Louisiana Saltwater Fishing Rules
Louisiana saltwater rules for 2026: 39 species rows from redfish and speckled trout to red snapper and tunas, the saltwater line, the ROLP, 2026 season notices and prohibited species.
For weighing a catchPiscifun Lip gripper with digital scale27% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Mandeville: Russ, CC BY 2.0
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What a Louisiana saltwater angler has to know first
Title 56 requires that all recreational anglers fishing south of the "saltwater line" for saltwater species have in their possession a Louisiana saltwater angler's license IN ADDITION TO a basic Louisiana fishing license EXCEPT those persons otherwise exempted. Persons fishing for and/or possessing freshwater fish in saltwater areas are not required to hold a saltwater license.
The Intracoastal waterway from the Texas-Louisiana boundary to its junction with Louisiana Highway 27 at Gibbstown, south along Louisiana Highway 82, east to its junction with the Intracoastal Waterway at Forked Island, the Intracoastal Waterway from Forked Island to Bayou Barataria to the Harvey Canal, the Harvey Canal to the Mississippi River, the Mississippi River to the Industrial Canal, the Industrial Canal to the Intracoastal Waterway, the Intracoastal Waterway to the Rigolets in Orleans Parish to the Louisville & Nashville Railroad bridge, the Louisville & Nashville Railroad right-of-wa
South of the LDWF saltwater line an angler 18 or older carries a Basic Fishing License plus a Saltwater License: $17 and $15 for residents, $68 and $60 for nonresidents.
Louisiana inshore and nearshore limits, 2026
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Cobia (ling or lemonfish) | 1 daily per person; no more than 2 per vessel; 36" min fork length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Black drum | 5 daily per person – bag and possession; no more than one over 27" max total length; 16" min total length; 27" max total length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Red drum (redfish) | 4 daily per person – bag; none over 27" max total length; 18" min total length; 27" max total length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Southern flounder | 10 daily per person | Open year-round except no possession allowed from Oct. 15 – Nov. 30 |
| Spanish mackerel | 15 daily per person; 12" min fork length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Striped mullet | 100 lbs. daily | Open year-round in state waters |
| Spotted seatrout (speckled trout) | 15 daily per person with no more than 2 over 20" max total length; 13" min total length; 20" max total length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Sheepshead | No daily limit | Open year-round in state waters |
| Tripletail | 5 daily per person; 18" min total length | Open year-round in state waters |
Limits and seasons as printed in the 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations (LDWF pamphlet, updated September 21, 2026), page 28 (pamphlet PDF); confirmed on the LDWF saltwater finfish page October 28, 2026.
Louisiana reef fish limits, 2026
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Black sea bass | No daily limit | Open year-round in state waters |
| Grouper: black and gag | 4 daily in aggregate (four grouper aggregate); not more than 2 gag per person; no more than 1 speckled hind and 1 Warsaw grouper per vessel; 24" min total length | Gag: closed Jan. 1 through Aug. 31 each year (pamphlet p.32 note 9); 2026 state gag season Sept. 1-Sept. 30, 2026 (Declaration of |
| Grouper: red and yellowfin | 4 daily in aggregate; not more than 2 red grouper per person; 20" min total length | Closed Feb. 1-March 31 seaward of the 20-fathom (120 feet) curve |
| Grouper: scamp | 4 daily in aggregate; 16" min total length | Closed Feb. 1-March 31 seaward of the 20-fathom (120 feet) curve |
| Goliath and Nassau grouper | Take/Possession Prohibited; Take Prohibited | Closed (take prohibited) |
| Red snapper | 4 daily per person (subject to change mid-season); 16" min total length | 2026 private recreational and state charter season opened May 1, 2026; closed 11:59 p.m. Aug. 9, 2026; reopened Aug. 27-30 and Sep |
| Snapper: mutton | 10 daily per person in aggregate with no more than 5 mutton snapper; 18" min total length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Snapper: queen, blackfin, silk and wenchman | 10 daily per person in aggregate | Open year-round in state waters |
| Snapper: cubera, gray (mangrove) and yellowtail | 10 daily per person in aggregate; 12" min total length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Snapper: lane | 20 daily per person in aggregate, with no more than 1 gray triggerfish and not more than 10 vermilion snapper; 8" min total length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Snapper: vermilion | 20 daily per person in aggregate; not more than 10 vermilion snapper; 10" min total length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Almaco jack | 20 daily per person in aggregate | Open year-round in state waters |
| Gray triggerfish | 1 daily per person in aggregate; 15" min fork length | Closed Jan. 1 through the end of February and from June 1 – July 31 annually |
| Tilefish (goldface and blueline) | 20 daily per person in aggregate | Open year-round in state waters |
| Greater amberjack | 1 daily per person; 34" min fork length | Pamphlet p.32 note 13: open Sept. 1 through Oct. 31 each year, or until the quota is met or projected to be met. 2026: closed 12:0 |
| Lesser amberjack and banded rudderfish | 5 daily per person in aggregate; 14-22" fork length slot limit | Open year-round in state waters |
| Hogfish | 5 daily per person; 14" min fork length | Open year-round in state waters |
Limits and seasons as printed in the 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations (LDWF pamphlet, updated September 21, 2026), page -1 (pamphlet PDF); confirmed on the LDWF saltwater finfish page October 28, 2026.
Louisiana billfish, tunas and other pelagics limits, 2026
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| King mackerel | 3 daily per person; 24" min fork length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Wahoo | 5 daily per person | Open year-round in state waters |
| Blue marlin | No Bag or Possession Limit; 99" min lower jaw fork length | Open year-round in state waters |
| White marlin | No Bag or Possession Limit; 66" min lower jaw fork length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Roundscale spearfish | No Bag or Possession Limit; 66" lower jaw fork length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Sailfish | No Bag or Possession Limit; 63" min lower jaw fork length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Swordfish | 1 per person; no more than 4 per vessel trip; 47" Lower Jaw Fork Length (LJFL) or 25" Cleithrum to Caudal Keel (CK) | Open year-round in state waters |
| Bluefin tuna | 1 per vessel per year with appropriate federal permit as incidental catch during the open season; 73" min curved fork length | Opens January 1 each year and closes when the quota is met (web) |
| Bigeye tuna | No Bag or Possession Limit; 27" min curved fork length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Yellowfin tuna | 3 daily per person; 27" min curved fork length | Open year-round in state waters |
Limits and seasons as printed in the 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations (LDWF pamphlet, updated September 21, 2026), page 28 (pamphlet PDF); confirmed on the LDWF saltwater finfish page October 28, 2026.
Louisiana sharks limits, 2026
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic sharpnose and bonnethead shark | 1 daily per person – possession | Open year-round in state waters |
| Blacktip and bull sharks | No daily limit | Open year-round in state waters |
| Other sharks (except prohibited, silky and sandbar sharks) | 1 in aggregate per vessel per trip – possession. No silky or sandbar sharks. No prohibited species.; 54" min fork length | Open year-round in state waters |
Limits and seasons as printed in the 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations (LDWF pamphlet, updated September 21, 2026), page 29 (pamphlet PDF); confirmed on the LDWF saltwater finfish page October 28, 2026.
Louisiana saltwater season openings and closings in 2026
| Species | From | To | Notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red snapper (private recreational and state charter) | May 1, 2026 | Season opens, seven days a week, 4 fish, 16" TL | |
| Red snapper (private recreational and state charter) | May 22, 2026 | May 25, 2026 | Bag limit 5 fish per person per day (Memorial Day weekend) |
| Red snapper (private recreational and state charter) | July 2, 2026 | July 5, 2026 | Bag limit 5 fish per person per day (Independence Day weekend); reverts to four on July 6 |
| Red snapper (private recreational and state charter) | August 9, 2026 | Closed at 11:59 p.m. | |
| Red snapper (private recreational and state charter) | August 27, 2026 | August 30, 2026 | Reopened (4 fish, 16") |
| Red snapper (private recreational and state charter) | September 4, 2026 | September 7, 2026 | Reopened, then closed until further notice |
| Red snapper (private recreational and state charter) | Final 2026 estimate 934,367 lbs landed, 5.7% (51,928 lbs) above the 882,439-lb allocation; 109 fishing days | ||
| Gag grouper | September 1, 2026 | September 30, 2026 | State season open 12:01 a.m. Sept. 1 to 11:59 p.m. Sept. 30, 2026 (Declaration of Emergency) |
| Greater amberjack (recreational) | October 14, 2026 | Closed 12:01 a.m. Oct. 14, 2026 until the 2027 season, currently September 1, 2027 | |
| Southern flounder | October 15, 2026 | November 30, 2026 | Closed to commercial and recreational harvest |
LDWF news releases, read October 28, 2026.
Louisiana saltwater possession, charter and federal-water rules
- Unless otherwise established, there are no size limits on species not listed and unless otherwise noted, possession limits for saltwater fish are the same as the daily bag limit.possession
- Recreational saltwater anglers may possess a two days' bag limit on land; however, no person shall be in possession of fish over the daily bag limit in any one day or while fishing or while on the water, unless that recreational saltwater angler is aboard a trawler engaged in commercial fishing for a consecutive period of longer than 25 hours. Take or possession of red drum in federal waters is prohibited. The possesredfish and trout
- Two-day limit allowed in possession only on charter vessels and headboats on multi day trips, if the vessels have two licensed operators, as required by the U.S. Coast Guard for trips more than 12 hours, and if each angler has in possession a receipt issued on behalf of the vessel verifying the length of the trip.multi-day charters
- No harvest of red snapper, greater amberjack or grouper of any species is allowed for the captain and crew of vessel under charter (their creel limit/bag limit is zero). No harvest of spotted seatrout or red drum is allowed for the captain and crew of a vessel under charter.captain and crew
- The practice of "finning," that is, removing only the fins and returning the remainder of the shark to the sea, is prohibited within and without Louisiana waters.sharks
- Recreational anglers onboard a vessel that fish for or possess Gulf reef fish in Gulf of America federal waters must possess onboard and use (1) non-stainless steel circle hooks, (2) a dehooking device, and (3) a descending device or venting tool.reef fish gear
- Seasons and regulations may differ in federal waters off Louisiana's coast. Federally permitted for-hire reef fish vessels must comply with the more restrictive of federal or state reef fish regulations when fishing for reef fish in state waters.federal waters
From the 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations (LDWF pamphlet, updated September 21, 2026); read October 28, 2026.
Saltwater species Louisiana anglers may not keep
- All whalesprohibited
- Dolphin (mammal)prohibited
- Goliath grouperprohibited
- Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi)prohibited
- Largetooth sawfishprohibited
- Nassau grouperprohibited
- Sea turtlesprohibited
- Smalltooth sawfishprohibited
- West Indian manateeprohibited
Prohibited sharks: Atlantic angel shark, sand tiger shark, dusky shark, bigeye sand tiger shark, sixgill shark, largetooth sawfish, bigeye thresher shark, smalltooth sawfish, shortfin mako, narrowtooth shark, Caribbean reef shark, white shark, Caribbean sharpnose shark, basking shark, sevengill shark, Galapagos shark, bigeye sixgill shark, smalltail shark, longfin mako, bignose shark, whale shark and night shark. No sandbar or silky sharks may be retained under a recreational bag limit. White shark: catch and release with rod and reel only.
The species of Louisiana Saltwater Fishing Rules, pictured
Photo: albertoalcala, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Rennair, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Cláudio Dias Timm, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: OAR/National Undersea Research Program (NURP), Public domain
Photo: Dick Culbert from Gibsons, B.C., Canada, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Kare Kare, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: NOAA Photo Library, CC BY 2.0
Saltwater rules in Louisiana, asked and answered
Do I need a saltwater license in Louisiana?
Yes, south of the saltwater line when fishing for saltwater species. South of the LDWF saltwater line an angler 18 or older carries a Basic Fishing License plus a Saltwater License: $17 and $15 for residents, $68 and $60 for nonresidents.
What is the Louisiana redfish limit?
4 daily per person – bag; none over 27" max total length; 18" min total length; 27" max total length.
How many speckled trout may I keep?
15 daily per person with no more than 2 over 20" max total length; 13" min total length; 20" max total length.
When is flounder closed in Louisiana?
LDWF closed southern flounder to recreational and commercial harvest from October 15 through November 30, 2026.
When was the 2026 red snapper season?
It opened May 1, 2026 seven days a week with a 4-fish bag and a 16-inch minimum; LDWF raised the bag to 5 for Memorial Day weekend.
Is greater amberjack open?
No; LDWF closed recreational greater amberjack at 12:01 a.m. October 14, 2026 until the 2027 season, currently set for September 1, 2027.
What is the ROLP?
The Recreational Offshore Landing Permit, free, required to possess tunas, billfish, swordfish, amberjacks, groupers, snappers, cobia, wahoo, dolphinfish and gray triggerfish.
Can I keep a goliath grouper?
No; goliath and Nassau grouper are on the Louisiana prohibited list along with sawfish and Gulf sturgeon.
Louisiana rule pages beyond salt water
- Louisiana Water-Body Fishing Exceptionslakes and basins with their own limits
- Louisiana and Texas Border WatersToledo Bend, Caddo, the Sabine and Sabine Lake
- Louisiana licenses and regulationsfees, exemptions and the freshwater table