Waterlands

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Mahi-mahiRetention open

Channel · Florida

Number Four Channel

29.15°N · 83.08°W · Channel · Coastal waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River FL out 20 NM

LOADING MAP

Best score today · 9 AM · Mahi-mahi

77/100Great
Now
402 PM EDT
Best window
8 PM-12 AMFlood tide
Tide now
Ebbing3.3 ft ▼

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

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14-day forecast

Best days to fish

Best: Sun · 80

24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 2 PM · now

Time2PNOW
Score40Fair
Tide3.3 ft ▼Ebbing
Current0.3 knmodeled · toward SW
Wind6 kn NEgusts 17 · steady
Sea stateLight chop0.5 ft · 3 s
Air temp90°Hot
WeatherClear17% cloud
Water86°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Gulf state waters (Escambia through Collier counties)

IN EFFECT NOW

Mahi-mahi

Retention open
Daily limit
10 per day
Possession
Not published
Size
Not published
Season
No closed season on file
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Captain and crew may not keep a bag limit. 10 per person or 60 per vessel, whichever is less. Hook and line or spearing. No minimum size.

From FWC Recreational Regulations: Dolphinfish/Mahi-Mahi, 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 Retention open (2 per day (4 Gulf grouper combined))
  • Gray snapper Retention open (5 per day (10 snapper combined))
  • Gray triggerfish Retention open (1 per day)
  • Greater amberjack Retention open (1 per day)
  • King mackerel Retention open (3 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 Retention open (5 per day)
  • Spanish mackerel Retention open (15 per day)
  • Spot Retention open
  • Spotted seatrout Retention open (5 per day)
  • Summer flounder Retention open (5 per day)
  • Tarpon Catch & release (No retention)
  • Wahoo Retention open (2 per day)
Always check with FWC ↗Fishing license ↗

Source: FWC · synced today

Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed

When Mahi-mahi is best here

Shoulder season for Mahi-mahi · 1 more week at shoulder

Mahi-mahi season by week of the year. Shoulder season for Mahi-mahi · 1 more week at shoulder.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • Not here
  • This week

Mahi-mahi in Florida →

Spot profile

Number Four Channel

Depth
8-10 ftFlat bottom
Structure
Channel · Outer · Semi-exposedChannel · flat bottom
Season
Shoulder seasonMahi-mahi

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 Number Four Channel

Number Four Channel is a channel in Coastal waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River FL out 20 NM, Florida. Depth is 8-10 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads channel, outer water and semi-exposed.

Waterlands scores 23 species here; the best right now are Atlantic croaker, gray snapper and red drum. It is peak season now for Atlantic croaker, gray snapper and red drum, and shoulder season for Atlantic tarpon, black drum, permit and crevalle jack. Atlantic croaker peak from July through September. Gray snapper peak from June through September. Red drum peak from September through November.

Tackle & technique

Mahi-mahi
Mahi feed near the surface along weedlines, floating debris, buoys and current edges offshore, in water from the low 70s to the low 80s. Troll ballyhoo or small skirted lures along the weed, and when a school comes up behind the boat keep one hooked fish in the water while you pitch cut bait or jigs to the rest. Look for birds working over weed and flotsam.
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.
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.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

View all on map →
  • Northwest Channel

    Channel · 1.3 mi

    73
    Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season
    • Atlantic croaker 73
    • Gray snapper 69
    • Red drum 66

    6 kt NEL 7:04 PM · 0.8 ftH 1:21 AM · 3.4 ft

  • Pelican Reef

    Bar · 1.1 mi

    72
    Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season
    • Atlantic croaker 72
    • Gray snapper 71
    • Red drum 70

    6 kt NEL 6:47 PM · 0.5 ftH 1:14 AM · 3.6 ft

  • North Bank

    Bar · 1.0 mi

    69
    Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season
    • Atlantic croaker 69
    • Red drum 66
    • Gag grouper 65

    6 kt NEL 7:04 PM · 0.8 ftH 1:21 AM · 3.4 ft

  • South Bank

    Bar · 1.4 mi

    69
    Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season
    • Atlantic croaker 69
    • Red drum 66
    • Gag grouper 65

    6 kt NEL 7:04 PM · 0.8 ftH 1:21 AM · 3.4 ft

Open in the tide map

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.