Waterlands

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SheepsheadRetention open

Cape · Florida

Shell Pit Point

27.91°N · 80.51°W · Cape · Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm

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Best score today · 4 PM · Sheepshead

64/100Good
Now
462 PM EST
Best window
2-8 PMDusk
Tide now
Flooding0.4 ft ▲

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

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24-hour conditions

Wednesday, Nov 4 · 7 AM

Time7A
Score44Fair
Tide0.4 ft ▼Ebbing
Current0.2 knmodeled · toward NW
Wind5 kn Egusts 9 · building
Sea stateModerate3.7 ft · 7 s
Air temp74°Warm
WeatherClear2% cloud
Water78°FBias corrected

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Atlantic state waters (Nassau through Miami-Dade counties)

IN EFFECT NOW

Sheepshead

Retention open
Daily limit
8 per day
Possession
Not published
Size
Minimum 12 in, total length
Season
No closed season on file
Annual quota
Not published
Other
State rules extend into federal waters. Special rules apply in Biscayne National Park. Hook and line, cast net, seine, spear or gig. No multiple hooks with natural bait. No snatching. Open year-round. A 50-fish vessel limit applies in March and April.

From FWC Recreational Regulations: Sheepshead, 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))
  • Red snapper Check regulations
  • Sailfish Retention open (1 per day (1 billfish combined))
  • Snook Retention open (1 per day)
  • Southern flounder Closed (No retention)
  • Spanish mackerel Retention open (15 per day)
  • Spot Retention open (50 per day)
  • Spotted seatrout Closed (No retention)
  • 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 Sheepshead is best here

Shoulder season for Sheepshead · 12 more weeks at shoulder

Sheepshead season by week of the year. Shoulder season for Sheepshead · 12 more weeks at shoulder.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

Sheepshead in Florida →

Spot profile

Shell Pit Point

Depth
5-9 ftFlat bottom
Structure
Point · Outer · ExposedPoint · flat bottom
Season
Shoulder seasonSheepshead

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 Shell Pit Point

Shell Pit Point is a cape in Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm, Florida. Depth is 5-9 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads point, outer water and exposed.

Waterlands scores 30 species here; the best right now are Florida pompano, king mackerel and little tunny. It is peak season now for Florida pompano, little tunny, wahoo and black sea bass, and shoulder season for king mackerel, red snapper, yellowfin tuna and crevalle jack. Florida pompano peak from March through April and from October through November. King mackerel peak in May and from September through October. Little tunny peak from October through November.

Tackle & technique

Sheepshead
Sheepshead graze barnacles and crabs off pilings, jetty rocks, bridge supports, oyster bars and nearshore reefs, from a few feet deep out to about 50 feet. Drop a fiddler crab, sand flea or piece of shrimp on a small, strong hook straight down next to the structure with just enough weight to hold bottom. The bite is a light tap, so keep the line tight and set the hook fast.
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.
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.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

  • Middle Banks

    Bar · 1.2 mi

    67
    Top: Florida pompanoPeak season
    • Florida pompano 67
    • King mackerel 60
    • Wahoo 60

    7 kt EH 4:04 PM · 0.4 ftL 11:08 PM · 0.4 ft

  • East Channel

    Channel · 1.0 mi

    64
    Top: Black sea bassPeak season
    • Black sea bass 64
    • Florida pompano 60
    • King mackerel 60

    7 kt EH 4:04 PM · 0.4 ftL 11:08 PM · 0.4 ft

  • Middle Gap

    Bay · 1.2 mi

    60
    Top: Florida pompanoPeak season
    • Florida pompano 60
    • King mackerel 60
    • Wahoo 60

    7 kt EH 4:04 PM · 0.4 ftL 11:08 PM · 0.4 ft

  • Mullet Creek

    Bay · 1.6 mi

    60
    Top: Florida pompanoPeak season
    • Florida pompano 60
    • King mackerel 60
    • Wahoo 60

    7 kt EH 4:04 PM · 0.4 ftL 11:08 PM · 0.4 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.