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BoatFlorida Gulf State Waters: Sarasota Bay RegionSheepshead · Open

Otter Key

27.32°N · 82.57°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 openSpotted Seatrout Retention openGray Snapper Retention openSpanish Mackerel Retention openRed Drum 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
330-1310 ft
Mixed
STRUCTURE
Drop Off
Outer Exposed

Nearby Spots

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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
Bird Key Park
Florida Gulf State Waters: Sarasota Bay Region
81
Top: Common SnookOFF SEASON
Common Snook 81 · Spotted Seatrout 81 · Red Drum 81
0006121824
11 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

About Otter Key

Otter Key is an outer-exposed drop-off off Sarasota, Florida, where mixed bottom falls away through depths of 330 to 1,310 feet within the Sarasota Bay Region of Florida's Gulf state waters. Common Snook peak here from May through July, Gray Snapper from June through August, and Red Drum in September and October, while Sheepshead round out the bottom-oriented catch. Spanish Mackerel run in two windows, March through May and again September through November, and anglers target them by casting small spoons, jigs, and plugs or trolling small spoons and trolling jigs along the edge. Bottom fishing with live shrimp, live pilchards, cut sardines, or squid works the mixed structure for Gray Snapper, and chumming with live pilchards or frozen chum blocks draws fish up off the drop. Snook respond to live bait fishing with live pilchards, live pinfish, and live threadfin herring, and Red Drum take cut mullet, cut ladyfish, and blue crabs fished on the bottom.

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

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