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BoatFlorida Gulf State Waters: Tampa Bay RegionSheepshead · Open

Sand Key Nourishment Reef

27.89°N · 82.85°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
81
Good
Tide
0.5 ft ▲
Flooding
Current
—
Flood
Wind
7 kn
ESE · steady
Sea state
Easy
1 ft chop
Air temp
82°
Warm
Weather
Overcast
81% cloud
Hour 1 PM. Score 81 Good. Tide 0.5ft Rising ▲. Current +0.9kn Flood. Wind 7kn ESE G12. Sea 1 ft chop Easy. Air 81.7°.

Why this score

Current
0.2 kn light
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 with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited.
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Minimum 12 inches total length. Vessel limit 50 per trip during March and April. State regulations extend into federal waters. Open year-round.
Other species here
Gag Grouper ClosedCobia Retention openGray Snapper Retention openSpanish Mackerel Retention openKing Mackerel Retention open
Always check with FWC ↗

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

Seasonality

52-week view · today highlighted

When Sheepshead is best at this spot

Shoulder seasonShoulder season for Sheepshead
~3 more weeks in shoulder
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Peak seasonShoulder seasonOff season

SPOT PROFILE

DEPTH
—
STRUCTURE
Artificial Reef

Nearby Spots

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Other productive spots within easy run

St. Pete Beach Reef
Florida Gulf State Waters: Tampa Bay Region
85
Top: Spanish MackerelPEAK SEASON
Spanish Mackerel 85 · Gray Snapper 85 · Sheepshead 85
0006121824
6 kt E
H 3:23 AM · 0.7 m
L — · 0.0 m
Gooseneck Pass Hump
Florida Gulf State Waters: Tampa Bay Region
82
Top: Red DrumSHOULDER SEASON
Red Drum 82 · Gray Snapper 82 · Sheepshead 82
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H 4:20 AM · 0.7 m
L — · 0.0 m
Hillsborough River Mouth (Riverwalk)
Florida Gulf State Waters: Tampa Bay Region
79
Top: Red DrumSHOULDER SEASON
Red Drum 79 · Sheepshead 79 · Spotted Seatrout 79
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H 4:55 AM · 0.9 m
L 2:05 PM · 0.0 m
Hookers Point
Florida Gulf State Waters: Tampa Bay Region
79
Top: Gray SnapperSHOULDER SEASON
Gray Snapper 79 · Spotted Seatrout 79 · Spanish Mackerel 79
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11 kt E
H 4:55 AM · 0.9 m
L 2:05 PM · 0.0 m

About Sand Key Nourishment Reef

Sand Key Nourishment Reef is an artificial reef in the Gulf state waters off St. Petersburg, Florida, within the Tampa Bay region. Pelagic species move across the structure in distinct seasonal waves: cobia peak in March–April and again in September–October, king mackerel from March through May and August through October, and Spanish mackerel from March through May and September through October. The reef also holds bottom species, with sheepshead peaking from January through March, gray snapper from May through August, and gag grouper from October through December. Anglers target kings by slow trolling live threadfin herring or live scaled sardines around the reef, while Spanish mackerel take small spoons and metal jigs cast into feeding schools. On the bottom, live fiddler crabs and live shrimp fished tight to the structure produce sheepshead and gray snapper, and live pinfish draw gag grouper through the late-fall window.

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Sand Key Nourishment Reef is one of the spots we track around St. Petersburg. More spots in St. Petersburg · All of Florida.

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