- Depth
- 10-11 ft
- Access
- By boat
- Best months
- January to March, June to September
- Species
- Sheepshead, Mangrove (gray) snapper, Flounder, Black drum, Spotted seatrout
Three small Manatee County reef sites in 10 to 11 feet on the east side of Sarasota Bay. FWC lists modules at Bayshore North (2004, 2016 and 2024), Bayshore South (2016 and 2024) and Whale Key (2016 and 2024). The 2024 loads, four prefabricated modules at each site, were part of the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program's April 2024 project that put reef units at six bay sites. All are in state waters.
How to fish it
Small modules on a sand and grass bottom. Idle around until they show on the sounder, anchor on bare sand up-current and let the bait settle back to the structure. Sheepshead are best in late winter and early spring, and mangrove snapper in summer. Drift the grass around the sites for trout.
Watch out for: Shallow water with seagrass around the sites, so never anchor in the grass. FWC says reef material can move, break down or get buried, and some listed positions are historical or unverified.
Rules here: If you're after reef fish such as snapper or grouper, FWC's Gulf reef fish gear rules apply: circle hooks with natural bait, a dehooking tool, and a descending device or venting tool rigged and ready. The rules to check in Sarasota inshore waters