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BoatFlorida Gulf State Waters: Sarasota Bay RegionSheepshead · Open

Leffis Key

27.45°N · 82.69°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
74
Fair
Tide
0.0 ft ▼
Ebbing
Current
—
Ebb
Wind
11 kn
E · steady
Sea state
Easy
1 ft chop
Air temp
83°
Warm
Weather
Partly cloudy
38% cloud
Hour 1 PM. Score 74 Fair. Tide 0.0ft Falling ▼. Current -0.4kn Ebb. Wind 11kn E G17. Sea 1 ft chop Easy. Air 82.9°.

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 openSpanish Mackerel Retention openRed Drum Retention openGray Snapper 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

SPOT PROFILE

DEPTH
8-25 ft
Sand
STRUCTURE
Drop Off
Mid

Nearby Spots

View all on map →

Other productive spots within easy run

Near Shore Reef
Florida Gulf State Waters: Sarasota Bay Region
84
Top: SheepsheadSHOULDER SEASON
Sheepshead 84 · Gray Snapper 84 · Spanish Mackerel 84
0006121824
11 kt E
H 4:07 AM · 0.8 m
L 1:32 PM · -0.0 m
Palma Sola Causeway
Florida Gulf State Waters: Sarasota Bay Region
85
Top: Spotted SeatroutPEAK SEASON
Spotted Seatrout 85 · Red Drum 85 · Common Snook 85
0006121824
11 kt E
H 4:07 AM · 0.8 m
L 1:32 PM · -0.0 m
1 Mile Reef
Florida Gulf State Waters: Sarasota Bay Region
83
Top: Gray SnapperSHOULDER SEASON
Gray Snapper 83 · Sheepshead 83 · Spanish Mackerel 83
0006121824
10 kt E
H 3:16 AM · 0.7 m
L — · 0.0 m
Walker Reef
Florida Gulf State Waters: Sarasota Bay Region
83
Top: SheepsheadSHOULDER SEASON
Sheepshead 83 · Gray Snapper 83 · Spotted Seatrout 83
0006121824
11 kt E
H 2:34 AM · 0.7 m
L — · 0.0 m

About Leffis Key

Leffis Key is a sandy drop-off in the Sarasota Bay region, where the bottom falls from 10 to 25 feet along a mid-exposure edge. Gray Snapper hold along this ledge and peak from June through August, while Common Snook move through from May to July and Red Drum peak in September and October. Spanish Mackerel run in two windows, March through May and again September through November, and Sheepshead round out the resident species. Bottom fishing with live shrimp, live pilchards, cut sardines, or squid works the deeper edge for snapper, and live bait fishing with live pilchards, live pinfish, or live threadfin herring targets snook along the break. When mackerel push through, casting small spoons, jigs, and plugs across the shallower lip of the drop-off draws strikes from fish feeding over the sand.

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Leffis Key is one of the spots we track around Sarasota. More spots in Sarasota · All of Florida.

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