Manatee River mouth and Emerson Point

River mouth, point and reef-module site in Tampa Bay inshore waters

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InshoreUpdated October 11, 2026

Access
By boat or from shore
Best months
September to May
Species
Snook, Redfish (red drum), Spotted seatrout, Sheepshead, Black drum, Tarpon, Spanish mackerel

The Manatee River meets Tampa Bay between Emerson Point and De Soto Point, at the south edge of this guide, north of State Road 64. Emerson Point Preserve, run by Manatee County, marks the north side of the mouth and the south end of the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve, with a launch beach and a canoe and kayak dock. FWC lists a small reef-module site off the point in about 10 feet (2004). FWC's Tampa Bay region takes in the Manatee and Braden rivers. Warner's Bayou (3 lanes) on the south shore and Riverside Park in Palmetto (3 lanes, limited parking) are the nearest ramps, with Fort Hamer and Highland Shores upriver.

How to fish it

Fish moving water off the points and bars at the mouth for snook, redfish and trout, and the reef modules and docks for sheepshead and black drum in late winter and early spring. In cold weather, follow snook and redfish up the river to its deeper bends.

Watch out for: Channel traffic at the river mouth near Bradenton and Palmetto, idle speed in Snead Cut, and slow-speed manatee zones in the river and around Terra Ceia.
Rules here: FWC's Tampa Bay rules cover the Manatee and Braden rivers. Palma Sola Bay and everything south of State Road 64, Anna Maria Sound included, are in FWC's Sarasota Bay region. The rules to check in Tampa Bay inshore waters

Wind and waves

Now and the next 48 hours, at one of the marked positions of Manatee River mouth and Emerson Point (N27° 31.936' W082° 38.806')

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On the map

Manatee River mouth and Emerson Point and the places around it

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Positions

  • N27° 31.852' W082° 39.206'27.530870, -82.653430
  • N27° 31.936' W082° 38.806'27.532259, -82.646765

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.