Spanish Mackerel (also known as Spanish Mackerel, Spanish, Spanish Mack) in Louisiana. Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit — verified against the LDWF guide, 2026.
In Louisiana, 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 LA.
No closed season
Gulf of Mexico (Louisiana). Species = Atlantic Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus). 12" minimum measured as fork length (FL). Louisiana state/territorial waters; aligned with federal Gulf limits. No Recreational Offshore Landing Permit (ROLP) required — mackerel is NOT on the LDWF ROLP species list (tunas, billfish, swordfish, amberjacks, groupers, hinds, snappers, dolphinfish, wahoo, cobia, gray triggerfish).
These limits are pulled from the LDWF recreational fishing regulations. Last verified June 2026.
Always check the official guide before keeping any fish. Regulations change. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries updates its guide annually and occasionally mid-year. Fines for over-bag or undersized fish are significant.
Louisiana requires both a Basic and a Saltwater fishing licence to fish or possess fish in the saltwater area (anglers aged 18+). Louisiana 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. The forecast, saved spots and catch log stay free, forever.
Open Fishare