Palma Sola Bay

Bay in Sarasota inshore waters

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InshoreUpdated October 11, 2026

Depth
0.3-6.9 ft
Access
By boat or from shore
Best months
March to May, September to November
Species
Spotted seatrout, Redfish (red drum), Snook, Sheepshead, Mangrove (gray) snapper, Flounder

A shallow bay of about 5.1 square miles between Anna Maria Island and the mainland, just west of Bradenton. It runs from the Palma Sola area south to Cortez Road and drains into Anna Maria Sound, with Manatee County's Robinson Preserve on its north shore and the Manatee Avenue (SR 64) causeway across it. The water district's Sarasota Bay plan describes its seagrass as relatively stable. FWC counts all of Palma Sola Bay in its Sarasota Bay region for snook and redfish, even though the National Weather Service forecasts it with Tampa Bay (zone GMZ830).

How to fish it

This is wading, kayak and small-skiff water. Launch at the Palma Sola Bay ramp or the Winston Tract kayak launch on the causeway, at Sunny Shores Park, or from the Robinson Preserve and Palma Sola Causeway kayak launches. Drift or wade the grass with a popping cork and live shrimp or a soft-plastic jig for trout and redfish, and work the mangrove fringe and sand potholes as the tide rises. When it turns cold, follow the deeper water toward Anna Maria Sound. Shuffle your feet when you wade.

Watch out for: Very shallow, with grass throughout: know your draft and pole off if you touch bottom. Manatee County's manatee rule sets year-round slow-speed zones over much of the bay, and the marked channel from Perico Bayou is 25 mph, so check FWC's zone map and the posted signs. The causeway bridges are low: NOAA charts the SR 64 span at about 10 feet of clearance.
Rules here: FWC's Sarasota Bay rules for snook and redfish cover all of Palma Sola Bay. FWC words its trout region by SR 64, so check the trout rules if you fish the part north of the causeway. The rules to check in Sarasota inshore waters

Wind and waves

Now and the next 48 hours at Palma Sola Bay

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On the map

Palma Sola Bay and the places around it

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Position

  • N27° 28.975' W082° 39.570'27.482924, -82.659498

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.