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Gag grouperClosedBay · Florida
Bittersweet Cove
28.91°N · 80.86°W · Bay · Flagler Beach to Volusia-Brevard County Line 0-20 nm
Species here · tap to switch
- Best of all
- Atlantic croaker79
- Spot77
- Crevalle jack67
- Common snook66
- King mackerel65
- Atlantic tarpon63
- Florida pompano62
- Red drum61
- Summer flounder61
- Gray snapper59
- Southern flounder58
- Mahi-mahi56
- Spanish mackerel55
- Black drum54
- Little tunny54
- Wahoo54
- Gray triggerfish53
- Spotted seatrout53
- Black sea bass52
- Red snapper52
- Weakfish52
- Red grouper51
- Cobia50
- Sheepshead48
- Greater amberjack46
- Bluefish35
- Sailfish35
- Yellowfin tuna35
- Gag grouper20
Best score today · 7 AM · Gag grouper
- Now
- 209 AM EDT
- Best window
- 9 AM-1 PMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Ebbing0.9 ft ▼
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Bittersweet 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 · 9 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
57Tide: EbbingCurrent: WeakWind & pressure
ECMWF
98Wind: 4 kt NNWPressure: RisingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
73Water temp: 82°F, warmLight: DawnSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 1.5 ftSeason & 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 Catch & release (No retention)
- 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 (2 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
Bittersweet Cove
- Depth
- About 10 ftFlat bottom
- Structure
- Bay · Inner · ProtectedBay · flat bottom
- 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 Bittersweet Cove
Bittersweet Cove is a bay in Flagler Beach to Volusia-Brevard County Line 0-20 nm, Florida. Depth is about 10 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads bay, inner water and protected.
Waterlands scores 29 species here; the best right now are Atlantic croaker, spot and crevalle jack. It is peak season now for Atlantic croaker, spot, crevalle jack and common snook, and shoulder season for Florida pompano, mahi-mahi, Spanish mackerel and black drum. Atlantic croaker peak from August through October. Spot peak from September through October. Crevalle jack peak from July 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.
- Spot
- Spot school over mud and sand in bays, tidal creeks and channels and around piers and bridges, generally in less than 25 feet of water. Fish a two-hook bottom rig with small hooks and bits of bloodworm or shrimp, and move until you find a school. In fall the biggest fish run out of the sounds past piers and inlets, and the bite can go all day.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Brickhouse Cove79
Bay · 0.7 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 79
- Spot 77
- Crevalle jack 67
4 kt NNWL 2:38 PM · 0.1 ftH 8:35 PM · 1.1 ft
- Blue Hole79
Bay · 1.6 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 79
- Spot 77
- Crevalle jack 67
4 kt NNWL 2:38 PM · 0.1 ftH 8:35 PM · 1.1 ft
- Cedar Creek79
Bay · 2.9 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 79
- Spot 77
- Red drum 69
4 kt NNWL 2:38 PM · 0.1 ftH 8:35 PM · 1.1 ft
- Gaines Slough79
Bay · 3.0 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 79
- Spot 77
- Red drum 69
4 kt NNWH 9:29 AM · 0.4 ftL 4:22 PM · 0.0 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.
