluegill and redear sunfish less than 8 inches in total length must be released immediately.
Miami-Dade County
- Min size
- 8"
- Min size
- 8"
Bluegill and redear sunfish less than 8 inches in total length must be released immediately.
Middle Lake, Pasco County
- Daily bag
- 20
- Daily bag
- 20
- Min size
- 8"
- Min size
- 8"
aggregate bag limit with redear sunfish aggregate bag limit with bluegill less than 8 inches in total length must be released immediately
Palm Beach County
- Min size
- 8"
Bluegill and redear sunfish less than 8 inches in total length must be released immediately.
Pine
- Daily bag
- 5
- Daily bag
- 5
Anglers may keep no more than 5 bluegill and redear sunfish 8 inches or longer in total length per day.
Pine (Formerly East And West Pasture Lakes)
- Daily bag
- 5
- Daily bag
- 5
8 inches or longer in total length per day
Plantation Heritage Park Lake, Broward CountyCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Min size
- 8"
- Min size
- 8"
less than 8 inches in total length must be released immediately
Shadow Bay Park
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 12"
Bluegill less than 12 inches in total length must be released immediately.
The Northern-Most Tropical Park Lake, Miami-Dade CountyCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Min size
- 8"
- Min size
- 8"
less than 8 inches in total length must be released immediately
Tropical Park Lake, Miami-Dade County
- Min size
- 8"
Bluegill and redear sunfish less than 8 inches in total length must be released immediately.
Walsingham Park Lake, Pinellas County
- Daily bag
- 20
- Daily bag
- 20
aggregate bag limit with redear sunfish aggregate bag limit with bluegill
Webb Lake, Charlotte County
- Min size
- 8"
- Min size
- 8"
less than 8 inches in total length must be released immediately
Other Florida fish regulations
Other regulated species in Florida with current rule pages — same FWC source, same verification cadence.
- Speckled Trout (Spotted Seatrout)150 rules
- Snook148 rules
- Redfish (Red Drum)39 rules
- Stripers (Striped Bass)30 rules
- King Mackerel (Kingfish)10 rules
- Florida Pompano10 rules
- Red Snapper9 rules
- Black Sea Bass7 rules
- Mahi-Mahi (Dolphinfish)7 rules
- Largemouth Bass7 rules
- Cobia5 rules
- Tarpon4 rules
- Bluefish4 rules
- Black Drum4 rules
- Spanish Mackerel4 rules
- Sheepshead3 rules
Also known as
Bluegill is also called Bluegill (Sunfish), Pumpkinseed, Sunfish, Redear Sunfish, sunfish. Anglers in different regions use different names for the same fish, and the rules on this page apply to all of them in Florida.
Frequently asked questions
When is Bluegill season in Florida?
Bluegill season in Florida is set by FWC. Some zones may have specific open windows; see the rule table above.
What is the size limit for Bluegill in Florida?
Minimum size for Bluegill in Florida is 8 inches in Caloosa Park Lake, Palm Beach County, per FWC. Slot limits or maximum sizes may apply in some zones.
What is the daily bag limit for Bluegill in Florida?
Daily bag limit for Bluegill in Florida is 5 in Cemetery Lake, per FWC.
Official sources cited
- https://www.eregulations.com/florida/fishing/freshwater/southwest-region
- https://myfwc.com/media/352no2pa/fwregulations.pdf
- https://www.eregulations.com/florida/fishing/freshwater/south-region
Reference only. Regulations change frequently, often mid-season. Always verify with FWC before keeping a catch.