Flounder harvest is open year-round except October 15 – November 30, when a statewide recreational closure halts all take. The minimum size is 14 inches total length, the bag limit is 5 fish per person per day, and the rule applies to all flounder species in state and federal waters. The fall closure sits squarely on the back half of the migration when fish stage toward the passes on their offshore winter spawn — know the date before you keep one.
When is flounder season in Florida 2026?
Flounder are caught year-round in Florida, but the calendar splits into two phases:
- Open to harvest: January 1 – October 14, then December 1 – December 31. Recreational anglers can keep fish on any of these days as long as they meet the 14-inch minimum and bag limit.
- Closed to harvest: October 15 – November 30, statewide, every year. Catch-and-release is legal, but no fish may be kept by any gear during this window.
FWC tightened the closure in 2021 (14” minimum, 5-fish bag, six-week closure) to rebuild the stock after the fall migration made flounder easy to overharvest. The full regulation is on the FWC flounder page. Rules change by executive order after cold snaps or red tide events — verify current rules before you fish.
When is the fall flounder closure?
October 15 – November 30, every year, statewide. The closure applies to all recreational harvest in state and federal waters, regardless of gear or target species. September through mid-October is peak take-season: fish slide out of Sarasota Bay toward Big Pass, New Pass, and Venice Inlet on their way offshore, stacking on dock edges and pass sand in the thickest run of the year. That pattern stops October 15. December 1, the fishery reopens, catching fish staging back into the shallow passes.
The timing is tight — anglers who fish the October 14 evening bite and return October 15 morning are switching to catch-and-release only. A dead flounder in the box during the closure is a citation regardless of size.
What are the size and bag limits?
| Rule | 2026 value |
|---|---|
| Minimum size | 14” total length |
| Bag limit | 5 per person per day |
| Closed season | October 15 – November 30, statewide |
| Gear | Hook and line, spear, gig, seine, cast net; snatching prohibited |
| License | Saltwater fishing license required |
| Waters | State and federal waters, all flounder species |
Measure with the mouth closed and the tail lobes squeezed together on a flat board. A fish at 13.5” or 14.5” is measured by the officer’s board. A 14–16” fish yields four small boneless fillets (two per side) — the size floor is exactly where table-fare begins. Five-fish bag lets you target a door-sized feast, but remember: all flounder species fall under the same rule.
Is flounder gigging legal?
Yes — gigs and spears are legal gear for flounder in Sarasota and all Florida waters, except during the October 15 – November 30 closure. Night gigging on shallow sand is a live fishery here: anglers wade flats with a gig light and hunt half-buried fish by sight. The same 14-inch minimum and 5-fish bag limit apply to gigged fish as they do to hook-and-line catch. Once the closure begins October 15, gigging stops the same day.
Where do flounder stack around Sarasota?
Flounder are ambush predators that lie half-buried on clean sand next to current and structure:
- Pass edges — the sand shoulders of Big Sarasota Pass, New Pass, and Longboat Pass, where sand meets grass or rock. September through mid-October, fish stack here on their way out.
- The Venice jetties — sand pockets tight to the rocks, the best land-based flounder spot in the county. Access notes are in our Venice jetty guide.
- Dock and seawall edges — residential docks from Bird Key to Nokomis, wherever tide sweeps bait along a sand strip. Summer residents; year-round bite.
- Creek and canal mouths — Phillippi Creek, Bowlees Creek, Hudson Bayou on outgoing tides. Flounder hunt the current here.
- Nearshore hard bottom and artificial reefs in 20–40 ft, spring and early winter. Coordinates in our artificial reef database.
- Sand potholes on the flats — every white hole in the grass is a candidate on a wade-fishing tide. Look for the seam where bare bottom meets grass.
Sand on its own is not the target — the seam is. Bare bottom next to grass, rock, or a piling is where current pushes shrimp, small crabs, and glass minnows, and a buried flounder only has to come off the bottom once to eat.
FAQ
When can you keep flounder in Florida in 2026? Any day except October 15 – November 30, when recreational harvest closes statewide. Minimum size 14”, five fish per person per day.
What is the flounder size limit in Florida? 14 inches total length, measured with the mouth closed and tail lobes squeezed together. All flounder species — Gulf flounder and southern flounder — fall under the same rule.
When is flounder season closed in 2026? October 15 through November 30, statewide. Catch-and-release is legal; harvest by any gear stops during this window.
Can you gig flounder in Sarasota? Yes — gigs and spears are legal gear except during the October 15 – November 30 closure. The same 14” minimum and 5-fish limits apply to gigged fish as to hook-and-line catch.
Are flounder good to eat? Excellent — fillets are white, mild, thin, and delicate. A 14–16” fish yields four small boneless fillets. Sauté or broil with butter and lemon, 2–3 minutes a side. Ice immediately and eat fresh; flounder doesn’t hold well in the freezer.
Related
The 14-inch rule and 5-fish bag limit are detailed on our flounder species page — spots, months, baits, and the full Sarasota pattern. Get legal first with the Florida fishing license guide, learn the system behind the rules in the FWC regulations explainer, and put October 15–November 30 fish back alive with the catch-and-release guide. The fall flounder run overlaps redfish schooling season — one October tide at Longboat Pass can produce both. For a full seasonal overview, check the Gulf fishing seasons calendar and navigate the passes with our passes and inlets guide. November is a prime month for other inshore targets; see Sarasota fishing in November for the full picture.
