Waterlands

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Gag grouperClosed

Cape · Florida

Saint Johns Point

30.40°N · 81.39°W · Cape · Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM

LOADING MAP

Best score today · 4 AM · Gag grouper

80/100Great
Now
204 AM EDT
Best window
4-6 AMFlood tide
Tide now
Flooding3.7 ft ▲

Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine

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24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 4 AM · now

Time4ANOW
Score20Poor
Tide3.7 ft ▲Flooding
CurrentFlood0.6 kn · toward W
Wind3 kn Ngusts 5 · steady
Sea stateLight chop1.3 ft · 6 s
Air temp77°Warm
WeatherClear19% cloud
Water85°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Atlantic state waters (Nassau through Miami-Dade counties)

IN EFFECT NOW

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

Gag grouper season by week of the year. Shoulder season for Gag grouper · 5 more weeks at shoulder.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

Gag grouper in Florida

Spot profile

Saint Johns Point

Depth
10-60 ftNearest water
Structure
Point · Outer · ExposedPoint · drop-off
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 Saint Johns Point

Saint Johns Point is a cape in Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM, Florida. Depth in the nearest water is 10-60 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads point, outer water and exposed.

Waterlands scores 28 species here; the best right now are Atlantic tarpon, Atlantic croaker and gray snapper. It is peak season now for Atlantic tarpon, Atlantic croaker, gray snapper and red drum, and shoulder season for red snapper, Florida pompano, black sea bass and gray triggerfish. Atlantic tarpon peak from July through September. Atlantic croaker peak from August through October. Gray snapper peak from June through September.

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 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

  • Sherman Cut Range

    Channel · 2.8 mi

    83
    Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season
    • Atlantic tarpon 83
    • Atlantic croaker 79
    • Gray snapper 76

    3 kt NH 6:47 AM · 4.7 ftL 12:39 PM · 1.0 ft

  • Mayport Cut Range

    Channel · 2.5 mi

    80
    Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season
    • Atlantic tarpon 80
    • Atlantic croaker 79
    • Gray snapper 72

    3 kt NH 6:47 AM · 4.7 ftL 12:39 PM · 1.0 ft

  • Fort George Inlet

    Bay · 1.8 mi

    79
    Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season
    • Atlantic tarpon 79
    • Atlantic croaker 74
    • Crevalle jack 71

    3 kt NH 6:10 AM · 5.5 ftL 12:29 PM · 1.2 ft

  • Fort George River

    Gut · 3.5 mi

    78
    Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season
    • Atlantic croaker 78
    • Atlantic tarpon 78
    • Spot 73

    3 kt NH 6:56 AM · 4.8 ftL 1:15 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.