Their is something I've never under stood about red fish regulations; Slot limit of not less than 18" or more than 27". Is it not so that these smaller fish have spawned less, and the bigger reds 27" and longer, would have spawned more, their for giving more red fish to the environment? These smaller fish have not made a very big contribution to making more reds, so why keep smaller fish, and not let than make more reds? So why releasing the 27" and up red fish, which are the ones that have made a bigger contribution to making more reds?

Do you follow?  :-?

Thanks!

Call the Florida game and fisheries department and ask them.

I am sure they can give you some insight into their slot limits.  

Down here in Louisiana we can keep 5 redfish per person.  They have to be larger than 16 inches and one per limit can be larger than 27 inches.  From what I understand the 27 + inch redfish have reached their sexual maturity and contribute more to the spawn than smaller fish.  That would be my guess.  I don't like to eat the larger fish because the meat is tougher, so it doesn't really bother me.

It takes 4-5 years for a redfish to grow to full size.  About 31 or so inches.  They live for up to 20 years.  So the ones above 27 inches are full size and older than 4 years.  18 inches or younger will grow to maturity in a few years.  You have enough to keep the population going and enough youngsters to grow to maturity.

Thats my take on it.  But they live and mate for a long time.