- Depth
- 10-14 ft
- Access
- By boat
- Best months
- January to March, June to September
- Species
- Sheepshead, Mangrove (gray) snapper, Flounder, Black drum
One of the oldest bay reefs, about 1 nautical mile west-northwest of Indian Beach in Sarasota Bay proper. FWC lists concrete block from 1987 to 1993 and modules from 1997 through October 2025, in 10 to 14 feet. The Sarasota Bay Estuary Program's 2017-2018 monitoring mapped about 95 modules over half an acre or so and recorded gray snapper and sheepshead. State waters. MOTE Reef is about 2 nautical miles south-southeast, north of the Ringling causeway.
How to fish it
Anchor on sand and fish small baits on the structure. It's a good cold-front-day option when the passes are rough.
Watch out for: Shallow water with seagrass around the reef. The older concrete may be scattered or buried.
Rules here: Gulf reef fish gear rules apply when you target snapper or grouper. The rules to check in Sarasota inshore waters