Manatee 7 Mile Reef South

Reef (artificial) in Sarasota nearshore waters

Draft - not published. This page is only shown while developing. It stays off the live site until its status is changed to published.

NearshoreUpdated October 11, 2026

Depth
40-41 ft
Access
By boat
Best months
March to December
Species
Gag grouper, Red grouper, Mangrove (gray) snapper, King mackerel (kingfish), Spanish mackerel, Cobia

FWC lists 21 deployments from 1976 to 2002 here: culverts, bridge beams, concrete light poles, reef balls and a 110-foot barge, in 40 to 41 feet, 7.1 nautical miles west of Longboat Pass and about 3 nautical miles inside the 9-mile state-waters line. Borden Reef is about 2.4 nautical miles south-southeast.

How to fish it

Drift or slow-troll live baits around the edges for kingfish during the runs. Anchor at a safe distance and fish the culverts and barge on the bottom for grouper and snapper.

Watch out for: About 7 nautical miles out in open water, so check the GMZ853 forecast before you go.
Rules here: State waters. Reef fish gear rules and the State Reef Fish Angler designation apply. The rules to check in Sarasota nearshore waters

Wind and waves

Now and the next 48 hours at Manatee 7 Mile Reef South

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On the map

Manatee 7 Mile Reef South and the places around it

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Position

  • N27° 26.704' W082° 49.165'27.445075, -82.819413

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.