Cubera Snapper
Lutjanus cyanopterus
How to tell it
Huge gray snapper with visible canines; adults offshore on wrecks.
- Not a mangrove snapper? That one smaller, warmer bronze, smaller teeth. (Mangrove Snapper)
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No size limit | 20-fish reef fish aggregate | Open year-roundAL MRD 2026 · checked | Open |
| Florida (Atlantic) | 12 in TL min | 10 per person (within 10-snapper aggregate) | Open year-roundFWC 2026 · checked | Open |
| Florida (Gulf) | 12 in TL min | 10 per person (within 10-snapper aggregate) | Open year-roundFWC 2026 · checked | Open |
| GeorgiaFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters) | 12 in total length | 10 per person per day within 10-snapper aggregate | Open year-roundSAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked | Open |
| Louisiana | 12 in total length | 10 per person in snapper aggregate | Open year-roundLDWF 2026 · checked | Open |
| Maryland | No size limit | 20 aggregate; max 10 of any one species | Open year-roundMD DNR 2026 · checked | Open |
| Mississippi | 12 in total length minimum | 10 per person per day | Open year-roundMS DMR 2026 · checked | Open |
| North CarolinaFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters) | 12 in total length | 10 per person per day within 10-snapper aggregate | Open year-roundSAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked | Open |
| South Carolina | 12 in total length | 10/day snapper aggregate | Open year-roundSC DNR 2026 · checked | Open |
| TexasFederal rule (Gulf federal waters) | 12 in total length | Within 10-snapper aggregate (10 snappers combined per person per day) | Open year-roundNOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked | Open |
Not specifically regulated in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Virginia: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
State records
| State | Weight | When, where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 94 lb 3 oz | 2015 | Outdoor Alabama Saltwater State Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Florida | 116.38 lb | 1979 · Clearwater | FWC Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Georgia | 10 lb 11.2 oz | 2019 | GA DNR CRD Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-23 · GA keeps men's/women's records; heavier taken as overall |
| Louisiana | 131.31 lb | 2026 · Garden Banks | LOWA Louisiana State Fish Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-28 |
| North Carolina | 85 lb | 2026 · Off of Hatteras | NCDMF State Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-28 |
| South Carolina | 118 lb | 2007 · Mt. Pleasant | SCDNR Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Texas | 131 lb | 1983 · Gulf of America | TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 · Bait/Lure column reads '15 mi north Port Mansfiel' — location detail misfiled by TPWD |
On the table
Good small; large cubera carry real ciguatera risk.
In the app
Point the camera at a cubera snapper and the name appears before you take the picture, with these rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed, and every catch goes in the log.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask about cubera snapper
What is the size limit for cubera snapper?
It depends on the state. Florida (Atlantic): 12 in TL min; Florida (Gulf): 12 in TL min; Georgia: 12 in total length; Louisiana: 12 in total length; Mississippi: 12 in total length minimum; North Carolina: 12 in total length; South Carolina: 12 in total length; Texas: 12 in total length.
How many cubera snapper can you keep?
Alabama: 20-fish reef fish aggregate; Florida (Atlantic): 10 per person (within 10-snapper aggregate); Florida (Gulf): 10 per person (within 10-snapper aggregate); Georgia: 10 per person per day within 10-snapper aggregate; Louisiana: 10 per person in snapper aggregate; Maryland: 20 aggregate; max 10 of any one species; Mississippi: 10 per person per day; North Carolina: 10 per person per day within 10-snapper aggregate; and more in the table above.
How do you tell cubera snapper from mangrove snapper?
Cubera Snapper has this: Huge gray snapper with visible canines; adults offshore on wrecks.. Mangrove Snapper smaller, warmer bronze, smaller teeth.
What is the record cubera snapper?
131.31 lb in Louisiana (2026), Garden Banks. Other states’ records are in the table.