Hickory shadin Florida (Gulf)
Alosa mediocris
The rule in Florida (Gulf)
Florida (Gulf)’s own rule for hickory shad in state waters, out to 9 nautical miles.
Hook and line only.
Counts toward an aggregate limit: Shad/herring aggregate.
FWC 2026· checked · likelyOpen
How to tell it
Lower jaw juts past the upper; spring river runs. More on the hickory shad page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Hickory shad in other states
In the app
Point the camera at a hickory shad in Florida (Gulf) and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appHickory shad in Florida (Gulf): the questions
What is the size limit for hickory shad in Florida (Gulf)?
No size limit.
How many hickory shad can you keep in Florida (Gulf)?
10 per person (shad and blueback herring combined). It counts toward an aggregate: Shad/herring aggregate.
When is hickory shad season in Florida (Gulf)?
Open year-round.
How current is this Florida (Gulf) hickory shad 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.