Waterlands

UPDATEDAUTO-REFRESH 5 MIN

Red snapperCheck regulations

Channel · Florida

East Channel

27.92°N · 80.50°W · Channel · Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm

LOADING MAP

Best score today · 7 PM · Red snapper

80/100Great
Now
431 PM EDT
Best window
7-9 PMHigh slack
Tide now
Low0.4 ft

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

Notify me when East Channel scores 75+

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

Sign in to set an alert

14-day forecast

Best days to fish

Best: Fri · 84

24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 1 PM · now

Time1PNOW
Score43Fair
Tide0.4 ftLow
Current0.2 knmodeled · toward SW
Wind5 kn NEgusts 13 · steady
Sea stateLight chop1.2 ft · 7 s
Air temp84°Hot
WeatherOvercast85% chance of rain
Water86°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Atlantic state waters (Nassau through Miami-Dade counties)

IN EFFECT NOW

Red snapper

Check regulations

No 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22 to June 20 and three October weekends, 1 fish, no minimum size) is temporarily postponed, and Executive Order 26-16 rescinded the 2026 Atlantic red snapper order.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)
Always check with FWC ↗Fishing license ↗

Source: FWC · synced today

Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed

When Red snapper is best here

Shoulder season for Red snapper · 31 more weeks at shoulder

Red snapper season by week of the year. Shoulder season for Red snapper · 31 more weeks at shoulder.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

Red snapper in Florida →

Spot profile

East Channel

Depth
3-7 ftFlat bottom
Structure
Channel · Outer · Semi-exposedChannel · 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 East Channel

East Channel is a channel in Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm, Florida. Depth is 3-7 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads channel, outer water and semi-exposed.

Waterlands scores 29 species here; the best right now are Atlantic tarpon, Atlantic croaker and common snook. It is peak season now for Atlantic tarpon, Atlantic croaker, common snook and crevalle jack, and shoulder season for black drum, black sea bass, weakfish and wahoo. Atlantic tarpon peak from July through September. Atlantic croaker peak from August through October. 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.
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.
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.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

View all on map →
  • Mullet Creek

    Bay · 0.6 mi

    64
    Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season
    • Atlantic tarpon 64
    • Atlantic croaker 61
    • Crevalle jack 60

    5 kt NEL 3:00 PM · 0.4 ftH 8:27 PM · 0.4 ft

  • Middle Gap

    Bay · 0.2 mi

    61
    Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season
    • Atlantic croaker 61
    • Crevalle jack 60
    • Atlantic tarpon 59

    5 kt NEL 3:00 PM · 0.4 ftH 8:27 PM · 0.4 ft

  • Middle Banks

    Bar · 0.5 mi

    59
    Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season
    • Atlantic tarpon 59
    • Common snook 58
    • Summer flounder 57

    5 kt NEL 3:00 PM · 0.4 ftH 8:27 PM · 0.4 ft

  • Shell Pit Point

    Cape · 1.0 mi

    59
    Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season
    • Atlantic tarpon 59
    • Common snook 58
    • Atlantic croaker 55

    5 kt NEL 3:00 PM · 0.4 ftH 8:27 PM · 0.4 ft

Open in the tide map

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.