The recreational harvest season for snook closes Dec. 15 in Atlantic state and federal waters, including Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River, and will remain closed through Jan. 31, 2020, reopening to harvest Feb. 1. Anglers may continue to catch and release snook during the closed season.
Most state and all federal waters in the Gulf, including Monroe County and Everglades National Park, closed Dec. 1 and will reopen to harvest March 1, 2020.
Seasonal closures are designed to help protect snook during vulnerable times, such as cold weather.
Snook remains catch-and-release only in state waters from the Hernando/Pasco county line through Gordon Pass in Collier County (includes Tampa Bay and Hillsborough County) through May 31, 2020, in response to the impacts of red tide. Snook also has a regular season closure that runs May 1 through Aug. 31. At its February meeting, FWC anticipates discussing whether to reopen snook harvest in this area on March 1.
For more information on snook, visit the Snook Recreational Regulations page.