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Gray snapperRetention openBay · Florida
Shell Point Cove
29.68°N · 84.80°W · Bay · Coastal Waters From Ochlockonee River to Apalachicola FL out to 20 Nm
Species here · tap to switch
- Best of all
- Spanish mackerel69
- King mackerel66
- Florida pompano63
- Red drum62
- Gray triggerfish55
- Red grouper55
- Red snapper55
- Gray snapper53
- Sheepshead53
- Black drum51
- Wahoo50
- Atlantic croaker35
- Atlantic tarpon35
- Cobia35
- Crevalle jack35
- Mahi-mahi35
- Sailfish35
- Yellowfin tuna35
- Permit30
- Spotted seatrout30
- Gag grouper20
- Greater amberjack20
- Southern flounder20
Best score today · 6 PM · Gray snapper
- Now
- 5311 AM EST
- Best window
- 4-8 PMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Ebbing0.8 ft ▼
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Shell Point Cove 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 · 11 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
92Tide: EbbingCurrent: 0.6 knWind & pressure
ECMWF
69Wind: 13 kt EPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
64Water temp: 73°F, coolLight: OvercastSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 3.2 ftSeason & habitat · Gray snapper
Species seasonality
48Season: ShoulderHabitat: Poor fitDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Gulf state waters (Escambia through Collier 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
- Black drum Retention open (5 per day)
- Bluefish Retention open (10 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 (1 per day)
- Greater amberjack Closed (No retention)
- King mackerel Retention open (3 per day)
- Mahi-mahi Retention open (10 per day)
- Permit Retention open (2 per day)
- Red drum Retention open (1 per day)
- Red grouper Retention open (2 per day (4 Gulf grouper combined))
- Red snapper Retention open (2 per day (10 snapper combined))
- Sailfish Retention open (1 per day (1 billfish combined))
- Sheepshead Retention open (8 per day)
- Snook Retention open (1 per day)
- Southern flounder Closed (No retention)
- Spanish mackerel Retention open (15 per day)
- Spot Retention open
- Spotted seatrout Retention open (3 per day)
- Summer flounder Closed (No retention)
- 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
Shoulder season for Gray snapper · 4 more weeks at shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Shell Point Cove
- Depth
- 1-5 ftFlat bottom
- Structure
- Bay · Outer · Semi-exposedBay · flat bottom
- Season
- Shoulder 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 Shell Point Cove
Shell Point Cove is a bay in Coastal Waters From Ochlockonee River to Apalachicola FL out to 20 Nm, Florida. Depth is 1-5 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads bay, outer water and semi-exposed.
Waterlands scores 23 species here; the best right now are Spanish mackerel, king mackerel and Florida pompano. It is peak season now for Spanish mackerel, Florida pompano, red drum and spotted seatrout, and shoulder season for king mackerel, gray triggerfish, red grouper and red snapper. Spanish mackerel peak from April through May and from October through November. King mackerel peak in May and in October. Florida pompano peak from March through May and from October 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.
- Spanish mackerel
- Spanish mackerel school along beaches and around inlets, jetties, piers and bridge-tunnel structures, and along tide rips in 5 to 40 feet of water once the water climbs above about 68 degrees F. Troll small spoons or cast metal jigs and retrieve fast, or look for birds diving on bait and cast into the school. FWC calls for a 30 to 60 pound monofilament leader because their teeth cut light line.
- King mackerel
- Kings roam from beaches and pier ends out to reefs, wrecks and ledges in 40 to 200 feet, usually feeding in the upper half of the water column. Slow-troll live menhaden, blue runners or cigar minnows on a light wire stinger rig, or pull spoons and ribbonfish past bait schools. Look for clean green water above 68 F with bait and birds on it.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- East Pelican Reef70
Bar · 1.7 mi
Top: King mackerelShoulder season- King mackerel 70
- Spanish mackerel 69
- Gray triggerfish 64
13 kt EL 2:18 PM · 0.1 ftH 10:42 PM · 2.0 ft
- Shell Point69
Cape · 0.4 mi
Top: Spanish mackerelPeak season- Spanish mackerel 69
- King mackerel 67
- Florida pompano 63
13 kt EL 2:18 PM · 0.1 ftH 10:42 PM · 2.0 ft
- Rattlesnake Cove69
Bay · 0.7 mi
Top: Spanish mackerelPeak season- Spanish mackerel 69
- King mackerel 67
- Florida pompano 63
13 kt EL 2:18 PM · 0.1 ftH 10:42 PM · 2.0 ft
- East Cove69
Bay · 1.6 mi
Top: Spanish mackerelPeak season- Spanish mackerel 69
- King mackerel 66
- Florida pompano 63
13 kt EL 2:18 PM · 0.1 ftH 10:42 PM · 2.0 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.