Waterbody · Florida
St. Johns River Fishing Regulations 2026
St. Johns River fishing regulations in 2026: top targets are largemouth bass, striped bass, catfish. 229 current rules across 8 species from FWC.
Rules (229)
FWC regulates 229 rules across 8 species at this water.
Channel Catfish
Cherry, Lake CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish
Clermont Chain Of Lakes, Lake County (Cook, Winona, Palatlakaha, Crescent, Louisa, Minnehaha, Hiawatha, Minneola, Wilson, Susan And Cherry)Open
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Cook, Lake CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish
Crescent, Lake CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish
East Lake TohopekaligaOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
East Lake Tohopekaliga, Osceola CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Edward Medard Park Reservoir, Hillsborough County
- Gear
- Cast Net Prohibited
Persons possessing a valid freshwater commercial fishing license may use cast nets to catch nongame fish other than channel catfish from 12:01 AM Tuesday to 12:01 AM Friday.
Fox Lake, Brevard CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Hiawatha, Lake CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish
Koon Lake, Lafayette CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Lake Blue CypressOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Lake Crago, Polk CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Lake Dias, Volusia CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Lake Griffin, Lake County Including All Emeralda Marsh Water Bodies Open To Lake Griffin, And Including All Points Lakeward Of A Boundary Line Delineated By: County Road 44 And Burrell Lock And Dam On Haynes Creek (Formerly Haines Creek); County Road 464c At Moss Bluff Lock And DamOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Lake Istokpoga, Highlands CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Lake Lawne, Orange CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
No bag limit for channel catfish
Lake Marian, Osceola CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Lake PanasoffkeeOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Lake Parker, Polk CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Lake Santiago In Demetree Park, Orange County
- Daily bag
- 6 fish
Channel catfish bag limit: 6
Lake SeminoleOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No limit — no limit; No bag limit for channel catfish
Lake Seminole, Pinellas CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Lake Tarpon, Pinellas CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Lake Thonotosassa, Hillsborough CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Lake Underhill, Orange CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Lakes Hatchineha And Kissimmee, Polk CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Lakes Lochloosa And OrangeOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish
Lakes Lochloosa, Alachua CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish
Lakes Orange, Alachua CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish
Lakes Tohopekaliga (West Lake Tohopekaliga)Open
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Lakes Tohopekaliga (West Lake Tohopekaliga), Cypress, Hatchineha, And Kissimmee, Osceola And Polk CountiesOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 30"
No bag limit for channel catfish. Channel catfish less than 30 inches in total length must be released immediately.
Largo Central Park Nature Preserve, Pinellas CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
No bag limit
Louisa, Lake CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish
Manatee Lake, Manatee CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No limit — no limit; No bag limit for channel catfish.
Marl Pit 2, Charlotte CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Merritt’s Mill Pond, Jackson CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Minnehaha, Lake CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish
Minneola, Lake CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish
Mosaic Fish Management Area, Polk/Hardee Counties
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Newnans Lake, Alachua CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish
Palatlakaha, Lake CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish
Shadow Bay Park
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 30"
Channel catfish less than 30 inches in total length must be released immediately.
South Lake, Brevard CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Starke Lake, Orange CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Steven J. Wortham Park Lake, Hillsborough County
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Susan, Lake CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish
Suwannee Lake, Suwannee CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish.
Wilson, Lake CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish
Winona, Lake CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag limit for channel catfish
Striped Bass
Any Tributary, Creek Or Stream Of The Suwannee River
- Daily bag
- 3 fish
- Min size
- 18"
Areas North And West Of The Suwannee River
- Daily bag
- 3 fish
- Min size
- 18"
Chattahoochee River
- Daily bag
- 15 fish
- Max size
- 22"
15 striped bass, white bass and sunshine bass (individually or in total) of which no more than two may be 22 inches or longer in total length
Jim Woodruff Reservoir
- Daily bag
- 15 fish
- Max size
- 22"
- Slot max
- 22"
no more than two may be 22 inches or longer
Lake Jackson
- Daily bag
- 15 fish
- Max size
- 22"
15 striped bass, white bass and sunshine bass (only 5 of which may be 22 inches or longer in total length) only 5 of which may be 22 inches or longer in total length
Lake Jackson (Walton County)
- Daily bag
- 15 fish
- Max size
- 22"
only 5 of which may be 22 inches or longer in total length
Lake Seminole
- Daily bag
- 15 fish
- Max size
- 22"
- Slot max
- 22"
no more than two may be 22 inches or longer
Lower Ochlockonee River (Downstream Of The Jackson Bluff Dam To Ochlockonee Bay)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 24"
- Max size
- 24"
only one of which may be 24 inches or longer in total length only one of which may be 24 inches or longer
Ochlockonee Bay
- Daily bag
- 3 fish
- Max size
- 24"
bag limit for striped bass is 3, only one of which may be 24 inches or longer in total length only one of which may be 24 inches or longer in total length
Perdido River
- Daily bag
- 15 fish/day
- Max size
- 22"
- Slot max
- 22"
only 5 of which may be 22 inches or longer in total length only 5 of which may be 22 inches or longer
Nongame Fish
Main Channel Of The St. Johns River From A Point Immediately South Of Lake Monroe To State Road 46 (Except Lake Harney)Closed
- Status
- Prohibited
Wire traps and slat baskets are prohibited from Jan. 1 to March 31.
St. Johns River From The Seaboard Coastline Bridge In Duval County Upstream To State Road 46 (Mims Bridge) Including Doctors Lake, Crescent Lake, Dunns Creek And Lakes Beresford, Woodruff, Dexter, Monroe And Harney, Except Lake Jessup
- Possession
- 80 traps and baskets per licensee
St. Johns River From The Seaboard Coastline Bridge In Duval County Upstream To State Road 46 (Mims Bridge), Including Crescent Lake, Dunns Creek And Lakes Beresford, Woodruff, Dexter, Monroe And Harney, Except Lake Jessup
- Possession
- 100 hoop nets per licensee
Main Channel Of The St. Johns River From A Point Immediately South Of Lake Monroe To State Road 46 (Except In Lake Harney)Closed
- Status
- Prohibited
Hoop nets are prohibited from Jan. 1 to March 31.
St. Johns River Water Management Areas Of Lake County Formerly Known As Long FarmClosed
- Status
- Prohibited
No minnow lift nets shall be fished
St. Johns River Water Management Areas Of Lake County Formerly Known As S.n. Knight Lisbon Farm (Both Parcels North And South Of The Yale-Griffin Canal)Closed
- Status
- Prohibited
No minnow lift nets shall be fished
St. Johns River Water Management Areas Of Lake County Formerly Known As S.n. Knight Leesburg FarmClosed
- Status
- Prohibited
No minnow lift nets shall be fished
St. Johns River Water Management Areas Of Lake County Formerly Known As Lowrie Brown FarmClosed
- Status
- Prohibited
No minnow lift nets shall be fished
St. Johns River Water Management Areas Of Lake County Formerly Known As Eustis Muck FarmClosed
- Status
- Prohibited
No minnow lift nets shall be fished
St. Johns River Water Management Areas Of Lake County Formerly Known As Walker RanchClosed
- Status
- Prohibited
No minnow lift nets shall be fished
Largemouth Bass
Lake Crago, Polk CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Gear
- Statewide Limits Apply
statewide size and bag limits apply
Long LakeOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Gear
- Statewide Limits Apply
statewide size and bag limits apply.
State Of FloridaOpen
- Status
- Permitted
An angler may possess one Florida bass or largemouth bass 16.5 pounds or greater, per day over the legal length or bag limit when submitting for the certification of a potential state record provided they contact the Commission at this link (https://myfwc.wufoo. com/forms/potential-state-record-largemouth-bass/). Bass maintained in live condition may only be possessed on the waterbody or adjacent shore from which the fish was caught and may only be released alive in the same waterbody, unless otherwise directed by Commission staff.
Snook
St. Johns RiverIn season
- Season opens
- Jun 1
- Season closes
- Aug 31
- Slot min
- 28"
- Slot max
- 32"
All Species
St. Johns River And Its Tributaries South Of State Road 46 And North Of U.s. Highway 192, Including Lakes Poinsett, Winder And WashingtonClosed
- Status
- Prohibited
Trotlines, bush hooks or set lines are prohibited
St. Johns River Lying Between U.s. Highway 17-92 And State Road 46
- Gear
- Trotlines
From 9 a.m. on Saturday until sunset on Sunday all trotlines shall be sunk to the bottom or to a minimum depth of 4 feet during daylight hours.
Main Channel Of The St. Johns River From A Point Immediately South Of Lake Monroe To State Road 46, Excluding Lake HarneyClosed
- Status
- Prohibited
From Jan. 1 until March 31 trotlines shall be prohibited from 9 a.m. until sunset
Black Bass
St. Johns River Water Management Area (Farm 13, Including The Stick Marsh), Indian River And Brevard CountiesCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
must be released immediately
St. Johns River Water Management AreaCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
Black bass must be released immediately.; Farm 13, including the Stick Marsh
Spotted Seatrout
FAQ
Who regulates fishing on St. Johns River?
FWC regulates fishing on St. Johns River.
What species can I target on St. Johns River?
St. Johns River is best known for largemouth bass, striped bass, catfish. Other species are present and tracked in the rule tables below.
Where should I verify these rules?
These rules summarize FWC's published content. Always confirm with the official source before keeping a catch.
Reference only. Regulations change mid-season. Always verify with the official source before keeping a catch.