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King mackerelRetention openBar · Florida
Brilliant Shoal
24.67°N · 82.89°W · Bar · Gulf of America including Dry Tortugas and Rebecca Shoal Channel
Species here · tap to switch
Best score today · 7 PM · King mackerel
- Now
- 263 PM EDT
- Best window
- 6-9 PMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Ebbing0.8 ft ▼
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Brilliant Shoal 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 · 3 PM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS
14Tide: EbbingCurrent: SlackWind & pressure
ECMWF
100Wind: 5 kt WPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
Open-Meteo Marine
38Water temp: 88°F, hotLight: Partly cloudySolunar: Between periodsSeas: 0.7 ftSeason & habitat · King mackerel
Species seasonality
27Off season · capped at 35Season: Off seasonHabitat: Poor fitDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Monroe County state waters (Florida Keys)
King mackerel
Retention open- Daily limit
- 3 per day
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Minimum 24 in, fork length
- Season
- No closed season on file
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- Hook and line and spearing only. FWC applies the Gulf king mackerel rules to all of Monroe County. Open year-round.
From FWC Recreational Regulations: King Mackerel, 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 snapper Retention open (5 per day (10 snapper combined))
- Gray triggerfish Retention open (1 per day)
- Greater amberjack Retention open (1 per day)
- Mahi-mahi Check regulations
- Permit Retention open (1 per day)
- Red drum Retention open (1 per day)
- Red grouper Retention open (3 per day (3 Atlantic grouper and tilefish 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 Catch & release (No retention)
- Southern flounder Retention open (5 per day)
- Spanish mackerel Retention open (15 per day)
- Spot Retention open
- 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 today
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When King mackerel is best here
Out of season for King mackerel · shoulder season starts in 2 weeks
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Brilliant Shoal
- Depth
- 40-45 ft
- Structure
- Shoal · Outer · Exposed
- Season
- Off seasonKing mackerel
NOAA NCEI DEM, sampled Sep 13 on a 464 m grid. Depths are feet below mean sea level, not chart datum (MLLW), so they can differ from a chart by a few feet. Not for navigation.
About this spot
Fishing Brilliant Shoal
Brilliant Shoal is a bar in Gulf of America including Dry Tortugas and Rebecca Shoal Channel, Florida. Depth is 40-45 ft. Its profile reads shoal, outer water and exposed.
Waterlands scores 18 species here; the best right now are crevalle jack, Atlantic tarpon and permit. It is peak season now for crevalle jack and common snook, and shoulder season for Atlantic tarpon, permit, red grouper and red drum. Crevalle jack peak from April through May and from September through November. Atlantic tarpon peak from March through June. Permit peak from March through June.
Tackle & technique
- 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.
- Crevalle jack
- Jacks roam in schools through inlets, passes, bays, river mouths and along beaches, pushing bait to the surface, and big fish also hold on nearshore reefs and wrecks. Watch for birds and surface blowups, then cast a popper, a spoon or a bucktail into the school and retrieve fast. Bring heavy spinning tackle, because a jack over 15 pounds runs hard and fights for a long time.
- 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
- Northwest Channel57
Channel · 1.2 mi
Top: Atlantic tarponShoulder season- Atlantic tarpon 57
- Crevalle jack 55
- Permit 54
5 kt WH 9:38 PM · 1.4 ftL 2:34 AM · 0.9 ft
- White Shoal53
Bar · 2.2 mi
Top: Common snookPeak season- Common snook 53
- Crevalle jack 52
- Atlantic tarpon 51
5 kt WH 9:38 PM · 1.4 ftL 2:34 AM · 0.9 ft
- Sawa Rock53
Bar · 2.6 mi
Top: PermitShoulder season- Permit 53
- Red grouper 50
- Crevalle jack 48
4 kt WNWH 9:38 PM · 1.6 ftL 2:56 AM · 1.1 ft
- Smith Shoal52
Bar · 1.8 mi
Top: Crevalle jackPeak season- Crevalle jack 52
- Atlantic tarpon 51
- Permit 50
5 kt WH 9:38 PM · 1.4 ftL 2:34 AM · 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.