- Depth
- 41-50 ft
- Access
- By boat
- Best months
- April to June, September to December
- Species
- Gag grouper, Red grouper, Mangrove (gray) snapper, Lane snapper, Sheepshead, Black sea bass, King mackerel (kingfish), Cobia, Permit, Goliath grouper
The biggest reef complex off the south Pinellas beaches, about 10.5 nautical miles from the John's Pass entrance in 41 to 50 feet, in federal water. FWC lists 48 deployments from 2001 to 2013: the 80-foot steel tug Orange (2003, lying on its port side with about 20 feet of relief), steel barges of 75, 110 and 114 feet (2004), many loads of culverts, and rubble from the old Bayway bridge (2013). Pinellas County calls it South County Reef.
How to fish it
The tug and barges give the most relief. Drop live bait on the structure for grouper, snapper and permit, and slow-troll or float a bait for kingfish and cobia in spring and fall.
Watch out for: A 10-mile-plus run in open Gulf, so check the forecast for zone GMZ853. At 45 to 50 feet, released reef fish often show barotrauma (FWC says deeper than about 50 feet), so have a descending device ready. Storms shift reef material (Pinellas County).
Rules here: Federal water (past 9 nautical miles): federal Gulf reef fish rules and seasons apply and can differ from the state's, along with FWC's reef fish gear rules and the State Reef Fish Angler designation for private boats. The rules to check in Tampa Bay nearshore waters