SlotGaugeCheck a catchShad (freshwater) regulations in Florida
· Freshwater · 2026 season
Shad (freshwater) size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida freshwater (statewide; FMAs and listed waters differ) | Open year-round | No size limit | 10 per person per day |
Exact Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission wording
- Season
- Open year-round
- Size
- None
- Limit
- 10 (Alabama, American, hickory shad and blueback herring combined)
- Inland waters — as printed
- “10 Alabama shad, American shad, hickory shad, and blueback herring (individually or in total), which may only be taken with hook and line gear.”
Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, captured 2026-10-01 (2026 season).
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About the shad
Species of fish
The American shad is a species of anadromous clupeid fish naturally distributed on the North American coast of the North Atlantic, from Newfoundland to Florida, and as an introduced species on the North Pacific coast. The American shad is not closely related to the other North American shads. Rather, it seems to form a lineage that diverged from a common ancestor of the European taxa before these diversified.
Read more about American shad on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, not Wikipedia.
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Shad (freshwater) in Florida?
No size limit in Florida state waters.
How many Shad (freshwater) can you keep per day in Florida?
10 per person per day.
When is Shad (freshwater) season in Florida?
Open year-round.
Is my Shad (freshwater) a keeper today?
Shad (freshwater) has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 10.