Spotted drumin Florida (Gulf)
Equetus punctatus
The rule in Florida (Gulf)
Florida (Gulf)’s own rule for spotted drum in state waters, out to 9 nautical miles.
Marine Life rule: hand-held nets, drop nets, barrier nets, and slurp guns only; 2-day possession limit of 40 (10 per species).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spotted drumThis page. | No size limit | 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate | Year-round |
| Jackknife-fishNo spots on the fins.Tell them apart | No size limit | 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate | Year-round |
How to tell it
Black-and-white barred drum whose rear dorsal and tail fins are black with white spots on adults. More on the spotted drum page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Spotted drum in other states
In the app
Point the camera at a spotted drum in Florida (Gulf) and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appSpotted drum in Florida (Gulf): the questions
What is the size limit for spotted drum in Florida (Gulf)?
No size limit.
How many spotted drum can you keep in Florida (Gulf)?
5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate.
When is spotted drum season in Florida (Gulf)?
Year-round.
How current is this Florida (Gulf) spotted drum 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.