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BoatFlorida Gulf State Waters: Tampa Bay RegionSheepshead · Open

Pine Key

27.81°N · 82.45°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
2 PM
Now
Score
78
Good
Tide
0.1 ft ▲
Flooding
Current
—
Flood
Wind
10 kn
E · steady
Sea state
Easy
1 ft chop
Air temp
88°
Warm
Weather
Partly cloudy
56% cloud
Hour 2 PM. Score 78 Good. Tide 0.1ft Rising ▲. Current -0.1kn Slack. Wind 10kn E G15. Sea 1 ft chop Easy. Air 87.6°.

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 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
Spanish Mackerel Retention openGray Snapper Retention openCommon Snook Retention openRed Drum Retention openSpotted Seatrout 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
~4 more weeks in shoulder
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Peak seasonShoulder seasonOff season

SPOT PROFILE

DEPTH
5-15 ft
Mixed
STRUCTURE
Drop Off
Mid

Nearby Spots

View all on map →

Other productive spots within easy run

Gooseneck Pass Hump
Florida Gulf State Waters: Tampa Bay Region
82
Top: Red DrumSHOULDER SEASON
Red Drum 82 · Gray Snapper 82 · Sheepshead 82
0006121824
5 kt NW
H 4:20 AM · 0.7 m
L — · 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
0006121824
10 kt E
H 4:55 AM · 0.9 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
0006121824
10 kt E
H 4:55 AM · 0.9 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
6 kt E
H 4:07 AM · 0.8 m
L — · 0.0 m

About Pine Key

Pine Key is a drop-off in the Tampa Bay region off Tampa, Florida, where mixed bottom falls away through 5 to 15 feet of moderately exposed water. Sheepshead lead the calendar from January through March, followed by Spotted Seatrout in March–April and again in October–November, and Spanish Mackerel in March–May and September–October. Common Snook peak from April through June, Gray Snapper from May through August, and Red Drum from August through October. Bottom fishing along the edge of the drop with live shrimp or fiddler crabs targets sheepshead, while live shrimp, live pinfish, or live scaled sardines work for gray snapper. Over the shallower shelf, anglers fish popping corks with live shrimp for seatrout and cast silver spoons or gotcha plugs to mackerel.

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Pine Key is one of the spots we track around Tampa. More spots in Tampa · All of Florida.

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