Gulf Flounder
Paralichthys albigutta
How to tell it
Three ocellated (eye-ringed) spots in a triangle — two above, one below the lateral line — on a sandy left-facing flatfish.
- Not a southern flounder? That one no eye-ringed spots at all. (Southern Flounder)
- Not a summer flounder? That one five eye-ringed spots in an X. (Summer Flounder)
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 14 in total length minimum | 5 per person | Open year-round except Nov 1-30 (take or possession prohibited in November)AL MRD 2026 · checked | Open |
| Florida (Atlantic) | 14 in TL min | 5 per person (all flounder species combined) | Closed Oct 15-Nov 30FWC 2026 · checked | Open |
| Florida (Gulf) | 14 in TL min | 5 per person (all flounder species combined) | Closed Oct 15-Nov 30FWC 2026 · checked | Open |
| Georgia | 12 in total length | 15 per person per day | Open year-roundGA DNR CRD 2026 · checked | Open |
| Louisiana | No size limit | 10 per person | Open except Oct. 15–Nov. 30 annual closureLDWF 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
| Mississippi | 12 in total length minimum | 10 per person per day | Open year-roundMS DMR 2026 · checked | Open |
| North Carolina | 15 in TL min | 1/day | Sep 1 - Sep 14, 2026 (plus Gulf-flounder-only ocean window Mar 9 - 22, 2026, now past)NC DMF 2026 · checked | Closed |
| South Carolina | 16 in total length | 5/day, max 10/boat | Open year-roundSC DNR 2026 · checked | Open |
| Texas | 15 in total length | 5 | Open year-round except closed Nov 1 – Dec 14TPWD 2026 · checked | Open |
Not specifically regulated in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, 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 | 5 lb 1.28 oz | 2021 | Outdoor Alabama Saltwater State Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Mississippi | 2 lb 1.6 oz | 2025 | MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| North Carolina | 7 lb 2 oz | 2011 · Bogue Sound | NCDMF State Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-22 |
| South Carolina | 6 lb 4.8 oz | 2021 · Murrells Inlet | SCDNR Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
On the table
Excellent — same table as any flounder.
In the app
Point the camera at a gulf flounder 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 gulf flounder
What is the size limit for gulf flounder?
It depends on the state. Alabama: 14 in total length minimum; Florida (Atlantic): 14 in TL min; Florida (Gulf): 14 in TL min; Georgia: 12 in total length; Mississippi: 12 in total length minimum; North Carolina: 15 in TL min; South Carolina: 16 in total length; Texas: 15 in total length.
How many gulf flounder can you keep?
Alabama: 5 per person; Florida (Atlantic): 5 per person (all flounder species combined); Florida (Gulf): 5 per person (all flounder species combined); Georgia: 15 per person per day; Louisiana: 10 per person; Mississippi: 10 per person per day; North Carolina: 1/day; South Carolina: 5/day, max 10/boat; and more in the table above.
When is gulf flounder season?
Alabama: Open year-round except Nov 1-30 (take or possession prohibited in November); Florida (Atlantic): Closed Oct 15-Nov 30; Florida (Gulf): Closed Oct 15-Nov 30; Louisiana: Open except Oct. 15–Nov. 30 annual closure; North Carolina: Sep 1 - Sep 14, 2026 (plus Gulf-flounder-only ocean window Mar 9 - 22, 2026, now past); Texas: Open year-round except closed Nov 1 – Dec 14.
How do you tell gulf flounder from southern flounder?
Gulf Flounder has this: Three ocellated (eye-ringed) spots in a triangle — two above, one below the lateral line — on a sandy left-facing flatfish.. Southern Flounder no eye-ringed spots at all.
What is the record gulf flounder?
7 lb 2 oz in North Carolina (2011), Bogue Sound. Other states’ records are in the table.