# Florida Trout Proposed Regulation Changes



## redfish5 (Jun 28, 2011)

Does anyone have a link to the FWC article? I keep hearing about proposed changes to bag limits, but can’t seem to find any actual articles on it. I apologize if this was posted somewhere else already.


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## Ben (Dec 21, 2016)

I don’t think it’s been released yet but it needs to happen in SWFL. The amount of trout we have seen and caught the last 7 or 8 months is at pre gill net ban levels.


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## flatzcrazy (Feb 5, 2013)

Ben said:


> I don’t think it’s been released yet but it needs to happen in SWFL. The amount of trout we have seen and caught the last 7 or 8 months is at pre gill net ban levels.


The only changes I have heard about is the elimination of keeping one fish over 20”, where did you hear about bag limit changes? Yes I agree, the trout population has drastically declined in the last few years!


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## redfish5 (Jun 28, 2011)

flatzcrazy said:


> The only changes I have heard about is the elimination of keeping one fish over 20”, where did you hear about bag limit changes? Yes I agree, the trout population has drastically declined in the last few years!


Saw it on another forum... here was the attached image. I can’t confirm it’s accurate.


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## TylertheTrout2 (Apr 21, 2016)

yea, i agree with letting the big one go.. I remeber filling coolers with em in Estero 15 years ago.. tuff to even find em now..


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

It's all on the FWC site and has been for a bit I think. The over 20" thing ends soon.

https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/spotted-seatrout/


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## Cam (Apr 5, 2017)

Prior to this last red tide episode they were the fish everybody went after when nothing else was biting. They were almost a nuisance on good fishing days. Since last year, they have become difficult to find in any real numbers.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Cam said:


> Prior to this last red tide episode they were the fish everybody went after when nothing else was biting. They were almost a nuisance on good fishing days. Since last year, they have become difficult to find in any real numbers.


Guys here think a fishery can’t ever be over fished by rod and reel alone. I beg to differ.


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## MatthewAbbott (Feb 25, 2017)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Guys here think a fishery can’t ever be over fished by rod and reel alone. I beg to differ.


I’ve watched it happen to my home waters within the last 15 years. I can’t wait for the limit to be lowered here.


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## Flatbroke426 (May 5, 2018)

I do see they are not touching the commercial guys as usual They can still keep up to 24" and up to 150 per boat per day


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## Flatbroke426 (May 5, 2018)

MatthewAbbott said:


> I’ve watched it happen to my home waters within the last 15 years. I can’t wait for the limit to be lowered here.


What they need to keep in mind when making regulations is look at all species in an area. When you drop the redfish people switch to trout and so on. This is what brings a lo of pressure quickly on a species.


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## MatthewAbbott (Feb 25, 2017)

Flatbroke426 said:


> What they need to keep in mind when making regulations is look at all species in an area. When you drop the redfish people switch to trout and so on. This is what brings a lo of pressure quickly on a species.


It’s a simple numbers game for my area, as far as trout go. There a far more people fishing and far more of the “meat haul” guides who book multiple trips a day.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

MatthewAbbott said:


> It’s a simple numbers game for my area, as far as trout go. There a far more people fishing and far more of the “meat haul” guides who book multiple trips a day.


It’s embarrassing what these guys do. If they have to rape the resource to make a living maybe they need to get a real job and just guide part time so they aren’t acting like crack heads scavenging whatever they can get.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

The main thing I see that I like is the season closure for NW zone in February. It needs to be done so folks can't roll up to the suicide hole in Steinhatchee and limit out every day of the week (which they do). Also, there's no reason to keep a trout over 20" in my opinion.


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## Half Shell (Jul 19, 2016)

It looks like the over 20" catch & release change is only thru May 10th.


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## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

Flatbroke426 said:


> I do see they are not touching the commercial guys as usual They can still keep up to 24" and up to 150 per boat per day


I'm surprised that FL still has commercial fishing for trout. As I understand it, it's illegal in Texas to catch & sell trout or reds commercially. FL is usually ahead of us when it comes to conservation efforts.

And in related news, plenty of people on the Upper Coast here are bitching & moaning about the 5-trout limit going into effect 9/1. I also heard a report recently that Louisiana is going to have a helluva fight because their speckled trout stocks have dropped so low due to over-harvest they're going to have to take drastic measure. Basically, Louisiana managed their trout limits in such a way that the surviving trout stock isn't enough to breed replacements for those taken.


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## Fishshoot (Oct 26, 2017)

Louisiana needs to do something about trout and redfish numbers. Limits are way to high there imo


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Fishshoot said:


> Louisiana needs to do something about trout and redfish numbers. Limits are way to high there imo


They think a 16” trout is a hoss because they box every 12” trout they catch.


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## tailchaser16 (Sep 23, 2008)

Eat trout? Don't know about elsewhere, but, I kept one years ago for dinner out of Chokoloskee. Never again!!!


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## Gordon Johnson (Jan 13, 2017)

It's about time. Actually a bit too late. This should have happened long before the red tide. It will come a time when all sport fish will be catch and release. I personally don't keep them and try to eat sustainable stuff purchased from a good monger. Although I do keep a few speckled perch for a dinner.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

tailchaser16 said:


> Eat trout? Don't know about elsewhere, but, I kept one years ago for dinner out of Chokoloskee. Never again!!!


Trout and flounder are about all I bother to eat any more. Choko trout not good?


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## State fish rob (Jan 25, 2017)

I think they can see too many baits thrown at them as well ( if that’s not the same as over fishing)
Still using gill nets in NC. 


Smackdaddy53 said:


> Guys here think a fishery can’t ever be over fished by rod and reel alone. I beg to differ.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

SomaliPirate said:


> Trout and flounder are about all I bother to eat any more. Choko trout not good?


He might have mistaken a snot shark for a speck...


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

SomaliPirate said:


> Trout and flounder are about all I bother to eat any more. Choko trout not good?


In my experience, Trout are kinda wormy down there in the hot water. I kept a few when I lived in Naples and have no idea how those poor fish swam with so many damned worms in their meat. Texas trout seldom have worms, have firmer meat, and taste better.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

EdK13 said:


> In my experience, Trout are kinda wormy down there in the hot water. I kept a few when I lived in Naples and have no idea how those poor fish swam with so many damned worms in their meat. Texas trout seldom have worms, have firmer meat, and taste better.


I see a few worms in the meat from time to time, particularly in the summer. Real talk though, I fry them up and eat them regardless.


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## Ben (Dec 21, 2016)

Trout bruise easily and get mushy if you don’t handle them correctly. I think crappie are the same. I dispatch them in an ice slurry so they don’t bruise and firm up. Worms definitely more present in warmer months. With their numbers down it’s going to be a long time before I’ll keep one again.


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## BassFlats (Nov 26, 2018)

You guys don't complain about the tequila worms.


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## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

SomaliPirate said:


> I see a few worms in the meat from time to time, particularly in the summer. Real talk though, I fry them up and eat them regardless.


That or push them out. I don’t think they are as wormy down here as people make them out to be. I haven’t had to many with worms, but I also let the big ones go.


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

I’ve heard worms are more prevalent in cleaner water, probably why you see more in Choko.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Worms are more prevalent in larger trout. I do occasionally keep a few, but I never keep them over 19" anymore.


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## Milt deReyna (Dec 14, 2016)

You guys talking about Louisiana, you're just wrong. There are almost 20,000 sq. miles of Marsh in Louisiana. How many in Florida? How many if you take out way down south? It's a completely different fishery, and damned near a different species of fish in Louisiana. The spooky few fish left in Pensacola Bay have nothing in common with Louisiana Trout other than DNA. And it gets worse. The last year and a half up here, you can hardly take less than a 25 footer in the Gulf with the winds. That means even more people stay inside. The Sheepshead bite in Pensacola Bay this year, was over in about 15 minutes. But hey, we got a great Pinfish bite going on out at the Jetty.


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

BassFlats said:


> You guys don't complain about the tequila worms.


You meant Mezcal.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

I rarely see the worms; maybe one or two fish per year.


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## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

Milt deReyna said:


> You guys talking about Louisiana, you're just wrong. There are almost 20,000 sq. miles of Marsh in Louisiana. How many in Florida? How many if you take out way down south? It's a completely different fishery, and damned near a different species of fish in Louisiana. The spooky few fish left in Pensacola Bay have nothing in common with Louisiana Trout other than DNA. And it gets worse. The last year and a half up here, you can hardly take less than a 25 footer in the Gulf with the winds. That means even more people stay inside. The Sheepshead bite in Pensacola Bay this year, was over in about 15 minutes. But hey, we got a great Pinfish bite going on out at the Jetty.


Huh?

I think most people on here were saying that Louisiana needs to lower their limits on trout too. I haven't fished for trout in Florida often enough to really know but I'd imagine they need to lower their limits too.

I'm trying to find the specific research but as I understand it, Louisiana has managed their trout fishery in such a way that they set limits at what they believed was the maximum sustainable harvest but with no margin for error. Well, those limits have had the effect of removing too much brood stock from the trout populations so the remaining breeders can't produce enough new fish to keep the population levels up.

It's gonna be a helluva fight over there because there's such an ingrained mindset of those guys catching their 25 fish limit of 12" fish come hell or high water.


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## Scrob (Aug 26, 2015)

Release all inshore caught trout and redfish statewide, period. Don't think anyone will starve...


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## Ben (Dec 21, 2016)

It’s for one year. Plenty of mangrove snapper if you want to bring something home. Maybe we should have a cook off on who can prepare jacks or rays the best?


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## Guest (May 2, 2019)

Ben said:


> It’s for one year. Plenty of mangrove snapper if you want to bring something home. Maybe we should have a cook off on who can prepare jacks or rays the best?


I have smoked my share of jacks and honestly, they make pretty good fish dip. Not a fan of the rays though.


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## Griffinz33 (May 8, 2018)

Same deal here in southern NC. The trout limit is 4 per person 14"+ and 2 reds per person 18-27" and 4 flounder per person 15"+. All of these fish have gone way downhill in the past 5 years. Flounder are now hard to come by, Reds have decreased a lot, and trout are only around from late fall to early spring and there are commercial netters to catch them all. There are tons of small trout in the fall and after the netters are on them from late fall to late winter, there are a few fish leftover. There is no need for that high of bags. I used to keep fish and try to "limit out" but I stopped last fall and keep fish very rarely now. It sucks to see how people go out and their goal is to limit out. It results would be astonishing if bag limits were decreased everywhere (NC, SC, FL, LA, GA).


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## Guest (May 2, 2019)

Well guys, don’t applaud them just yet... they have more in mind than “species survival and sustainability”! 

Just got an email and although they are lowering bag limits and closing seasons... that tongue is forked! They are also gonna be spending money to get “MORE” people into fishing! I say WTF!


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## Guest (May 2, 2019)

It is called the fwc r3 fishing grant program! So the resource is tapped to past the point of needing further regulation but we want even more people out there catchin’em up!


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Oh come on BB, if we don't get the next Gen into fishing there won't be anyone down the line to buy your boats, lol.


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## Guest (May 2, 2019)

firecat1981 said:


> Oh come on BB, if we don't get the next Gen into fishing there won't be anyone down the line to buy your boats, lol.


I am all for taking a kid fishing/hunting and teaching them along the way! This feels more like a government agencies attempt at a cash grab through licensing though. 

Change my mind... if it is all about the resource and not license money then the folks that CPR fish should not have to have a license!


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

We will be split here. I think everyone who casts a line should have a liscense. Both my kids (8 and 3) have lifetime sportsman liscenses. The reason I say that is I have know and worked with some guys from FWC. Much of their funding comes from those purchases. They are severely understaffed and even more underpaid.


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## Guest (May 2, 2019)

firecat1981 said:


> We will be split here. I think everyone who casts a line should have a liscense. Both my kids (8 and 3) have lifetime sportsman liscenses. The reason I say that is I have know and worked with some guys from FWC. Much of their funding comes from those purchases. They are severely understaffed and even more underpaid.


I agree with you, but also know a bunch of them myself... mostly biologists, and the state has way more of them on staff than needed IMO! Law enforcement not so much, the LE side of FWC is severely understaffed! I was really just making a point that if this new effort isn’t a $ grab then they need to prove it to me! I am happy to get my license each year knowing that it is funding them, but let down by the division as a whole more often than not!


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## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

I’m all for the year ban. The hit the local fisheries took was brutal. This cannot hurt to give them another year head start. If someone wants fish to eat they have Snapper, sheepshead, flounder, Triple tail etc.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

Ben said:


> It’s for one year. Plenty of mangrove snapper if you want to bring something home. Maybe we should have a cook off on who can prepare jacks or rays the best?


I'm 100% down for this, but I propose we add sail cats too.


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## Guest (May 2, 2019)

I am for it, don’t get me wrong. What I can’t wrap my head around is if the resource is so tapped, why solicit more pressure? Even if it is catch and release, what about accidental mortality from gut hooks and improper handling by novice anglers? That is all I am trying to figure out.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I've said for years that they should rotate a year off between the 3 species. So one year off 2 years on, for snook reds and trout. A full year where guys have less focus would let the stock come back a lot.


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## Ben (Dec 21, 2016)

SomaliPirate said:


> I'm 100% down for this, but I propose we add sail cats too.


Might as well include jet skiers while we are at it. Can’t taste any worse and the herd needs to be culled...


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

Ben said:


> Might as well include jet skiers while we are at it. Can’t taste any worse and the herd needs to be culled...


As long as we can figure a way to get the Axe Body Spray taste out of the meat, I'm in.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

SomaliPirate said:


> As long as we can figure a way to get the Axe Body Spray taste out of the meat, I'm in.


Axe Body Spray covers the odor of the Acid flavored cigars...


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

If I read correctly, they are closing the commercial harvest of trout in this area as well.


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## tailchaser16 (Sep 23, 2008)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> He might have mistaken a snot shark for a speck...


I should have been a little more clear. We kept a red and two trout for a dinner. The red was great, the trout was nasty compared to the red.


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## Snoball (Dec 30, 2016)

Trout are definitely less prevalent in the Crystal river area and the change is a good move in my opinion. Snook on the other hand are becoming almost too common. Does anybody feel like the large population of snook is affecting the redfish? It seems like the snook are so aggressive that they are making the reds tough to get to eat. This past weekend we caught 6 snook 4 slot. I realize that’s not a crazy number of fish but it was in flood grass in places I never normally see snook.


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## Ben (Dec 21, 2016)

Possibly but that’s a good problem to have. Down here in SWFL the hardest part of a slam is a trout now. My buddy and I laugh about it but in all seriousness it’s definitely a sign of bigger problem. I know things in nature are cyclical but the lack of trout is disturbing. On the plus side there are a bunch of young reds and snook out there. If we can fix the water woes and restore sea grasses and oyster beds the trout should make a quick recovery.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

I've noticed that most of my spoil bars in CR area are covered in snook now. I'm not complaining. I'd rather catch snook than reds any day.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Ben said:


> Down here in SWFL the hardest part of a slam is a trout now.


Yup...absolutely. Inability to find a trout cost us $1500 in a slam tourney recently after we put a 32" red and a 21" snook in the boat. Only two teams out of 30 that entered got slams...primarily because of the lack of trout since everyone knows where to find snook and reds.


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