- Depth
- 39-40 ft
- Access
- By boat
- Best months
- March to May, September to December
- Species
- Gag grouper, Red grouper, Mangrove (gray) snapper, Sheepshead, King mackerel (kingfish), Spanish mackerel, Cobia
Manatee County's limestone-boulder reef in 39 to 40 feet, about 6.2 nautical miles west-southwest of Longboat Pass and well inside state waters. FWC records boulder loads in 2017, 2018 and 2020, with 8 to 9 feet of relief, and the county says it also added material in 2021. Manatee 7 Mile Reef South is about 2.4 nautical miles north-northwest.
How to fish it
Limestone patches over sand. Drift or idle first to find the boulders on the sounder, then anchor up-current. Kingfish come through on the spring and fall runs; check the grouper season before you target gag.
Watch out for: Six or more miles out, so watch the afternoon forecast. The county asks anglers to anchor a safe distance from the reef material, respect divers, and not drift through boats that are anchored up.
Rules here: State waters. Reef fish gear rules and the State Reef Fish Angler designation apply; check FWC's grouper page for the current season. The rules to check in Sarasota nearshore waters