By: Caitlyn Gatrell
Here in Southwest Florida, we have a large variety of species that frequent our waters. Some hang out year-round and others come and go. One thing for sure, the marine life is very abundant, making for some excellent fishing opportunities. To make it even better, if you’re a seafood lover, you can keep some of your catches! I mean seriously, nothing’s better than a truly fresh meal, one that you caught yourself!
Before you head out there, just note that you must have a valid fishing license, even if you’re just here temporarily. In addition, not every species is allowed to be kept, with some even having rules about being out of the water. It is important to be aware of what you are allowed to keep and what to throw back! Also, the species that are allowed to be kept may have various seasons, bag and size requirements, and further restrictions as well. Check with FWC (you can check online easily!) and ensure what’s open when you plan to fish and keep catches.
There’s a couple species I can attest for, with one being mangrove snapper. These aren’t trophy catches, however their numbers are pretty high down here and you can find plenty of honey holes carrying plenty of them. With that being said, mangrove snapper over 10in are allowed to be harvested with up to 5 per person each day. The fillets are small, but they are juicy enough for some good fish bites, and if you have enough you can definitely make a tasty meal.
Another beloved, tasty fish here are redfish! These fish are open year-round in our region, but only 2 fish per vessel are allowed. You also have to make sure they are in the slot range of 18 to 27 inches, which isn’t too hard to find down here. This time of year, brings out some of the best chances at finding and hooking up to them.
An angler, and even non-anglers favorite, snook, is a little harder to keep. The fillets are very meaty and delicious, making it a popular meat amongst some of the others. With snook, you can keep one fish between 27 to 33 inches, per person per day.
Of course, there’s more you can discover and keep but these are amongst some of the most sought after. You can work an enticing lure or throw a live or cut bait near the mangroves, flats, oyster beds, and flowing currents to find these fish. Once you get your hands on a fresh, clean, and delicious fillet, you’ll want to keep catching your own rather than buy from the store! Sounds like a win to me!