John and Melba's Reef Chief (BA0216)
Artificial reef Bay County, Florida, Gulf side. 5 Florida Limestone Modules.
What bites on John and Melba's Reef Chief
Structure in 68 ft on the Gulf coast usually holds: Red snapper, Gag grouper, Red grouper, Mangrove snapper, Triggerfish, Amberjack. What is actually biting changes with the season, water temperature and tide — the day's plan for this reef has the bite window and what to target that day.
Anchoring on John and Melba's Reef Chief
In 68 ft, pay out about 360 ft of rode at 5:1 in calm water, or 504 ft at 7:1 when it's blowing. Drop the anchor up-drift of the structure by about the same distance and fall back onto it. Before you drop, kill the engine for 60 seconds and watch your GPS track — that's your real drift, and it beats any forecast.
Today's fishing report near John and Melba's Reef Chief
Apalachicola fishing report — today: tides, wind, seas, water temperature and the GO / NO-GO call for inshore and offshore, updated through the day. Also nearby: Panama City Beach fishing report (34 mi).
Nearby reefs
| Reef | Distance | Heading | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melba Joswiak Memorial BA0483 | 70 yd | NNE | 71 ft |
| Breen Memorial Reef BA0060 | 73 yd | N | 66 ft |
| MB-292 Unnamed BA0559 | 0.2 mi | SSE | 67 ft |
| MB-131 BA0252 | 0.3 mi | E | 66 ft |
| Crazy Blonde Reef BA0253 | 0.4 mi | SE | 65 ft |
Before you go
Size limits, bag limits and seasons change — check the current Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) rules for the day you fish. Carry a descending device for reef fish you release.