What is the size limit for gag grouper in Mississippi?

24 in total length minimum. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.

When is gag grouper season in Mississippi?

Sep 1 – Sep 30, 2026. As of Sep 21, 2026 it is open.

How current is this Mississippi gag grouper rule?

Source: MS DMR 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.

Gag grouper in Mississippi: size, bag and season limits (2026)

Mississippi state waters, out to 3 miles

Size24 in total length minimumTotal length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together

Bag2 per personAggregate: 4 Grouper Aggregate

SeasonSep 1 – Sep 30, 2026Open today

MS DMR 2026 · checked 2026-09-20 · the official rulebook is the final word

Past 3 miles: federal waters Different rule

Size24 in total lengthTotal length

Bag2 per person within 4-fish grouper aggregate

Season2026 season: Sep 1 - Sep 30 (closes 12:01 a.m. Oct 1)

Season set annually by quota projection; 2026 window confirmed by NOAA bulletin.

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

Often mistaken for

Studio photograph of a Black Grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci), side view, on a white background

Black grouperRectangular dark blotches, brassy spots. Tell them apart

Size24 in total length minimum

Bag4 per person per day (grouper aggregate)

SeasonOpen year-round

Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.

Mississippi state record

67 lb 6.4 oz2021

MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23

How to tell it
Box-shaped worm markings in gray marble; darker fins with white edge on the anal. More on the gag grouper page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Gag grouper in other states11 rulebooks
Alabama Florida (Atlantic)Florida (Gulf)Georgia Louisiana Maryland North Carolina South Carolina Texas Virginia Every state
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for gag grouper in Mississippi?
24 in total length minimum. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many gag grouper can you keep in Mississippi?
2 per person. Aggregate: 4 Grouper Aggregate.
When is gag grouper season in Mississippi?
Sep 1 – Sep 30, 2026. As of Sep 21, 2026 it is open.
What is the Mississippi record gag grouper?
67 lb 6.4 oz (2021).
How current is this Mississippi gag grouper rule?
Source: MS DMR 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.

Gag grouperin Mississippi