States·FL
Florida fishing
News-desk briefs whose primary water is Florida. California and Alaska also keep their category desks.
Randy Meredith’s Sept. 16 Navarre Newspaper pier report: water clearing at 83°F, NE wind 3–15, 1–3 ft seas. By 7 p.m. Spanish, king, ladyfish, yellowtail, and hardtail were on the sheet. Windows: 11:30–12:30, 4–6 p.m., and 9:30–10:30 p.m.
Osceola News Gazette, Sept. 17: the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Championship launches Friday–Sunday from Big Toho Marina on the Kissimmee Chain. Purse $453,000, top prize up to $135,000, plus a REDCREST 2027 berth. Drought has the chain low.
FWC matched NOAA’s 2026 Gulf gag calendar: state waters excluding Monroe County, and the federal Gulf EEZ, are open Sept. 1–30 and close at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1. Minimum 24 inches TL; two gag in the four-grouper bag. SEDAR 72 still lists the stock overfished and overfishing.
Green Cove Springs’ Cody Morgan took the MLF Phoenix BFL Gator Division finale on the St. Johns River at Palatka with 10 bass, 61 pounds 9 ounces, and $3,920 after a shell-flat program and a 12-11 on Day 2.