Sunshine Bass

[lmmoore]

Can anybody tell me the limits on sunshine bass and do you need a freshwater license to keep these in brackish water or can you keep with a saltwater license?

[crappielimits]

Sunshine bass are a freshwater species. Therefore you need a freshwater liscense. Stripers are in both fresh and salt and either liscense will allow harvest. I would think you are catching juvenile stripers in the brackish waters. Sun shines are a hybrid fish produced the lab for freshwater. They are a cross between a white bass and striper. Hybrids and white bass don't tolerate high salinity levels.

[Capt Ron]

Sunshine bass are a freshwater species. Therefore you need a freshwater liscense. Stripers are in both fresh and salt and either liscense will allow harvest. I would think you are catching juvenile stripers in the brackish waters. Sun shines are a hybrid fish produced the lab for freshwater. They are a cross between a white bass and striper. Hybrids and white bass don't tolerate high salinity levels.

I would not want to get checked with a striper in possession and no fresh water license. The FWC classifies all the stripers(striped, hybrid & white bass) as freshwater fish. I wouldn't take legal advice from any internet forum. If in doubt, check with the FWC or go to MYFWC.com

[crappielimits]

Captain Ron stripers are not a listed species regulated by Fwc in saltwater but in fact are natural to saltwater. Therefore they are also considered to be saltwater too. Most other gulf states do have dual regulations but Florida for some reason does not. On the other hand white bass are freshwater and hybrids/sunshine bass are stocked in freshwater. The saltwater stripers I have caught in the surf would not fly in a legal case regulated as a freshwater species. I appreciate your interest though.

[lmmoore]

Thanks for the comments!

[Capt Ron]

I would encourage you to review the FWC regulation and take note that they fall under freshwater regulations with no mention in the saltwater regs. While the true striper is an anadramous fish, from a regulatory standpoint they are lumped in with the hybrid and white basses, because the general public can not differentiate the juveniles of the species. My cautionary commit was directed to the OP and crappie you are welcome to do as you like.

[leonreno]

Read second paragraph on page five. License requirements follow species not location.

http://myfwc.com/media/3080397/2015flfwregsadfree.pdf

[Capt Ron]

Read second paragraph on page five. License requirements follow species not location.

http://myfwc.com/media/3080397/2015flfwregsadfree.pdf

I'm in total agreement. I'm still waiting for someone to show me in the saltwater regs where the striped bass is addressed.

[crappielimits]

http://myfwc.com/media/2577624/Saltwate ... 2-2013.pdf

The state of Florida has a record for saltwater striped bass. Do you reckon the guy was written a ticket. Florida thinks they aren't prevalent enough in the warm gulf waters to address. Though, all the need is nearby springs to cool off through summer. Unless they have a posted closed season on Saltwater Stripers then what do you do? Revert to the posted 3 bag over 18? As stated in previous posts Stripers are a natural Saltwater species.