Late-fall stripers and redfish, and the rules to check

October 1, 2026

Late November is the tail end of the East Coast striper run and still prime time for big redfish in the Southeast and Gulf. Both fisheries come with rules that differ from state to state, and the striper rules have tightened in recent years. Here is where to look and what to check before you keep a fish.

Stripers: the run is moving south

Atlantic striped bass spend spring and summer feeding as far north as New England. In late fall and winter they head south and offshore to waters as far as North Carolina. By late November most of the action has left New England, and the Mid-Atlantic coast and the Chesapeake are where fish are on the move.

How far along the run is in any given week depends on water temperature and bait, so local reports beat any calendar.

Striper rules for 2026

The stock is still officially overfished and under a plan to rebuild by 2029. ASMFC looked at further cuts for 2026 and decided against them, so last year's rules carry over:

Ocean (state waters): one fish per day, 28 to 31 inches. Anything outside the slot goes back.
Federal waters (beyond 3 miles): closed. Harvesting or targeting striped bass in federal waters has been prohibited since 1990. Know where the 3-mile line is.
Maryland's Chesapeake Bay: harvest is open through December 5, one fish per person, 19 to 24 inches. From December 6 to 31 it's catch-and-release only.
Other states set their own seasons within the coastwide plan. Check your state's current regulations before you go.

A change is coming for measuring. By January 1, 2027, every state must use the same method: a straight line with the tail lobes squeezed together. Some states already do this. If yours doesn't, a fish you'd have called 31 inches may measure over the slot once the new rule applies.

Redfish: the bulls are out

In Florida, FWC says red drum spawn from about August through December in passes, inlets and lagoon estuaries. That's why late fall is when the big breeding fish, the "bull reds," turn up near the beaches and inlets. Fish over about 30 inches are typically adults living nearshore, and nearly all of them are over the slot. Treat them as catch-and-release fish: a quick photo and back in the water.

Redfish rules

Florida manages redfish by region. Statewide outside the Indian River Lagoon:

Slot 18 to 27 inches, one fish per person per day.
Vessel limit of four in the Panhandle, Big Bend and Northeast regions, and two in Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest and Southeast.
Indian River Lagoon: catch-and-release only.
Hook-and-line or cast net only. Fish must stay whole until landed.

Texas: three per day, 20 to 28 inches. You may keep one fish over 28 inches per license year with a red drum tag (and one more with a bonus tag), recorded in the Texas Hunt & Fish app. Separately, Texas closes flounder from November 1 to December 14, so leave them alone this month.

Other Gulf and Atlantic states have their own slots, so check before you keep a fish.

Handling big fish in cold water

Whether it's a 40-inch striper or a 35-inch bull red, the same habits help it survive release. Use circle hooks, keep the fight short, support the fish horizontally, and keep it in the water as much as you can.

Sources

asmfc.org — 2026 status quo: ocean 28–31 in. slot, 1 fish; no reduction adopted
asmfc.org — stock overfished, rebuild target 2029; federal waters closed since 1990; tail-squeezed measurement by Jan. 1, 2027
news.maryland.gov — Maryland 2026 Chesapeake seasons: harvest Sept 1–Dec 5, 19–24 in., 1 fish; catch-and-release Dec 6–31; ocean 28–31 in.
repository.library.noaa.gov — striped bass migrate north to New England in spring/summer and south in late fall and winter to shelf waters as far as North Carolina
myfwc.com — Florida red drum regions, 18–27 in. slot, 1 per person, vessel limits, Indian River Lagoon catch-and-release
myfwc.com — red drum spawning about August through December in passes, inlets and lagoon estuaries
tpwd.texas.gov — Texas red drum 3/day, 20–28 in., one oversize per license year with tag; flounder closed Nov 1–Dec 14