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BoatFlorida Gulf State Waters: Panhandle RegionSheepshead · Open

East Channel

30.39°N · 87.21°W

Species

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14-Day Forecast

Data from: ECMWF + GFS + BlueCaster
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24-Hour Conditions

All times CDT

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Conditions
Time
12 PM
Now
Score
69
Fair
Tide
0.1 ft ▼
Ebbing
Current
—
Ebb
Wind
13 kn
ESE · steady
Sea state
Choppy
1.5 ft @ 5 s SE
Air temp
76°
Warm
Weather
Overcast
100% cloud
Hour 12 PM. Score 69 Fair. Tide 0.1ft Falling ▼. Current -1.2kn Ebb. Wind 13kn ESE G19. Sea 1.5 ft @ 5 s SE Choppy. Air 76.1°.

Why this score

Current
Slack
Prime

Current regulations

In effect now

What you can keep at this spot today

Sheepshead
Retention open
Daily limit
8 per day
Possession
Not published
Size
Minimum 12"
Gear
Legal gear: hook and line, cast net, seine, spear or gig. Illegal: multiple hooks used with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited.
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Minimum size 12 in total length. Vessel limit 50 per trip during March and April. State regulations extend into federal waters. Special regulations apply in Biscayne National Park (not applicable to this area).
Other species here
Red Drum Retention openSpanish Mackerel Retention openCommon Snook Retention openSpotted Seatrout Retention openGray Snapper Retention open
Always check with FWC ↗

Source: FWC · Florida Gulf State Waters: Panhandle Region · synced today

Seasonality

52-week view · today highlighted

When Sheepshead is best at this spot

Shoulder seasonShoulder season for Sheepshead
~6 more weeks in shoulder
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Peak seasonShoulder seasonOff season

SPOT PROFILE

DEPTH
23-27 ft
Sand
STRUCTURE
Corridor
Outer Exposed

Nearby Spots

View all on map →

Other productive spots within easy run

Pensacola Bay
Florida Gulf State Waters: Panhandle Region
77
Top: Red DrumPEAK SEASON
Red Drum 77 · Sheepshead 77 · Gray Snapper 77
0006121824
14 kt E
H 2:50 AM · 0.7 m
L 3:25 PM · -0.1 m
Town Point
Florida Gulf State Waters: Panhandle Region
77
Top: Gray SnapperSHOULDER SEASON
Gray Snapper 77 · Red Drum 77 · Sheepshead 77
0006121824
14 kt E
H 2:50 AM · 0.7 m
L 3:25 PM · -0.1 m
Bayou Texar
Florida Gulf State Waters: Panhandle Region
77
Top: Red DrumPEAK SEASON
Red Drum 77 · Sheepshead 77 · Gray Snapper 77
0006121824
13 kt SE
H 2:50 AM · 0.7 m
L 3:25 PM · -0.1 m
Butcherpen Cove
Florida Gulf State Waters: Panhandle Region
77
Top: SheepsheadSHOULDER SEASON
Sheepshead 77 · Red Drum 77 · Gray Snapper 77
0006121824
14 kt E
H 6:42 AM · 0.4 m
L 4:27 PM · -0.0 m

About East Channel

East Channel is an exposed sand-bottom corridor off Pensacola, Florida, holding a steady depth of about 25 feet within the Panhandle region of Florida's Gulf state waters. Red Drum peak here from September through October, Sheepshead from January through March, Gray Snapper from May through August, and Spanish Mackerel across a long window from April through October, with Common Snook also on the target list. Spanish Mackerel respond to trolling small spoons, straw rigs, and small diving plugs along the corridor, while casting metal jigs and gotcha plugs covers fish working the open water. On the sand bottom at 25 feet, bottom fishing with live shrimp, cut bait, or live pinfish targets Gray Snapper, and fiddler crabs, sand fleas, and live shrimp draw Sheepshead through the cooler months. Red Drum take soft plastic jerkbaits, jigheads with paddletails, and gold spoons on the cast, and live finger mullet or cut menhaden fished on the bottom.

CUSTOM ALERT
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East Channel is one of the spots we track around Pensacola. More spots in Pensacola · All of Florida.

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