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SheepsheadRetention openBay · Florida
Horseshoe Creek
30.44°N · 81.46°W · Bay · Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM
Species here · tap to switch
- Best of all
- Atlantic tarpon78
- Crevalle jack78
- Southern flounder78
- Red drum77
- Atlantic croaker75
- Spot73
- King mackerel72
- Summer flounder72
- Gray snapper71
- Spanish mackerel68
- Spotted seatrout67
- Florida pompano65
- Weakfish63
- Little tunny62
- Black sea bass59
- Cobia59
- Gray triggerfish57
- Red snapper57
- Black drum56
- Red grouper56
- Greater amberjack55
- Sheepshead53
- Mahi-mahi46
- Wahoo42
- Bluefish35
- Sailfish35
- Yellowfin tuna35
- Gag grouper20
Best score today · 9 AM · Sheepshead
- Now
- 539 AM EDT
- Best window
- 9 AM-12 PMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Ebbing3.9 ft ▼
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Horseshoe Creek 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 · 9 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS
100Tide: EbbingCurrent: 0.8 kn ebbWind & pressure
ECMWF
96Wind: 7 kt NNEPressure: RisingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
37Water temp: 84°F, warmLight: DawnSolunar: Between periodsSeason & habitat · Sheepshead
Species seasonality
48Season: ShoulderHabitat: Poor fitDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Atlantic state waters (Nassau through Miami-Dade counties)
Sheepshead
Retention open- Daily limit
- 8 per day
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Minimum 12 in, total length
- Season
- No closed season on file
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- State rules extend into federal waters. Special rules apply in Biscayne National Park. Hook and line, cast net, seine, spear or gig. No multiple hooks with natural bait. No snatching. Open year-round. A 50-fish vessel limit applies in March and April.
From FWC Recreational Regulations: Sheepshead, 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 snapper Retention open (5 per day (10 snapper combined))
- 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))
- 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 Sheepshead is best here
Shoulder season for Sheepshead · 18 more weeks at shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Horseshoe Creek
- Depth
- 1-10 ftFlat bottom
- Structure
- Estuary · Inner · ProtectedEstuary · flat bottom
- Season
- Shoulder seasonSheepshead
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 Horseshoe Creek
Horseshoe Creek is a bay in Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM, Florida. Depth is 1-10 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads estuary, inner water and protected.
Waterlands scores 28 species here; the best right now are Atlantic tarpon, crevalle jack and southern flounder. It is peak season now for Atlantic tarpon, crevalle jack, southern flounder and red drum, and shoulder season for Spanish mackerel, Florida pompano, weakfish and little tunny. Atlantic tarpon peak from July through September. Crevalle jack peak from July through October. Southern flounder peak from September through November.
Tackle & technique
- Sheepshead
- Sheepshead graze barnacles and crabs off pilings, jetty rocks, bridge supports, oyster bars and nearshore reefs, from a few feet deep out to about 50 feet. Drop a fiddler crab, sand flea or piece of shrimp on a small, strong hook straight down next to the structure with just enough weight to hold bottom. The bite is a light tap, so keep the line tight and set the hook fast.
- 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.
- Crevalle jack
- Jacks roam in schools through inlets, passes, bays, river mouths and along beaches, pushing bait to the surface, and big fish also hold on nearshore reefs and wrecks. Watch for birds and surface blowups, then cast a popper, a spoon or a bucktail into the school and retrieve fast. Bring heavy spinning tackle, because a jack over 15 pounds runs hard and fights for a long time.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Fort George River80
Gut · 2.0 mi
Top: Crevalle jackPeak season- Crevalle jack 80
- Atlantic croaker 79
- Atlantic tarpon 79
7 kt NNEL 1:15 PM · 0.9 ftH 7:27 PM · 5.3 ft
- Broward Creek78
Bay · 1.3 mi
Top: Crevalle jackPeak season- Crevalle jack 78
- Southern flounder 78
- Atlantic tarpon 78
7 kt NNEL 12:59 PM · 0.8 ftH 7:21 PM · 5.6 ft
- Hannah Mills Creek78
Gut · 2.3 mi
Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season- Atlantic tarpon 78
- Crevalle jack 76
- Red drum 76
7 kt NNEL 1:24 PM · 1.0 ftH 7:45 PM · 4.9 ft
- Deep Creek75
Gut · 1.7 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 75
- Crevalle jack 73
- Atlantic tarpon 72
7 kt NNEL 1:24 PM · 1.0 ftH 7:45 PM · 4.9 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.