7 Mile Reef South (ME0009)
Artificial reef Manatee County, Florida, Gulf side. 375 Tons of Concrete Culverts, Five Loads, Also On 6/21/89.
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 South
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 South
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 South
Sarasota fishing report — today: tides, wind, seas, water temperature and the GO / NO-GO call for inshore and offshore, updated through the day. Also nearby: Tampa Bay fishing report (25 mi).
Nearby reefs
| Reef | Distance | Heading | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Mile Reef South ME0002 | 4 yd | S | 40 ft |
| 7 Mile South Reef, Site 'P'-02-08 ME0055 | 55 yd | SSW | 40 ft |
| 7 Mile South Reef, Site 'C'-00-02 ME0031 | 74 yd | SE | 41 ft |
| 7 Mile South Reef, Site 'C'-00-06 ME0037 | 140 yd | SSW | 41 ft |
| 7 Mile South Reef, Site 'C'-00-07 ME0038 | 155 yd | SSW | 41 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.