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Gray snapperRetention openCape · Florida
French Cape
29.91°N · 81.28°W · Cape · Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM
Species here · tap to switch
- Best of all
- Atlantic tarpon68
- Atlantic croaker64
- Red drum62
- Spot62
- Crevalle jack56
- King mackerel56
- Southern flounder56
- Florida pompano54
- Gray snapper54
- Spanish mackerel50
- Spotted seatrout50
- Summer flounder50
- Black drum48
- Red snapper46
- Mahi-mahi45
- Weakfish45
- Cobia44
- Black sea bass43
- Gray triggerfish43
- Little tunny43
- Red grouper42
- Sheepshead39
- Greater amberjack37
- Wahoo37
- Bluefish35
- Yellowfin tuna35
- Sailfish34
- Gag grouper20
Best score today · 9 AM · Gray snapper
- Now
- 541 AM EDT
- Best window
- 7 AM-12 PMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Flooding1.2 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when French Cape scores 75+
Checked every morning against the 14-day forecast. Free by push and email.
14-day forecast
Best days to fish
24-hour conditions · rolling from now
Conditions · 1 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
20Tide: FloodingCurrent: WeakWind & pressure
ECMWF
99Wind: 3 kt NPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
81Water temp: 83°F, primeLight: NightSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 1.0 ftSeason & habitat · Gray snapper
Species seasonality
68Season: PeakHabitat: Poor fitDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Atlantic state waters (Nassau through Miami-Dade counties)
Gray snapper
Retention open- Daily limit
- 5 per day (10 snapper combined)
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Minimum 10 in, total length
- Season
- No closed season on file
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- Open year-round in Gulf and Atlantic state waters. Special rules apply in Biscayne National Park. Counts toward the 10-snapper aggregate per person per day. Reef fish gear rules apply. Land with head and fins intact. Federal waters have a 12-inch minimum and a 10-fish bag.
From FWC Recreational Regulations: Snappers, read Sep 13
Other species here
- Atlantic croaker Retention open (50 per day)
- Black drum Retention open (5 per day)
- Bluefish Retention open (3 per day)
- Bonefish Catch & release (No retention)
- Cobia Retention open (1 per day)
- Crevalle jack Retention open
- Florida pompano Retention open (6 per day)
- Gag grouper Closed (No retention)
- Gray triggerfish Retention open (10 per day)
- Greater amberjack Retention open (1 per day)
- King mackerel Retention open (2 per day)
- Mahi-mahi Retention open (5 per day)
- Permit Retention open (2 per day)
- Red drum Retention open (1 per day)
- Red grouper Retention open (3 per day (3 Atlantic grouper and tilefish combined))
- Red snapper Check regulations
- Sailfish Retention open (1 per day (1 billfish combined))
- Sheepshead Retention open (8 per day)
- Snook Retention open (1 per day)
- Southern flounder Retention open (5 per day)
- Spanish mackerel Retention open (15 per day)
- Spot Retention open (50 per day)
- Spotted seatrout Retention open (3 per day)
- Summer flounder Retention open (5 per day)
- Tarpon Catch & release (No retention)
- Wahoo Retention open (2 per day)
Source: FWC · synced yesterday
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Gray snapper is best here
Peak season for Gray snapper · 1 more week at peak
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
French Cape
- Depth
- 5-30 ftSlope
- Structure
- Point · Outer · ExposedPoint · slope
- Season
- Peak seasonGray snapper
NOAA NCEI DEM, sampled Sep 13 on a 3.4 m grid. Depths are feet below NAVD 88, not chart datum (MLLW), so they can differ from a chart by a few feet. Not for navigation.
About this spot
Fishing French Cape
French Cape is a cape in Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM, Florida. Depth is 5-30 ft, with a slope. Its profile reads point, outer water and exposed.
Waterlands scores 28 species here; the best right now are Atlantic tarpon, Atlantic croaker and red drum. It is peak season now for Atlantic tarpon, Atlantic croaker, red drum and spot, and shoulder season for Florida pompano, Spanish mackerel, black drum and red snapper. Atlantic tarpon peak from July through September. Atlantic croaker peak from August through October. Red drum peak from August through November.
Tackle & technique
- Gray snapper
- Mangrove snapper hold tight to mangrove roots, bridge pilings, jetties and reef ledges, from a few feet deep inshore to 150 feet offshore. Chum to pull them out of cover, then freeline or lightly weight a live shrimp or pilchard on fluorocarbon leader, since they shy away from heavy line in clear water. The bite improves at dusk and after dark.
- Atlantic tarpon
- Tarpon roll along beaches, in passes and channels, and under bridges from late spring through fall, and in South Florida some fish stay through winter in warm canals and backcountry rivers. Live crabs, mullet or pinfish drifted through a pass on the outgoing tide, or a fly or soft plastic cast ahead of a rolling string of fish, are the main approaches. Use a long heavy leader, bow to the jumps, and keep big fish in the water for release.
- Atlantic croaker
- Croaker feed on mud and sand bottom along channel edges, oyster bars, piers and deeper holes in bays and sounds, mostly in 5 to 30 feet of water. A two-hook bottom rig with small hooks and shrimp, bloodworm or squid catches them from piers, the surf and small boats. Fish the hours around high tide and into the evening.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Saint Augustine Inlet71
Channel · 0.4 mi
Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season- Atlantic tarpon 71
- Atlantic croaker 67
- Southern flounder 63
3 kt NH 6:37 AM · 4.4 ftL 12:35 PM · 0.9 ft
- Devils Elbow71
Bend · 12 mi
Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season- Atlantic tarpon 71
- Atlantic croaker 68
- Red drum 63
3 kt NEL 1:35 AM · 1.1 ftH 7:31 AM · 4.3 ft
- Murat Point70
Cape · 9.5 mi
Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season- Atlantic tarpon 70
- Atlantic croaker 66
- Red drum 64
3 kt NEL 1:35 AM · 1.1 ftH 7:31 AM · 4.3 ft
- Vilano Point68
Cape · 0.7 mi
Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season- Atlantic tarpon 68
- Atlantic croaker 64
- Red drum 62
3 kt NH 6:37 AM · 4.4 ftL 12:35 PM · 0.9 ft
Scores and forecasts are for planning only and can be wrong. Conditions on the water change fast; check the marine forecast before you go. Regulations change during the season, so confirm limits and closures with FWC before you keep a fish.