Bridge Reef

Artificial reef (barge, culverts, limestone, modules) in Tampa Bay 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
32-34 ft
Access
By boat
Best months
March to June, October to December
Species
Gag grouper, Red grouper, Mangrove (gray) snapper, Lane snapper, Sheepshead, Black sea bass, Cobia, Spanish mackerel, King mackerel (kingfish), Permit, Goliath grouper

A Manatee County reef about 4 nautical miles west of Bean Point, the north tip of Anna Maria Island, in 32 to 34 feet of state water just north of the State Road 64 line. Building started in 2020 with the 120-foot barge Jim's Gift, donated by Coastal Marine Construction's Jim Logan, and about 270 tons of culvert from the Coastal Conservation Association for the Sean Gucken Memorial patch reef; a memorial monument and 335 more tons of culvert went down in August 2021 (Manatee County). FWC also lists limestone boulders (2022), prefabricated modules (2024) and dome modules (July 2025).

How to fish it

The barge and boulders give the most relief; the newest material is still filling in. Anchor up-current of the barge or the module clusters. Manatee County asks anglers to anchor a safe distance from the structure and not to drift-fish through boats that are already anchored.

Watch out for: You get here through Passage Key Inlet (an unmarked, shifting channel of about 9 feet) or Southwest Channel, both with strong ebb currents, and an ebb tide against a southwest wind gets rough here. NOAA's chart shows a wreck with masts showing, reported in 2025, about 1.4 nautical miles east of the reef toward Anna Maria.
Rules here: State water: FWC's reef fish gear rules and the State Reef Fish Angler designation apply. It's north of State Road 64, so FWC's Tampa Bay rules apply to any snook, redfish or trout. The rules to check in Tampa Bay nearshore waters

Wind and waves

Now and the next 48 hours at Bridge Reef

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On the map

Bridge Reef and the places around it

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Position

  • N27° 30.974' W082° 49.049'27.516230, -82.817480

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.