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Freshwater Fish of Florida

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Florida freshwater fishes are divided into game fish that have specific bag and length limits and may only be taken with pole-and-line or rod-and-reel, and nongame fish, which are all others. A license is required to take nongame fish, but additional gear types are allowed (see Methods of Taking Fish). Nonnative fish are those that do not occur in Florida naturally; most should be harvested and never released. Exceptions are peacock bass, which is a game fish, and triploid grass carp, which are stocked for vegetation control. Where applicable, state record (SR) weights and the Big Catch (BC) qualifying length or weight for adults are provided below. See Angler Recognition Programs or BigCatchFlorida.com for more details including youth qualifying sizes, slams, specialist, master, elite angler and the TrophyCatch citizen-science rewards program.

Game Fish

Black Bass

Florida/Largemouth bass:

SR 17.27 lbs; BC 24"/8.0 lbs

Illustration of a largemouth bass, showcasing its greenish body, large mouth extending past the eye, and spiny dorsal fin—Florida’s most iconic freshwater game fish.
Largemouth bass—Florida’s premier freshwater sportfish known for its aggressive strikes and trophy-sized catches.

Spotted/Choctaw bass:

SR 3.75 lbs; BC 16"/2.0 lbs

Illustration of a spotted bass, featuring a streamlined green body, red eyes, and distinctive rows of dark spots along its belly and sides.
Spotted bass—recognized by its red eyes and rows of belly spots, this agile freshwater gamefish thrives in flowing waters and offers exciting angling action.

Shoal bass:

SR 5.95 lbs; BC 16"/2.0 lbs

Illustration of a shoal bass, featuring a greenish body with vertical blotches, red eyes, and a slightly forked tail—common in rocky stream habitats.
Shoal bass—this striking black-banded bass species is native to the Apalachicola River system and thrives in fast-flowing, rocky streams of the Southeast.

Suwannee Bass:

SR 3.89 lbs; BC 14"/1.5 lbs

Illustration of a Suwannee bass, a small, greenish freshwater fish with bold black markings and a robust body, native to North Florida rivers.
Suwannee bass—found primarily in the Suwannee and Santa Fe rivers, this unique Florida native species is recognized by its dark, chain-like pattern and stocky build.

Panfish

Black crappie:

SR 3.83 lbs; BC 14"/2.0 lbs

Illustration of a black crappie, a freshwater panfish with a deep, laterally compressed body and speckled black markings on a silver-green background.
Black crappie—popular among anglers for its delicious taste, this panfish thrives in Florida’s lakes and rivers and is easily recognized by its dark, speckled pattern.

Bluegill:

SR 2.95 lbs; BC 10"/1.0 lb

Illustration of a bluegill sunfish, a popular freshwater panfish with a round body, dark vertical bars, and a distinct black ear flap on the gill cover.
Bluegill sunfish—one of Florida’s most commonly caught panfish, known for its aggressive bite, signature black ear flap, and vibrant, shimmering scales.

Redear sunfish:

SR 4.86 lbs; BC 11"/1.25 lbs

Illustration of a redear sunfish, also known as a shellcracker, showing its golden scales, red-edged gill flap, and deep, laterally compressed body.
Redear sunfish (shellcracker) – A favorite among Florida anglers for its hard fight and unique red gill flap. Often found in lakes and rivers with sandy or shell-covered bottoms.

Flier:

SR 1.35 lbs; BC 8"/0.5 lb

Illustration of a flier sunfish with a rounded body, olive-bronze coloring, and dark spots across its scales, commonly found in southeastern U.S. waters.
Flier sunfish – A small but striking freshwater fish native to the Southeast, known for its circular shape and spotted, camouflaged pattern. Found in quiet, vegetated waters.

Redbreast sunfish:

SR 2.08 lbs; BC 9"/0.5 lb

Illustration of a redbreast sunfish with a long, narrow black opercular flap, greenish back, and orange to reddish breast and belly.
Redbreast sunfish – Easily identified by its elongated black ear flap and vibrant red-orange belly. Common in streams and rivers across the southeastern U.S.

Warmouth:

SR 2.44 lbs; BC 9"/0.5 lb

Illustration of a warmouth sunfish with a stocky body, large mouth, red eyes, and mottled brownish pattern across its body and fins.
Warmouth – A stout, aggressive panfish with reddish eyes and camouflaged markings. Often found in slow-moving or weedy freshwater habitats.

Spotted sunfish:

SR 0.83 lbs; BC 7"/0.5 lb

Illustration of a spotted sunfish with a deep, laterally compressed body, olive-green back, reddish belly, and distinct rows of black spots along its sides.
Spotted Sunfish – Recognizable by the rows of small dark spots on its sides and vibrant coloration, this native Florida panfish thrives in vegetated, slow-moving waters.

Temperate Bass

Striped bass:

SR 42.24 lbs; BC 30"/12.0 lbs

Illustration of a striped bass with a sleek, silvery body and several bold horizontal black stripes running from gill to tail.
Striped Bass – A powerful game fish known for its size and stamina, the striped bass features prominent dark horizontal stripes and thrives in Florida’s freshwater reservoirs and rivers.

White bass:

SR 4.69 lbs; BC 15"/2.5 lbs

Illustration of a white bass with a silvery body, faint horizontal stripes, and a slightly arched back.
White Bass – Recognizable by its silvery sheen and subtle dark stripes, the white bass is a spirited fighter often found schooling in open freshwater lakes and rivers throughout Florida.

Sunshine bass:

SR 16.31 lbs; BC 20"/5.0 lbs

Illustration of a sunshine bass showing a deep-bodied fish with broken horizontal stripes and a silvery, greenish hue.
Sunshine Bass – A hybrid of striped and white bass, the sunshine bass is known for its broken horizontal stripes and hard-fighting nature, making it a favorite among Florida anglers.

Cichlid

Butterfly peacock bass:

SR 9.11 lbs; BC 18"/4.0 lbs

Illustration of a butterfly peacock bass with vibrant yellow, orange, and green coloring, distinct vertical bars, and an eyespot near the tail.
Butterfly Peacock Bass – Introduced to control exotic fish populations, this strikingly colorful species thrives in South Florida canals and offers anglers an aggressive fight and exotic appeal.

Nongame Fish

Catfish

Channel catfish:

SR 44.50 lbs; BC 25"/12.0 lbs

Illustration of a channel catfish with a slender, silver-gray body, spotted sides, and prominent whisker-like barbels near the mouth.
Channel Catfish – A popular freshwater game fish known for its excellent taste and strong fight. Look for its forked tail and scattered black spots along the body.

White catfish:

SR 18.88 lbs; BC 22"/5.0 lbs

Illustration of a white catfish with a stout body, broad head, and a pale bluish-gray tone fading to white on the belly.
White Catfish – Recognizable by its wide head and shorter barbels, this species prefers slower-moving waters and is often found in coastal rivers and lakes.

Yellow bullhead:

SR 5.05 lbs; BC 14"/1.5 lbs

Illustration of a yellow bullhead catfish with a blunt head, rounded tail, and yellowish-brown coloring with a pale underside.
Yellow Bullhead – Easily identified by its yellow to brown body and white barbels, this catfish is commonly found in slow-moving streams, ponds, and lakes.

Additional Native Nongame Fish

Brown bullhead:

SR 7.02 lbs; BC 16"/2.0 lbs

Illustration of a brown bullhead catfish with a mottled dark brown body, rounded tail, and barbels around the mouth.
Brown Bullhead – Known for its dark mottled coloring and dusky barbels, this hardy catfish thrives in murky waters across Florida.

Bowfin:

SR 19.00 lbs; BC 28"/8.0 lbs

Illustration of a bowfin fish with a long, cylindrical body, olive-green mottled coloring, and a rounded tail marked with a black eyespot near the base.
Bowfin – A prehistoric predator with a long dorsal fin and signature tail eyespot, the bowfin is a resilient species found in Florida’s slow-moving waters.

American shad:

SR 5.19 lbs; BC 18"/3.0 lbs

See Bag & Length Limits

Illustration of an American shad, a silvery fish with greenish-blue back, deeply forked tail, and a row of dark spots along the upper side.
American Shad – Known for their upstream spawning runs, these sleek, silvery fish are a prized catch in Florida’s river systems.

Chain pickerel:

SR 6.96 lbs; BC 22"/3.0 lbs

Illustration of a chain pickerel, a long, slender fish with a pointed snout and a greenish body marked by a chain-like pattern of dark lines.
Chain Pickerel – A sleek predator found in freshwater lakes and rivers, known for its speed and distinctive chain-link markings.

Florida/Spotted gar:

SR 9.44 lbs; BC 28"/4.0 lbs

Illustration of a spotted gar, a long, narrow fish with a long snout and rows of dark spots along its golden-brown body and fins.
Spotted Gar – A primitive freshwater fish recognized by its torpedo-shaped body, long snout, and distinctive black spots.

Longnose gar:

SR 41.00 lbs; BC 40"/15.0 lbs

Illustration of a longnose gar, a slender fish with a very long, narrow snout and subtle dark spots along its silvery-gray body and fins.
Longnose Gar – An ancient fish species known for its elongated body and snout, often found in slow-moving freshwater habitats.

Yellow perch:

SR 1.47 lbs; BC 12"/0.75 lb

Illustration of a yellow perch, a slender yellow-green fish with distinct dark vertical stripes and orange-tinted fins.
Yellow Perch – A popular freshwater game fish recognized by its golden body and bold vertical stripes, commonly found in lakes and rivers across North America.

Nonnative-Nongame Fish

Flathead catfish:

SR 69.90 lbs; BC 36"/25.0 lbs

Illustration of a flathead catfish, a large mottled brown fish with a broad, flat head, smooth skin, and long whisker-like barbels.
Flathead Catfish – This bottom-dwelling predator is easily identified by its broad, flat head and mottled coloring. It thrives in large rivers and reservoirs.

Blue catfish:

SR 69.50 lbs; BC 36"/25.0 lbs

Illustration of a blue catfish, a large fish with a blue-gray body, deeply forked tail, and long barbels around the mouth.
Blue Catfish – Known for its bluish-gray color and forked tail, the blue catfish is one of the largest freshwater catfish species in North America.

Jaguar guapote:

SR 2.78 lbs; BC 13"/1.5 lbs

Illustration of a jaguar guapote, a stocky freshwater fish with dark jaguar-like spots, a spiny dorsal fin, and reddish eyes.
Jaguar Guapote – This exotic freshwater fish is known for its bold, jaguar-like patterning and aggressive behavior in warm, slow-moving waters.

Mayan cichlid:

SR 2.37 lbs; BC 11"/1.0 lb

Illustration of a Mayan cichlid, a colorful freshwater fish with vertical dark bands, red-orange fins, and a distinctive black spot near the tail.
Mayan Cichlid – A vibrant freshwater species native to Central America, now found in Florida, known for its striking colors and aggressive feeding behavior.

Oscar:

SR 2.34 lbs; BC 11"/1.25 lbs

Illustration of an Oscar fish, a deep-bodied species with dark, iridescent scales, bright yellow-orange markings, and a red-ringed eyespot near its tail.
Oscar – A popular aquarium fish turned freshwater invader, recognized by its bold stripes and distinctive tail eyespot. Commonly found in South Florida canals.

Common carp:

SR Vacant - 35 lbs. to qualify; BC 30"/20.0 lbs

Illustration of a Common Carp, a deep-bodied fish with large, reflective scales, a downturned mouth, and two short barbels on each side.
Common Carp – An invasive species known for its adaptability and bottom-feeding behavior. Recognized by its robust body, large scales, and whisker-like barbels.

Blue tilapia:

SR 9.57 lbs; BC 18"/5.0 lbs

Illustration of a Blue Tilapia, a deep-bodied fish with large, iridescent scales and reddish tips on the fins and tail.
Blue Tilapia – A nonnative freshwater species often found in warm waters. Identified by its blue-gray body and red-tinged tail and dorsal fins.

Fish art by Duane Raver, Jr.; and Diane R. Peebles.

Protected Sturgeons

The species of sturgeon found in Florida—Atlantic (Acipenser oxyrinchus), Gulf (A. o. desotoi), and shortnose sturgeons (Acipenser brevirostrum)—are protected both federally and in the state of Florida. No person shall take, possess or sell any sturgeon or parts thereof, or their nests or eggs, except as allowed by specific federal or state permit or authorization. People who inadvertently catch one must immediately release it alive back to the water.

Labeled illustration of a sturgeon, highlighting its barbels, bony scutes along the back, and an underslung mouth with an extensible feeding tube.
Sturgeon anatomy – Notable features include barbels for sensing prey, armored bony scutes, and a tubular, underslung mouth adapted for bottom feeding.
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