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Joe's Tug (MO0053)

Artificial reef Monroe County, Florida, Atlantic side. 90' Long Tugboat.

Latitude24° 27.850' N
Longitude81° 44.270' W
Decimal24.46416, -81.73783
Depth65 ft
Relief25 ft
MaterialTugboat 90'
DeployedJanuary 21, 1989
WaterState

What bites on Joe's Tug

Structure in 65 ft on the South Florida reef tract usually holds: Mutton snapper, Yellowtail snapper, Mangrove snapper, Black grouper, Amberjack, Cobia. 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 Joe's Tug

In 65 ft, pay out about 345 ft of rode at 5:1 in calm water, or 483 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.

Fishing Joe's Tug this week?Get the plan for it: GO / NO-GO for your boat, the bite window on the tide, rigs, bait and the rotation list of nearby reefs.
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Today's fishing report near Joe's Tug

Key West fishing report — today: tides, wind, seas, water temperature and the GO / NO-GO call for inshore and offshore, updated through the day. Also nearby: Marathon fishing report (44 mi).

Nearby reefs

ReefDistanceHeadingDepth
Hoyt Vandenberg MO00620.3 miSSE145 ft
Cayman Salvage Master MO00241.9 miWSW92 ft
Key West Tournament Reef MO00202.2 miWSW184 ft
Key West Tournament Reef MO00182.2 miWSW180 ft
USS Curb MO00162.7 miSW185 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.