Short answer: There is no opening day for red grouper the way there is for gag. It is open year-round in Gulf state waters, the first 9 nautical miles off Crystal River.
Federal waters deeper than 20 fathoms, about 120 feet, close to red grouper February 1 through March 31 every year. In 2026 that closure ran February 1 through March 31, 2026.
The rest of the year, the only thing that can stop you is a quota closure. NOAA can shut the federal season early if the annual catch limit is reached, and as of September 2026 it has not announced one for this year. Rules are set by NOAA and FWC and can change, so check FWC’s grouper page before you book a grouper trip.
Why you may have read different dates
An earlier version of this page said red grouper season ran January 1 through June 30. That was not a season; it was 2024, when NOAA closed federal waters to red grouper on July 1, 2024. In 2023 the closure came on July 21, 2023, and in 2025 an emergency rule raised the catch limit and kept the season open through December 31, 2025.
So the plain answer is that red grouper is open until it is not. If there is a closing date, it depends on how fast the Gulf reaches its quota, and we confirm the current status before every trip. A rule proposed in 2026 would drop the February through March closure; as of September 2026 it is still a proposal.
One more area rule: a box of federal water called The Edges, northwest of the Middle Grounds, is closed to all fishing from January through April every year (January 1 through April 30, 2026). We do not fish it during the closure.
Red grouper limits in 2026
Minimum size is 20 inches total length. The bag limit is 2 red grouper per person per day, within a 4-grouper aggregate, so a person can keep 2 red grouper plus 2 gag when gag is open, and never more than 4 grouper in total. Captain and crew keep zero.
The trips we catch red grouper on
Red grouper live on hard bottom and ledges, and they are the fish we lean on for most of the year on the 35′ offshore boat. The farther you run, the more of them you find. In summer 2026 our best red grouper came from 120 feet and deeper, and the August Middle Grounds trips produced limits on every run.
- 40 Mile Max: from $2,195 for up to 4 anglers, 8 hours. A mixed-bag day, mostly mangrove snapper and hogfish with some grouper.
- 50 Mile Max: from $2,495 for up to 4 anglers, 8 hours, heavy tackle for grouper, mangrove snapper and hogfish. In late summer 2026 this was the strongest closer-in trip we ran, with good keeper red grouper.
- 80 Mile Max: from $2,995 for up to 4 anglers, 9 hours. Red grouper and red snapper together during snapper season.
- Florida Middle Grounds 120 Mile: from $3,495 for up to 4 anglers, 9 hours, 5:00 or 6:00 AM start. The best red grouper fishing we have, and the trip where we see limits most often.
Each of these trips takes up to 6 anglers at $100 per extra person. In February and March, when the deep federal water is closed to red grouper, call us and we will tell you what that week’s run looks like and what else is biting.
How to book
Call 352-770-2520 between 5 AM and 9 PM, or start on the booking page.
Tackle, bait, ice, water and fish cleaning are included. You do not need a fishing license: our FWC charter license covers everyone on board.
Booking policies (deposits, rescheduling, weather calls) are on our FAQ page.
The rules in this guide were checked against NOAA and FWC on September 19, 2026, and the page is updated when they change. For the fish itself, see our grouper page; for the current dates on every species we target, see Fish We Catch.
