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Rules by state · Florida (Gulf)

Bull sharkin Florida (Gulf)

Carcharhinus leucas

Recreational rule, FWC 2026, checked Sep 20, 2026. The official rulebook is the final word.

Illustration of a Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas), side view, on a white background
Drawing: Duane Raver / USFWS

The rule in Florida (Gulf)

Florida (Gulf)’s own rule for bull shark in state waters, out to 9 nautical miles.

Size54 in fork length min
Bag1 shark per person per day; max 2 per vessel
SeasonOpen year-round

Counts toward an aggregate limit: Shark daily limit (all species combined).

Measured as fork length (FL): snout to the fork of the tail.

FWC 2026· checked Open

Florida (Gulf) state record

517.44 lb, Panama City Bch, 1981. FWC Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle) · checked 2026-08-23

How to tell it

Broad blunt snout, no ridge between dorsals, thick body; brackish wanderer. More on the bull shark page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.

Bull shark in other states

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Point the camera at a bull shark in Florida (Gulf) and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.

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Bull shark in Florida (Gulf): the questions

What is the size limit for bull shark in Florida (Gulf)?

54 in fork length min. Measured as fork length: snout to the fork of the tail.

How many bull shark can you keep in Florida (Gulf)?

1 shark per person per day; max 2 per vessel. It counts toward an aggregate: Shark daily limit (all species combined).

When is bull shark season in Florida (Gulf)?

Open year-round.

What is the Florida (Gulf) record bull shark?

517.44 lb, Panama City Bch (1981).

How current is this Florida (Gulf) bull shark rule?

Source: FWC 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.