7 Mile Reef North (ME0001)
Artificial reef Manatee County, Florida, Gulf side. Tires, Concrete Rubble.
The state lists this mark as low-accuracy. Use it to get close, then find the structure on your sounder before you anchor.
What bites on 7 Mile Reef North
Structure in 40 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 7 Mile Reef North
In 40 ft, pay out about 220 ft of rode at 5:1 in calm water, or 308 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 7 Mile Reef North
Tampa Bay fishing report — today: tides, wind, seas, water temperature and the GO / NO-GO call for inshore and offshore, updated through the day. Also nearby: Sarasota fishing report (24 mi).
Nearby reefs
| Reef | Distance | Heading | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Mile North Reef, Site "09-01-07" ME0083 | 0.1 mi | N | 40 ft |
| 7 Mile North Reef, Site "06-02-04" ME0079 | 0.2 mi | N | 42 ft |
| 7 Mile North Reef, Site "07-01-05" ME0081 | 0.2 mi | NNW | 42 ft |
| Misener Barge ME0006 | 2.3 mi | ENE | 25 ft |
| Jim's Gift (June 2020) ME0096 | 4.0 mi | ESE | 33 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.