- Depth
- 9-21 ft
- Access
- By boat
- Best months
- June to August, December to March
- Species
- Sheepshead, Mangrove (gray) snapper, Black drum, Snook, Spotted seatrout
Older bay reefs from 1987 to 2000, of concrete block, bay balls and Mote-designed modules, scattered between City Island, the downtown bayfront and Bird Key in about 9 to 15 feet. FWC lists Miller (#3), placed along the Ken Thompson Park seawall, at 21 feet, and describes the Saprito Pier reef as 150 concrete bay balls around the end of the pier.
How to fish it
Same approach as the other bay reefs. In winter, pair a reef stop with the Ringling causeway pilings for sheepshead and black drum; on summer nights, fish lighted structure for snook and snapper.
Watch out for: Busy downtown boat traffic, the Ringling causeway and the Lido channel markers are close by. FWC warns that reef material can move or get buried and some older positions are unverified, so search with the sounder.
Rules here: Gulf reef fish gear rules apply when you target snapper or grouper. Don't tie up to navigation markers. The rules to check in Sarasota inshore waters