Manatee 3 Mile Reef South (Site D)

Reef (artificial) in Sarasota nearshore waters

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NearshoreUpdated October 11, 2026

Depth
25-31 ft
Access
By boat
Best months
March to December
Species
Spanish mackerel, King mackerel (kingfish), Mangrove (gray) snapper, Gag grouper, Red grouper, Sheepshead, Cobia

FWC lists 33 deployments here between 1976 and 2001, from concrete culverts, pilings, light poles, slabs and panels to reef balls, in 25 to 31 feet, 3.2 nautical miles due west of Longboat Pass.

How to fish it

Anchor up-current at a safe distance and fish live bait for mackerel and snapper. Drop bottom rigs near the culvert piles for small grouper in the cooler months.

Watch out for: Watch the weather; the run home goes back through the Longboat Pass bar.
Rules here: State waters. Reef fish gear rules apply, and you need the State Reef Fish Angler designation to keep listed reef fish from a private boat. The rules to check in Sarasota nearshore waters

Wind and waves

Now and the next 48 hours at Manatee 3 Mile Reef South (Site D)

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On the map

Manatee 3 Mile Reef South (Site D) and the places around it

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Position

  • N27° 26.753' W082° 44.785'27.445878, -82.746413

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.