M-1 Gary Service Reef and M-2 Tom Wallin Reef

Reef (artificial) in Sarasota nearshore waters

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NearshoreUpdated October 11, 2026

Depth
38-42 ft
Access
By boat
Best months
March to May, September to December
Species
Gag grouper, Red grouper, Mangrove (gray) snapper, King mackerel (kingfish), Spanish mackerel, Cobia, Sheepshead

Sarasota County's classic mid-range reefs, in 38 to 42 feet about 7.2 to 7.4 nautical miles west of New Pass and about 3 nautical miles inside the state-waters line. M-1 is a 110-foot derelict barge with culverts (1987), plus culverts, a steel barge and fiberglass boats (1993). M-2 started with culverts and boxes in 1990, and FWC lists dome modules and concrete buoy anchors added from 2018 to November 2025, making it the most recently built of the M-series. M-1 through M-5 run north to south about 5.7 to 8.6 nautical miles off the Lido and Siesta beaches.

How to fish it

Anchor up-current of the barge or module piles at a safe distance and fish the bottom for grouper and snapper, with a live bait out the back for kingfish and cobia. During the spring and fall king runs, slow-troll or drift live bait between the sites. Check the grouper season before you keep any.

Watch out for: About 7 nautical miles out in open Gulf, where summer thunderstorms and winter fronts can build rough seas quickly. Check GMZ853 and buoy 42013, file a float plan and carry a VHF.
Rules here: State waters. Reef fish gear rules and the State Reef Fish Angler designation apply. FWC tags one 2023 M-2 deployment as federal although the state-waters line is about 4 nautical miles farther west. The rules to check in Sarasota nearshore waters

Wind and waves

Now and the next 48 hours at M-1 Gary Service Reef and M-2 Tom Wallin Reef

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On the map

M-1 Gary Service Reef and M-2 Tom Wallin Reef and the places around it

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Position

  • N27° 18.789' W082° 42.949'27.313150, -82.715820

Not for navigation: check it against a current chart before you rely on it.

Places nearby

The closest named places, as the crow flies

Check the rules before you keep a fish. Size limits, bag limits and seasons change, sometimes at short notice. Our "Can you keep it today?" lists give them as of the day we last checked; these are the official pages.