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Gag grouperClosedChannel · Florida
Rayonier Reach
30.66°N · 81.48°W · Channel · Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM
Species here · tap to switch
- Best of all
- Atlantic croaker77
- Atlantic tarpon72
- Spot72
- Crevalle jack69
- Gray snapper67
- Red drum67
- Southern flounder66
- Summer flounder66
- Florida pompano65
- King mackerel63
- Spotted seatrout61
- Black drum60
- Spanish mackerel60
- Black sea bass59
- Weakfish58
- Little tunny54
- Sheepshead53
- Gray triggerfish52
- Red snapper52
- Red grouper51
- Cobia49
- Greater amberjack47
- Mahi-mahi45
- Wahoo41
- Bluefish35
- Sailfish35
- Yellowfin tuna35
- Gag grouper20
Best score today · 4 AM · Gag grouper
- Now
- 208 AM EDT
- Best window
- 8 AM-12 PMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Ebbing5.6 ft ▼
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Rayonier Reach 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 · 8 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS
74Tide: EbbingCurrent: SlackWind & pressure
ECMWF
97Wind: 7 kt NNEPressure: RisingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
49Water temp: 84°F, hotLight: DawnSolunar: Between periodsSeason & habitat · Gag grouper
Species seasonality
48Closed season · capped at 20Season: ShoulderHabitat: Poor fitDepth: In rangeRegulations: Closed
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Atlantic state waters (Nassau through Miami-Dade counties)
Gag grouper
Closed- Daily limit
- No retention
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Not published
- Season
- Aug 2 to Dec 31, 2026
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- FWC closed Atlantic gag grouper, including all state waters off Monroe County, for the rest of the 2026 season (Executive Order 26-10). The 2027 season has not been announced.
From FWC news release, May 13, 2026: Atlantic gag grouper closes August 2 (EO 26-10), 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)
- 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))
- 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 Gag grouper is best here
Shoulder season for Gag grouper · 5 more weeks at shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Rayonier Reach
- Depth
- 10-20 ftSlope
- Structure
- Channel · Inner · ProtectedChannel · slope
- Season
- Shoulder seasonGag grouper
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 Rayonier Reach
Rayonier Reach is a channel in Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM, Florida. Depth is 10-20 ft, with a slope. Its profile reads channel, inner water and protected.
Waterlands scores 28 species here; the best right now are Atlantic croaker, Atlantic tarpon and spot. It is peak season now for Atlantic croaker, Atlantic tarpon, spot and crevalle jack, and shoulder season for Florida pompano, black drum, Spanish mackerel and black sea bass. Atlantic croaker peak from August through October. Atlantic tarpon peak from July through September. Spot peak from September through October.
Tackle & technique
- Gag grouper
- Gag hold on ledges, rock piles and wrecks, from 15 to 40 feet in the fall on Florida's Gulf coast out to 250 feet the rest of the year. Troll deep-diving plugs to find productive rocks, then anchor and drop or freeline live pinfish or pigfish on a strong circle hook. Keep the drag tight and turn the fish in the first few seconds or it will reach the rocks.
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Seaboard Reach79
Channel · 1.3 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 79
- Spot 74
- Atlantic tarpon 73
7 kt NNEL 12:42 PM · 1.2 ftH 7:17 PM · 6.7 ft
- Old Town Reach79
Channel · 1.7 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 79
- Spot 74
- Atlantic tarpon 73
7 kt NNEL 12:42 PM · 1.2 ftH 7:17 PM · 6.7 ft
- Kingsley Creek79
Gut · 3.3 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 79
- Spot 74
- Atlantic tarpon 70
7 kt NNEL 1:07 PM · 1.2 ftH 7:44 PM · 6.6 ft
- City Front Reach77
Channel · 0.7 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 77
- Spot 72
- Atlantic tarpon 72
7 kt NNEL 12:42 PM · 1.2 ftH 7:17 PM · 6.7 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.