Florida offers an abundance of recreational fishing opportunities due to its more than 10,000 miles of rivers, over 7,500 lakes and thousands of miles of tidal shorelines. If visiting Florida and you wish to fish, you need a license for both saltwater and freshwater fishing -- with certain exceptions.
You may purchase a seven-day or three-day license from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for a year; you can order online or over the phone as well as in person at local retail agents or tax collection offices. This applies to both freshwater and saltwater fishing. As of this publication, yearly fees are less than $50.
You need not purchase a freshwater license if you are fishing on a pond of less than 20 acres on private property or if the pond is larger than 20 acres and the property owner has a fish pond license. If you saltwater fish from either a rental boat that has a license or one on which the operator has a license, you do not need a permit. In addition, you are exempt when fishing from a pier that has a valid license.
