Planehead filefishin Florida (Gulf)
Stephanolepis hispida
Also called Foolfish.
The rule in Florida (Gulf)
Florida (Gulf)’s own rule for planehead filefish in state waters, out to 9 nautical miles.
Marine life (aquarium) species: must be landed and kept alive.
Counts toward an aggregate limit: Marine life aggregate.
FWC 2026· checked · likelyOpen
Often mistaken for, and their Florida (Gulf) rules
Keep the wrong fish and the rule that applies is the other one’s.
| Fish | Size | Bag | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planehead filefishThis page. | No size limit | 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate | Open year-round |
| Orange filefishMuch larger, orange-freckled.Tell them apart | No size limit | 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate | Open year-round |
| Gray triggerfishTrue trigger — bigger, with a three-spine dorsal lock.Tell them apart | 15 in fork length min | 1 per person | Open Mar 1-May 31 and Aug 1-Dec 31 |
How to tell it
Palm-sized mottled filefish with a single trigger spine above the eye and sandpaper skin. More on the planehead filefish page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Planehead filefish in other states
In the app
Point the camera at a planehead filefish in Florida (Gulf) and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appPlanehead filefish in Florida (Gulf): the questions
What is the size limit for planehead filefish in Florida (Gulf)?
No size limit.
How many planehead filefish can you keep in Florida (Gulf)?
5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate. It counts toward an aggregate: Marine life aggregate.
When is planehead filefish season in Florida (Gulf)?
Open year-round.
How current is this Florida (Gulf) planehead filefish 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.