Alabama state waters, out to 3 miles
AL MRD 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Past 3 miles: federal waters Different rule
Excluded from the 10-snapper aggregate; counts toward the 20-reef-fish aggregate.
NOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked 2026-09-20
Often mistaken for
White gruntGrunt has blue head stripes, no dark spot. Tell them apartNot listed by Alabama: the default applies (No size limit, no bag limit).
Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
Alabama state record
Outdoor Alabama Saltwater State Records · checked 2026-08-23
How to tell it
Pink with yellow horizontal stripes and a diffuse dark spot below the rear dorsal. More on the lane snapper page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Lane snapper in other states10 rulebooks
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for lane snapper in Alabama?
10 in total length minimum. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many lane snapper can you keep in Alabama?
20-fish reef fish aggregate. Aggregate: Reef fish aggregate (20).
When is lane snapper season in Alabama?
Open year-round.
What is the Alabama record lane snapper?
8 lb 1 oz (2011).
How current is this Alabama lane snapper 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.
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