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Red snapperCheck regulationsBay · Florida
Kitching Cove
27.25°N · 80.32°W · Bay · Sebastian Inlet to Jupiter Inlet 0-20 nm
Species here · tap to switch
- Best of all
- Atlantic croaker61
- Spot59
- Atlantic tarpon58
- Common snook57
- Crevalle jack55
- Gray snapper53
- Red drum52
- Summer flounder52
- Southern flounder50
- King mackerel49
- Weakfish47
- Black drum44
- Black sea bass43
- Red snapper43
- Spotted seatrout42
- Wahoo42
- Little tunny41
- Gray triggerfish40
- Red grouper40
- Spanish mackerel40
- Florida pompano39
- Mahi-mahi38
- Cobia37
- Sheepshead37
- Yellowfin tuna35
- Bluefish34
- Greater amberjack34
- Sailfish31
- Gag grouper20
Best score today · 8 AM · Red snapper
- Now
- 434 AM EDT
- Best window
- 7 AM-3 PMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Low0.8 ft
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Kitching 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 · 4 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
37Tide: Low slackCurrent: 0.2 knWind & pressure
ECMWF
100Wind: 4 kt SSEPressure: RisingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
60Water temp: 86°F, warmLight: NightSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 1.1 ftSeason & habitat · Red snapper
Species seasonality
44Season: ShoulderHabitat: Poor fitDepth: Out of rangeRegulations: Check regulations
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Atlantic state waters (Nassau through Miami-Dade counties)
Red snapper
Check regulationsNo limits are on file for this species here. FWC pages disagree. The snapper page lists Atlantic red snapper in state waters as open with a 20-inch minimum and 2 per person. The Atlantic red snapper season page says the 2026 season (May 22 to June 20 and three October weekends, 1 fish, no minimum size) is temporarily postponed, and Executive Order 26-16 rescinded the 2026 Atlantic red snapper order. Check with FWC before keeping one. Check with FWC before you keep one.
From FWC Atlantic Recreational Red Snapper State Management Season, 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)
- Gag grouper Closed (No retention)
- 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))
- 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 Red snapper is best here
Shoulder season for Red snapper · 31 more weeks at shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Kitching Cove
- Depth
- 7-10 ftFlat bottom
- Structure
- Bay · Inner · ProtectedBay · flat bottom
- Season
- Shoulder seasonRed 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 Kitching Cove
Kitching Cove is a bay in Sebastian Inlet to Jupiter Inlet 0-20 nm, Florida. Depth is 7-10 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 Atlantic tarpon. It is peak season now for Atlantic croaker, spot, Atlantic tarpon and common snook, and shoulder season for weakfish, black drum, black sea bass and red snapper. Atlantic croaker peak from August through October. Spot peak from September through October. Atlantic tarpon peak from July through September.
Tackle & technique
- Red snapper
- Red snapper school over rigs, wrecks, artificial reefs and natural ledges, mostly in 60 to 250 feet. Anchor or drift over the structure, chum, and drop cut or live cigar minnows, sardines or squid on circle hooks, using as little weight as the current allows. Federal rules require circle hooks with natural bait in the Gulf and a descending device or venting tool on board.
- 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
- Fork Point58
Cape · 0.5 mi
Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season- Atlantic tarpon 58
- Common snook 57
- Atlantic croaker 56
4 kt SSEH 9:12 AM · 1.2 ftL 4:09 PM · 0.6 ft
- Greenridge Point58
Cape · 0.8 mi
Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season- Atlantic tarpon 58
- Common snook 57
- Atlantic croaker 56
4 kt SSEH 9:12 AM · 1.2 ftL 4:09 PM · 0.6 ft
- Pendarvis Point58
Cape · 1.9 mi
Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season- Atlantic tarpon 58
- Common snook 57
- Atlantic croaker 56
4 kt SSEH 9:12 AM · 1.2 ftL 4:09 PM · 0.6 ft
- Bessey Creek Point58
Cape · 2.8 mi
Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season- Atlantic tarpon 58
- Common snook 57
- Atlantic croaker 56
4 kt SSEH 9:12 AM · 1.2 ftL 4:09 PM · 0.6 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.