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Gray snapperRetention openBay · Florida
Shortys Pocket
28.30°N · 80.61°W · Bay · Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm
Species here · tap to switch
- Best of all
- Atlantic croaker75
- Spot73
- Crevalle jack72
- Common snook69
- King mackerel68
- Atlantic tarpon66
- Summer flounder66
- Gray snapper65
- Red drum64
- Southern flounder64
- Spotted seatrout58
- Black sea bass57
- Spanish mackerel57
- Weakfish57
- Black drum56
- Gray triggerfish56
- Little tunny56
- Red grouper55
- Red snapper55
- Cobia54
- Sheepshead53
- Florida pompano51
- Mahi-mahi51
- Greater amberjack50
- Wahoo49
- Bluefish35
- Sailfish35
- Yellowfin tuna35
- Gag grouper20
Best score today · 6 PM · Gray snapper
- Now
- 658 AM EDT
- Best window
- 2 PM-12 AMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Ebbing3.0 ft ▼
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Shortys Pocket 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 · 8 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
74Tide: EbbingCurrent: WeakWind & pressure
ECMWF
80Wind: 1 kt WPressure: RisingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
89Water temp: 83°F, primeLight: DawnSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 0.7 ftSeason & habitat · Gray snapper
Species seasonality
68Season: PeakHabitat: Poor fitDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Atlantic state waters (Nassau through Miami-Dade counties)
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 (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 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))
- 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 Gray snapper is best here
Peak season for Gray snapper · 1 more week at peak
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Shortys Pocket
- Depth
- 1-3 ftFlat bottom
- Structure
- Bay · Outer · Semi-exposedBay · flat bottom
- Season
- Peak 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 Shortys Pocket
Shortys Pocket is a bay in Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm, Florida. Depth is 1-3 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads bay, outer water and semi-exposed.
Waterlands scores 29 species here; the best right now are Atlantic croaker, spot and crevalle jack. It is peak season now for Atlantic croaker, spot, crevalle jack and common snook, and shoulder season for black sea bass, Spanish mackerel, weakfish and black drum. Atlantic croaker peak from August through October. Spot peak from September through October. Crevalle jack peak from July through October.
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.
- 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
- Indian River Lagoon75
Bay · 2.6 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 75
- Spot 73
- Crevalle jack 72
1 kt WL 12:03 PM · 0.9 ftH 6:09 PM · 4.1 ft
- Sprig Point73
Cape · 0.6 mi
Top: Red drumPeak season- Red drum 73
- Southern flounder 72
- Atlantic tarpon 72
1 kt WL 12:03 PM · 0.9 ftH 6:09 PM · 4.1 ft
- Shortys Banks70
Bar · 0.8 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 70
- Common snook 69
- King mackerel 68
1 kt WL 12:03 PM · 0.9 ftH 6:09 PM · 4.1 ft
- Buck Point70
Cape · 2.6 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 70
- Common snook 69
- King mackerel 68
1 kt WL 12:03 PM · 0.9 ftH 6:09 PM · 4.1 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.