Red Drum (Redfish) (also known as Red Drum, Channel Bass, Spottail Bass) in Alabama. Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit, slot rule — verified against the ADCNR Marine Resources guide, 2026.
In Alabama, the minimum legal size for Red Drum (Redfish) is 16 in and the daily bag limit is 3. A slot limit applies: 16" min - 26" max TL (total length); slot only — no oversize fish may be kept. There is no closed season in AL.
16" min - 26" max TL (total length); slot only — no oversize fish may be kept
No closed season
Alabama coast is entirely Gulf of Mexico — no Atlantic/Gulf split. In adjacent FEDERAL (offshore) waters, possession/harvest of red drum is PROHIBITED. STATE-waters values. Red drum harvest/possession is prohibited in federal/offshore Gulf waters ('No person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the State of Alabama shall possess a red drum in federal waters'); these limits apply only inshore/state waters. Re-checked 2026-09: Alabama grants NO oversize allowance for red drum. The previous "ONE of the three fish may exceed 26 inches" was wrong and over-permissive; the oversize allowance in the Alabama table belongs to spotted seatrout, not red drum.
These limits are pulled from the ADCNR Marine Resources saltwater recreational size and creel limits. Last verified September 2026.
Always check the official guide before keeping any fish. Regulations change. Alabama Marine Resources Division (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) updates its guide annually and occasionally mid-year. Fines for over-bag or undersized fish are significant.
Alabama requires a Saltwater Fishing License for all persons fishing or possessing fish in salt water (exemptions for under-16, residents aged 65+, and fishing from a licensed public pier). Alabama saltwater licences.
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