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BoatFlorida Gulf State Waters: Sarasota Bay RegionSheepshead · Open

Whale Key 5 Reef

27.40°N · 82.59°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
0.1 ft ▲
Flooding
Current
—
Flood
Wind
11 kn
E · steady
Sea state
Easy
1 ft chop
Air temp
83°
Warm
Weather
Overcast
82% cloud
Hour 1 PM. Score 74 Fair. Tide 0.1ft Rising ▲. Current +0.7kn Flood. Wind 11kn E G17. Sea 1 ft chop Easy. Air 83.5°.

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 openGray Snapper Retention openSpanish Mackerel 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

SPOT PROFILE

DEPTH
—
STRUCTURE
Artificial Reef

Nearby Spots

View all on map →

Other productive spots within easy run

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
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
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
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

About Whale Key 5 Reef

Whale Key 5 Reef is an artificial reef site in the Sarasota Bay Region of Florida's Gulf state waters, positioned at 27.3990, -82.5939 near Sarasota. The reef adds man-made hard structure to the surrounding bay bottom and creates a defined point of habitat in otherwise open water. Structure of this kind concentrates baitfish and the predators that follow them, which makes the reef footprint the focal point of any visit. No depth figure is on record for the site, so anglers rely on electronics to locate the structure and read the bottom on arrival. The coordinates above mark the reef for navigation within the Sarasota Bay system.

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Whale Key 5 Reef is one of the spots we track around Sarasota. More spots in Sarasota · All of Florida.

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