Mississippi state waters, out to 3 miles
MS DMR 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Past 3 miles: federal waters Different rule
The water you are in decides. the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council writes the rule past the line.
NOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked 2026-09-20
Often mistaken for
Red snapperHeavier head and jaw, angular anal fin. Tell them apartKeep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
Mississippi state record
MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23
How to tell it
Slender vermilion body, series of short diagonal blue lines on the back, deeply forked tail. More on the vermilion snapper page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Vermilion snapper in other states10 rulebooks
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for vermilion snapper in Mississippi?
10 in total length minimum. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many vermilion snapper can you keep in Mississippi?
10 per person per day. Aggregate: 20-reef-fish aggregate.
When is vermilion snapper season in Mississippi?
Open year-round.
What is the Mississippi record vermilion snapper?
5 lb 3.2 oz (2021).
How current is this Mississippi vermilion snapper 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.
In the appPoint the camera at a vermilion snapper in Mississippi and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
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