- Depth
- 106-110 ft
- Access
- By boat
- Best months
- April to October
- Species
- Red grouper, Gag grouper, Red snapper, Vermilion snapper, Gray triggerfish, Greater amberjack
Boat molds sunk on February 8, 1990 in 110 feet, the deepest reef in FWC's Sarasota County records. FWC's dive notes say only 17 molds were seen, most upside down, 17 to 22 feet long, with about 4 feet of relief. It's in federal water, 28.4 nautical miles west-southwest of Big Sarasota Pass, 28.3 from Longboat Pass and 31.3 from Venice Inlet, about 10 nautical miles south-southeast of D-3 and D-4. MD-1 lies almost on the straight line from Big Pass, about two-thirds of the way out.
How to fish it
The relief is low and the molds are easy to miss, so idle the area on the sounder before you anchor and fish tight to the molds for grouper and snapper. Pair it with D-3 and D-4 on a calm day, or with MD-1 on the way out.
Watch out for: A 28- to 31-nautical-mile run in zone GMZ873, beyond easy help: carry a VHF and an EPIRB or PLB. Barotrauma is severe from 100 feet.
Rules here: Federal waters: federal Gulf reef fish rules, the State Reef Fish Angler designation, circle hooks and a dehooking tool. Carry a descending device. Red snapper, grouper, triggerfish and amberjack seasons are set each year. The rules to check in Sarasota offshore waters