Spanish Mackerel (also known as Spanish Mackerel, Spanish, Spanish Mack) in Florida. Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit — verified against the FWC guide, 2026.
In Florida, the minimum legal size for Spanish Mackerel is 12 in and the daily bag limit is 15 per person. There is no closed season in FL.
No closed season
No regional difference in size or bag between Gulf and Atlantic Florida state waters; 12" FL / 15-per-harvester statewide. Size measured to fork length. STATE waters: 12" fork length / 15 per harvester applies to both Gulf and Atlantic Florida state waters with no Gulf-vs-Atlantic difference. (Federal management is split between the Gulf Council and the South Atlantic Council, but the state size/bag are identical across regions.) Species = Scomberomorus maculatus (Atlantic/Spanish mackerel).
These limits are pulled from the FWC recreational saltwater size and bag limits. Last verified June 2026.
Always check the official guide before keeping any fish. Regulations change. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) updates its guide annually and occasionally mid-year. Fines for over-bag or undersized fish are significant.
Florida requires a recreational saltwater fishing licence to take saltwater species (residents can get a no-cost Resident Saltwater Shoreline licence for shore fishing). A snook or tarpon permit is needed for those species. Florida saltwater licences.
Olli-Mikael Vaittinen has fished his whole life. Fifteen years of fly fishing, guiding seasons on Norway's Lakselva — his favourite Atlantic salmon river — and a blue marlin landed in Vava'u, Tonga. Founder of Fishare — the app that puts the data behind the decisions every angler makes on the water.
Fishare tracks your home spots and pings you when the next 3-hour peak window opens. Log catches and blanks to teach the model your local patterns. Free forever for everyone who joins now.
Open Fishare