Indian River Lagoon spotted seatrout harvest closes Nov. 1 through Dec. 31

Florida's recreational harvest season for spotted seatrout closes Nov. 1 in the Indian River Lagoon management region and reopens Jan. 1. The FWC announcement was carried by Florida Sportsman on Oct. 29. The closure covers inland and state waters in the region and the adjacent federal waters. Trout caught there during the closure must be released.

Harvest stays open in the Panhandle, Big Bend, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast and Northeast regions. When the Indian River Lagoon reopens, its limit is two fish per person in the 15- to 19-inch slot, with no over-slot fish allowed. Big Bend allows five fish. Most other regions allow three, plus one over-slot fish per vessel or per shore angler. The Northeast region allows no over-slot fish, and the Panhandle closes in February.

The regional seasons are part of the FWC's holistic management approach for inshore species, adopted in February and in effect since April 1, 2026.

Photo: Spotted seatrout. Credit: Capt. Mark Dravo, via Florida Sportsman.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: Florida Sportsman (FWC release): Spotted Seatrout Harvest Closed in Indian River Lagoon Region (Oct. 29, 2026).