What is the size limit for greater amberjack in Alabama?

34 in fork length minimum. Measured as fork length: snout to the fork of the tail.

When is greater amberjack season in Alabama?

State waters follow federal Gulf season: 2026 open Sept 1 - Oct 13. As of Sep 21, 2026 it is open.

How current is this Alabama greater amberjack rule?

Source: AL MRD 2026, last checked Sep 20, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.

Greater amberjack in Alabama: size, bag and season limits (2026)

Alabama state waters, out to 3 miles

Size34 in fork length minimumFork length: snout to the fork of the tail

Bag1 per person

SeasonState waters follow federal Gulf season: 2026 open Sept 1 - Oct 13Open today

AL state waters open and close with federal regulations.

AL MRD 2026 · checked 2026-09-20 · the official rulebook is the final word

Past 3 miles: federal waters Different rule

Size34 in fork lengthFork length

Bag1 per person (zero for captain and crew on for-hire trips)

Season2026 season: Sep 1 - Oct 13 (closes 12:01 a.m. Oct 14)

Season set annually by quota projection; 43-day 2026 season confirmed by NOAA bulletin.

NOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked 2026-09-20

Snapper Check State law

Red snapper, gray triggerfish, and greater amberjack landed in Alabama must be reported through Snapper Check before the fish leave the boat — one landing report per vessel trip, wherever the fish were caught.

How to report · AL MRD · checked 2026-09-04

Often mistaken for

Studio photograph of an Almaco Jack (Seriola rivoliana), side view, on a white background

Almaco jackDeeper body, tall sickle-shaped dorsal lobe. Tell them apart

SizeNo size limit

Bag20-fish reef fish aggregate

SeasonOpen year-round

Banded rudderfishJuvenile bars; small adults with tail-tip white. Tell them apart

Size14-22 in fork length slot

Bag20-fish reef fish aggregate

SeasonOpen year-round

Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.

Alabama state record

132 lb 12.8 oz2019

Outdoor Alabama Saltwater State Records · checked 2026-08-23

How to tell it
Dark band through the eye to the first dorsal; amber side stripe; 11 or fewer dorsal rays than almaco's tall sickle. More on the greater amberjack page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Greater amberjack in other states10 rulebooks
Florida (Atlantic)Florida (Gulf)Georgia Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Texas Virginia Every state
Questions anglers ask6
What is the size limit for greater amberjack in Alabama?
34 in fork length minimum. Measured as fork length: snout to the fork of the tail.
How many greater amberjack can you keep in Alabama?
1 per person.
When is greater amberjack season in Alabama?
State waters follow federal Gulf season: 2026 open Sept 1 - Oct 13. As of Sep 21, 2026 it is open.
Do I have to report greater amberjack in Alabama?
Yes. Red snapper, gray triggerfish, and greater amberjack landed in Alabama must be reported through Snapper Check before the fish leave the boat — one landing report per vessel trip, wherever the fish were caught.
What is the Alabama record greater amberjack?
132 lb 12.8 oz (2019).
How current is this Alabama greater amberjack rule?
Source: AL MRD 2026, last checked Sep 20, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.

Greater amberjackin Alabama