M-15 and M-16 reefs off Venice

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
42-48 ft
Access
By boat
Best months
March to May, September to December
Species
King mackerel (kingfish), Spanish mackerel, Gag grouper, Red grouper, Mangrove (gray) snapper, Cobia

Venice's mid-range reefs, both in state waters. M-15 is concrete culverts and rubble plus mixer drums and steel drying racks (1991) in 42 to 43 feet, 4.3 nautical miles west-southwest of Venice Inlet. M-16 is culverts, basins and steel beams (1994) in about 48 feet, 7.3 nautical miles west-southwest of the inlet.

How to fish it

Fish live baits for kingfish during the runs, then anchor at a safe distance and fish the culverts on the bottom for grouper and snapper.

Watch out for: Open Gulf; watch for westerly chop after fronts.
Rules here: State waters; reef fish gear rules and the State Reef Fish Angler designation apply. For snook and redfish, M-15 is north of FWC's 27°04.727' N line (Sarasota Bay rules) and M-16 is south of it (Charlotte Harbor rules). The rules to check in Sarasota nearshore waters

Wind and waves

Now and the next 48 hours at M-15 and M-16 reefs off Venice

Loading the forecast…

On the map

M-15 and M-16 reefs off Venice and the places around it

Loading the map…

Position

  • N27° 05.001' W082° 32.524'27.083345, -82.542067

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.