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King mackerelRetention openBay · Florida
Washburn Cove
27.97°N · 80.52°W · Bay · Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm
Species here · tap to switch
- Best of all
- Atlantic croaker62
- Crevalle jack60
- Spot60
- Common snook59
- Atlantic tarpon57
- King mackerel57
- Summer flounder55
- Red drum53
- Gray snapper52
- Southern flounder52
- Mahi-mahi50
- Wahoo48
- Florida pompano46
- Spanish mackerel46
- Weakfish46
- Black drum45
- Black sea bass45
- Little tunny45
- Gray triggerfish44
- Spotted seatrout44
- Cobia43
- Red snapper43
- Red grouper42
- Sheepshead41
- Greater amberjack38
- Bluefish35
- Sailfish35
- Yellowfin tuna35
- Gag grouper20
Best score today · 7 PM · King mackerel
- Now
- 5710 AM 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 Washburn Cove 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 · 10 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
18Tide: Low slackCurrent: WeakWind & pressure
ECMWF
89Wind: 2 kt NWPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
72Water temp: 83°F, warmLight: OvercastSolunar: Near a majorSeas: 1.1 ftSeason & habitat · King mackerel
Species seasonality
88Season: PeakHabitat: Usable structureDepth: Out of rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Atlantic state waters (Nassau through Miami-Dade counties)
King mackerel
Retention open- Daily limit
- 2 per day
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Minimum 24 in, fork length
- Season
- No closed season on file
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- Hook and line and spearing only. Open year-round.
From FWC Recreational Regulations: King Mackerel, 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)
- 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 King mackerel is best here
Peak season for King mackerel · 5 more weeks at peak
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Washburn Cove
- Depth
- 3-4 ftFlat bottom
- Structure
- Bay · Outer · Semi-exposedBay · flat bottom
- Season
- Peak seasonKing mackerel
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 Washburn Cove
Washburn Cove is a bay in Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm, Florida. Depth is 3-4 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, crevalle jack and spot. It is peak season now for Atlantic croaker, crevalle jack, spot and common snook, and shoulder season for mahi-mahi, wahoo, Florida pompano and Spanish mackerel. Atlantic croaker peak from August through October. Crevalle jack peak from July through October. Spot peak from September through October.
Tackle & technique
- 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.
- 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.
- Crevalle jack
- Jacks roam in schools through inlets, passes, bays, river mouths and along beaches, pushing bait to the surface, and big fish also hold on nearshore reefs and wrecks. Watch for birds and surface blowups, then cast a popper, a spoon or a bucktail into the school and retrieve fast. Bring heavy spinning tackle, because a jack over 15 pounds runs hard and fights for a long time.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Snag Harbor62
Bay · 1.2 mi
Top: Common snookPeak season- Common snook 62
- Atlantic tarpon 61
- Atlantic croaker 60
2 kt NWL 3:00 PM · 0.4 ftH 8:27 PM · 0.4 ft
- South Snag Harbor62
Bay · 1.6 mi
Top: Common snookPeak season- Common snook 62
- Atlantic tarpon 61
- Atlantic croaker 60
2 kt NWL 3:00 PM · 0.4 ftH 8:27 PM · 0.4 ft
- Hog Point59
Cape · 0.8 mi
Top: Common snookPeak season- Common snook 59
- Atlantic croaker 57
- King mackerel 57
2 kt NWL 3:00 PM · 0.4 ftH 8:27 PM · 0.4 ft
- Rock Point59
Cape · 1.6 mi
Top: Common snookPeak season- Common snook 59
- Atlantic croaker 57
- King mackerel 57
2 kt NWL 3:00 PM · 0.4 ftH 8:27 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.
