- Depth
- 21-27 ft
- Access
- By boat
- Best months
- March to November
- Species
- Spanish mackerel, King mackerel (kingfish), Mangrove (gray) snapper, Sheepshead, Gag grouper, Cobia
A Manatee County reef about a mile off the Holmes Beach shore of Anna Maria Island and 3.9 nautical miles northwest of Longboat Pass, in 21 to 27 feet. FWC lists 16 deployments from 1976 to 2005: Skyway Bridge material and pipe (1976), about 1,000 tons of concrete culverts and bridge spans (1992), and reef-ball sites (2003 and 2005). It sits about 0.3 nautical mile south of the SR 64 line, so it's on the Sarasota side.
How to fish it
A spring and fall mackerel spot and a short run from Longboat Pass or the Coquina Beach ramps. Anchor up-current at a safe distance, catch or chum bait, and fish a live bait on a wire leader for kings. Fish the culverts and modules with bottom rigs for snapper, sheepshead and small grouper.
Watch out for: Exposed to west and northwest chop after fronts, and the afternoon sea breeze builds quickly along this open beach.
Rules here: State waters. Reef fish gear rules apply, and you need FWC's State Reef Fish Angler designation to keep listed reef fish from a private boat. The rules to check in Sarasota nearshore waters