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Rules by state · Florida (Gulf)

Speckled hindin Florida (Gulf)

Hyporthodus drummondhayi

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

Studio photograph of a Speckled Hind (Hyporthodus drummondhayi), side view, on a white background

The rule in Florida (Gulf)

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

SizeNo size limit
Bag1 per vessel within 4-grouper aggregate
SeasonOpen year-round

Counts toward an aggregate limit: Gulf 4-grouper aggregate.

FWC 2026· checked Open

Beyond 9 miles: federal waters

A different rule past the 9-mile line, written by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. Where the two differ, the water you are in decides.

SizeNo size limit
Bag1 per vessel per day within 4-grouper aggregate
SeasonOpen year-round

Vessel limit, not per-person: no more than 1 speckled hind per vessel per day.

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

Often mistaken for, and their Florida (Gulf) rules

Keep the wrong fish and the rule that applies is the other one’s.

FishSizeBagSeason
Speckled hindThis page.No size limit1 per vessel within 4-grouper aggregateOpen year-round
Red hindRed spots on pale body — the inverse pattern.Tell them apartNo size limitUp to 4 within 4-grouper aggregateOpen year-round

Florida (Gulf) state record

52.5 lb, Destin, 1994. FWC Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle) · checked 2026-08-23

How to tell it

Chocolate body absolutely covered in tiny white speckles. More on the speckled hind page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.

Speckled hind in other states

Florida (Atlantic)North CarolinaEvery state

In the app

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

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Speckled hind in Florida (Gulf): the questions

What is the size limit for speckled hind in Florida (Gulf)?

No size limit.

How many speckled hind can you keep in Florida (Gulf)?

1 per vessel within 4-grouper aggregate. It counts toward an aggregate: Gulf 4-grouper aggregate.

When is speckled hind season in Florida (Gulf)?

Open year-round.

What is the Florida (Gulf) record speckled hind?

52.5 lb, Destin (1994).

How current is this Florida (Gulf) speckled hind 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.