Whale Key 5 (ME0092)
Artificial reef Manatee County, Florida, Gulf side. 10 Reef Ball Modules; 1 Deep Cover, 1 Bay Ball Layer Cake, 1 Mini Bay Layer Cakes, 5 Juvenile Log Habitats, 1 Ring Cover, 1 Reef Cube.
What bites on Whale Key 5
Structure in 10 ft on the Gulf coast usually holds: Sheepshead, Mangrove snapper, Gag grouper, Spanish mackerel, Flounder. 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 Whale Key 5
In 10 ft, pay out about 70 ft of rode at 5:1 in calm water, or 98 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 Whale Key 5
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whale Key 4 ME0088 | 28 yd | SSW | 10 ft |
| Whale Key Reef SBEP2024 ME0104 | 38 yd | ENE | 10 ft |
| Walker Reef (Bay) ST0080 | 0.7 mi | SSE | 12 ft |
| Walker Reef (Bay) ST0083 | 0.7 mi | SSE | 11 ft |
| Bayshore South 2 ME0090 | 0.8 mi | ENE | 11 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.