Waterlands

UPDATEDAUTO-REFRESH 5 MIN

Red snapperClosed

Channel · Florida

Garrison Channel

27.94°N · 82.45°W · Channel · Tampa Bay waters

LOADING MAP

Best score today · 7 PM · Red snapper

83/100Great
Now
208 AM EST
Best window
6-10 PMFlood tide
Tide now
High2.5 ft

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

Notify me when Garrison Channel scores 75+

Checked every morning against the 14-day forecast. Free by push and email.

Sign in to set an alert

24-hour conditions

Monday, Nov 9 · 12 AM

Time12A
Score20Poor
Tide2.6 ft ▲Flooding
CurrentFlood0.3 kn · toward N
Wind4 kn WNWgusts 8 · steady
Sea stateCalm0.1 ft · 2 s
Air temp69°Warm
WeatherOvercast99% cloud
Water78°FModel

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Gulf state waters (Escambia through Collier counties)

IN EFFECT NOW

Red snapper(private recreational)

Closed
Daily limit
No retention
Possession
Not published
Size
Not published
Season
Aug 1, 2026 to Jan 4, 2027
Annual quota
Not published
Changes
Retention open from Nov 7
Other
Closed between the 2026 open days. The fall season is daily September 1 through October 4, then weekends and holidays only through January 4, 2027. The 2027 season has not been announced.

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 snapper Retention open (5 per day (10 snapper combined))
  • 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))
  • 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 Red snapper is best here

Shoulder season for Red snapper · 25 more weeks at shoulder

Red snapper season by week of the year. Shoulder season for Red snapper · 25 more weeks at shoulder.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

Red snapper in Florida →

Spot profile

Garrison Channel

Depth
Up to 35 ftSlope
Structure
Channel · Inner · ProtectedChannel · slope
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 Garrison Channel

Garrison Channel is a channel in Tampa Bay waters, Florida. Depth is up to 35 ft, with a slope. Its profile reads channel, inner water and protected.

Waterlands scores 20 species here; the best right now are Florida pompano, spotted seatrout and common snook. It is peak season now for Florida pompano, spotted seatrout, red drum and Spanish mackerel, and shoulder season for common snook, black drum, gray snapper and king mackerel. Florida pompano peak from March through May and from October through November. Spotted seatrout peak from March through May and from October through November. Common snook peak from April through May and from September through October.

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.
Florida pompano
Pompano feed on sand fleas and coquina clams in the trough between the beach and the first sandbar, and around the sandy edges of passes, inlets and bridges. Surf anglers fish a two-hook pompano rig with sand fleas, clams or shrimp, while boat and bridge anglers bounce small jigs along the bottom. The runs follow water temperature, heading north in spring and south in fall as the water cools.
Spotted seatrout
Trout hold over grass beds and sandy potholes in 2 to 8 feet of water most of the year and slide into channels, deep creek bends and canals during cold snaps. A live shrimp under a slip or popping cork, a paddle tail on a light jighead, or a topwater walked at first light covers most situations. Keep the drag light because their mouths tear easily.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

  • Ybor Channel

    Channel · 0.7 mi

    70
    Top: Spotted seatroutPeak season
    • Spotted seatrout 70
    • Common snook 69
    • Florida pompano 69

    6 kt ENEL 3:15 PM · 0.3 ftH 10:19 PM · 2.3 ft

  • Seddon Channel

    Channel · 0.7 mi

    70
    Top: Spotted seatroutPeak season
    • Spotted seatrout 70
    • Common snook 69
    • Florida pompano 69

    6 kt ENEL 3:07 PM · 0.3 ftH 10:18 PM · 2.3 ft

  • Top: Florida pompanoPeak season
    • Florida pompano 69
    • Spotted seatrout 64
    • Common snook 63

    6 kt ENEL 3:46 PM · 0.3 ftH 11:16 PM · 2.1 ft

  • Sparkman Channel

    Channel · 0.6 mi

    69
    Top: Common snookShoulder season
    • Common snook 69
    • Spotted seatrout 68
    • Florida pompano 66

    6 kt ENEL 3:15 PM · 0.3 ftH 10:19 PM · 2.3 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.