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Atlantic croakerRetention openBar · Florida
Walter L Hudson, Junior Artificial Reef
28.32°N · 80.55°W · Bar · Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm
Species here · tap to switch
- Best of all
- Gray snapper67
- Atlantic tarpon65
- Atlantic croaker64
- King mackerel64
- Red snapper61
- Common snook60
- Red drum60
- Summer flounder60
- Gray triggerfish59
- Crevalle jack58
- Black drum57
- Black sea bass57
- Red grouper57
- Spot57
- Southern flounder55
- Spanish mackerel54
- Greater amberjack52
- Sheepshead51
- Florida pompano50
- Weakfish49
- Cobia47
- Little tunny47
- Spotted seatrout47
- Mahi-mahi45
- Wahoo43
- Bluefish35
- Sailfish35
- Yellowfin tuna35
- Gag grouper20
Best score today · 9 AM · Atlantic croaker
- Now
- 644 AM EDT
- Best window
- 7-11 AMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Flooding3.0 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Walter L Hudson, Junior Artificial Reef 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 · 4 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
78Tide: FloodingCurrent: WeakWind & pressure
ECMWF
87Wind: 2 kt WSWPressure: RisingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
76Water temp: 83°F, warmLight: NightSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 0.7 ftSeason & habitat · Atlantic croaker
Species seasonality
73Season: PeakHabitat: Poor fitDepth: Out of rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Atlantic state waters (Nassau through Miami-Dade counties)
Atlantic croaker
Retention open- Daily limit
- 50 per day
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Not published
- Season
- No closed season on file
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- 50 per person per species. No minimum size. Open year-round.
From FWC Recreational Regulations: Spot and Atlantic croaker, read Sep 13
Other species here
- 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))
- 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 Atlantic croaker is best here
Peak season for Atlantic croaker · 5 more weeks at peak
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Walter L Hudson, Junior Artificial Reef
- Depth
- 40-45 ftFlat bottom
- Structure
- Reef · Outer · ExposedReef · flat bottom
- Season
- Peak seasonAtlantic croaker
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 Walter L Hudson, Junior Artificial Reef
Walter L Hudson, Junior Artificial Reef is a bar in Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm, Florida. Depth is 40-45 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads reef, outer water and exposed.
Waterlands scores 29 species here; the best right now are gray snapper, Atlantic tarpon and Atlantic croaker. It is peak season now for gray snapper, Atlantic tarpon, Atlantic croaker and king mackerel, and shoulder season for red snapper, gray triggerfish, black drum and black sea bass. Gray snapper peak from June through September. Atlantic tarpon peak from July through September. Atlantic croaker peak from August through October.
Tackle & technique
- 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.
- 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 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.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Shortys Pocket71
Bay · 4.1 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 71
- Spot 69
- Common snook 68
2 kt WSWH 5:40 AM · 3.9 ftL 12:03 PM · 0.9 ft
- Sprig Point70
Cape · 4.7 mi
Top: Red drumPeak season- Red drum 70
- Atlantic tarpon 70
- Southern flounder 69
2 kt WSWH 5:40 AM · 3.9 ftL 12:03 PM · 0.9 ft
- Shortys Banks68
Bar · 4.6 mi
Top: Common snookPeak season- Common snook 68
- Atlantic croaker 66
- Atlantic tarpon 65
2 kt WSWH 5:40 AM · 3.9 ftL 12:03 PM · 0.9 ft
- Shell Point67
Cape · 5.0 mi
Top: Common snookPeak season- Common snook 67
- Atlantic croaker 65
- Atlantic tarpon 65
2 kt WSWH 5:44 AM · 3.4 ftL 11:48 AM · 0.9 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.