Waterlands

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Gray snapperRetention open

Cape · Florida

Papys Point

27.83°N · 82.59°W · Cape · Tampa Bay waters

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Best score today · 7 PM · Gray snapper

83/100Great
Now
581 PM EST
Best window
6-10 PMFlood tide
Tide now
Ebbing0.8 ft ▼

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

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24-hour conditions

Sunday, Nov 8 · 7 AM

Time7A
Score62Good
Tide0.1 ft ▼Ebbing
CurrentEbb0.5 kn · toward S
Wind2 kn NNEgusts 6 · steady
Sea stateCalm0.3 ft · 3 s
Air temp66°Mild
WeatherClear5% cloud
Water78°FModel

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Gulf state waters (Escambia through Collier counties)

IN EFFECT NOW

Gray snapper

Retention open
Daily limit
5 per day (10 snapper combined)
Possession
Not published
Size
Minimum 10 in, total length
Season
No closed season on file
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Open year-round in Gulf and Atlantic state waters. Special rules apply in Biscayne National Park. Counts toward the 10-snapper aggregate per person per day. Reef fish gear rules apply. Land with head and fins intact. Federal waters have a 12-inch minimum and a 10-fish bag.

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 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))
  • Red snapper Closed (No retention)
  • 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 Gray snapper is best here

Shoulder season for Gray snapper · 4 more weeks at shoulder

Gray snapper season by week of the year. Shoulder season for Gray snapper · 4 more weeks at shoulder.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

Gray snapper in Florida →

Spot profile

Papys Point

Depth
3-4 ftFlat bottom
Structure
Point · Inner · Semi-exposedPoint · flat bottom
Season
Shoulder seasonGray 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 Papys Point

Papys Point is a cape in Tampa Bay waters, Florida. Depth is 3-4 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads point, inner water and semi-exposed.

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

Tackle & technique

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.
Red drum
Redfish feed on shallow grass flats, oyster bars and marsh edges, often in 1 to 4 feet of water, and drop into channels, deep holes and tidal creeks when the water turns very hot or cold. Work a live shrimp under a popping cork or a soft plastic along the grass line on a rising tide, then fish creek mouths and drains as the tide falls. Bull reds over 30 inches school in the surf, passes and jetties in late summer and fall, where cut mullet or a live crab on the bottom is the standard approach.
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

  • Christmas Pass

    Channel · 0.6 mi

    77
    Top: Red drumPeak season
    • Red drum 77
    • Spanish mackerel 76
    • Spotted seatrout 76

    12 kt ESEL 3:53 PM · 0.3 ftH 10:56 PM · 2.0 ft

  • Port Tampa Channel

    Channel · 1.9 mi

    75
    Top: Spotted seatroutPeak season
    • Spotted seatrout 75
    • Red drum 73
    • Common snook 69

    12 kt ESEL 3:53 PM · 0.3 ftH 10:56 PM · 2.0 ft

  • Bayou Grande

    Bay · 0.8 mi

    73
    Top: Spanish mackerelPeak season
    • Spanish mackerel 73
    • Red drum 72
    • Spotted seatrout 72

    12 kt ESEL 3:53 PM · 0.3 ftH 10:56 PM · 2.0 ft

  • Mermaid Point

    Cape · 0.6 mi

    68
    Top: Red drumPeak season
    • Red drum 68
    • Spanish mackerel 68
    • Spotted seatrout 68

    12 kt ESEL 3:53 PM · 0.3 ftH 10:56 PM · 2.0 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.