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Shore spot · BeachFlorida Gulf State Waters: Sarasota Bay RegionSheepshead · Open

Bird Key Park

27.33°N · 82.56°W

Species

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14-Day Forecast

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

All times EDT

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Conditions
Time
1 PM
Now
Score
73
Fair
Tide
0.1 ft ▲
Flooding
Current
—
Flood
Wind
11 kn
E · steady
Sea state
Easy
1 ft chop
Air temp
84°
Warm
Weather
Partly cloudy
37% cloud
Hour 1 PM. Score 73 Fair. Tide 0.1ft Rising ▲. Current +0.7kn Flood. Wind 11kn E G17. Sea 1 ft chop Easy. Air 84.0°.

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: hook and line, cast net, seine, spear or gig. Illegal: multiple hooks with live or dead natural bait; snatching.
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Minimum 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 relevant here).
Other species here
Common Snook Retention openRed Drum Retention openSpotted Seatrout Retention open
Always check with FWC ↗

Source: FWC · Florida Gulf State Waters: Sarasota Bay Region · synced today

Seasonality

52-week view · today highlighted

When Sheepshead is best at this spot

Shoulder seasonShoulder season for Sheepshead
~2 more weeks in shoulder
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Peak seasonShoulder seasonOff season

SHORE PROFILE

FISHED FROM
Beach
ACCESS
On foot
No boat needed
GETTING THERE
Small parking area on the Ringling Causeway at Bird Key, with a short walk to the seawall and shoreline. Fish the moving tide.
HOW IT'S FISHED
Casting live shrimp along the seawall

Nearby Spots

View all on map →

Other productive spots within easy run

Powers (#7) Reef
Florida Gulf State Waters: Sarasota Bay Region
80
Top: SheepsheadSHOULDER SEASON
Sheepshead 80 · Spanish Mackerel 80 · Gray Snapper 80
0006121824
12 kt E
H 2:34 AM · 0.7 m
L — · 0.0 m
South Lido Park
Florida Gulf State Waters: Sarasota Bay Region
80
Top: Common SnookOFF SEASON
Common Snook 80 · Red Drum 80 · Spotted Seatrout 80
0006121824
12 kt E
H 2:41 AM · 0.7 m
L — · 0.0 m
Nora Patterson Bay Island Park
Florida Gulf State Waters: Sarasota Bay Region
80
Top: Common SnookOFF SEASON
Common Snook 80 · Spotted Seatrout 80 · Red Drum 80
0006121824
11 kt E
H 2:34 AM · 0.7 m
L — · 0.0 m
Hart Family Reef (#2)
Florida Gulf State Waters: Sarasota Bay Region
81
Top: Red DrumPEAK SEASON
Red Drum 81 · Sheepshead 81 · Spanish Mackerel 81
0006121824
11 kt E
H 2:34 AM · 0.7 m
L — · 0.0 m

About Bird Key Park

Bird Key Park is a small beach-access spot on the Ringling Causeway in Sarasota, set on the waters of Sarasota Bay. Sheepshead lead the winter season from December through March, when bottom fishing with live shrimp, fiddler crabs, or sand fleas produces steady action. Spotted seatrout peak in March and April and again in October, and anglers target them by free-lining live shrimp or working a popping cork with soft plastic shrimp imitations. Common snook move through from May to July and take live pilchards, live pinfish, and paddletail swimbaits cast along the shoreline. Red drum arrive in September and October and respond to cut mullet or blue crabs fished on the bottom, as well as gold spoons sight-cast to cruising fish.

CUSTOM ALERT
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Bird Key Park is one of the spots we track around Sarasota. More spots in Sarasota · All of Florida.

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