How to fish it
Night outgoing tides for tarpon and snook. Give way to boats lining up for the drawbridge.
Best tide: Outgoing tide at night.
Tide station: Snake Creek, USCG Station, Plantation Key. See today's tides and currents on the conditions page, or open this spot on the map.
What you can catch here
Tarpon
Catch & release- Bait
- Live blue crabs (silver-dollar size), mullet or pinfish drifted along the shadow line; a dead mullet on the bottom
- Tackle
- 7 ft heavy spinning rod with an 8000–10000 reel and 50–65 lb braid, or a 30–50 lb conventional
- Rig
- 4–6 ft of 60–80 lb fluorocarbon; 6/0–8/0 in-line circle hook; a small float keeps a crab near the surface
Snook
28–33" total length slot; 1 per person per day; hook and line only; snook permit required. Closed Dec 1 – end of February and May 1 – Sept 30 (Monroe County follows FWC's Southwest snook region). Charter captain and crew may not keep snook.- Bait
- Live pilchards, pinfish, mullet or shrimp drifted with the current along the shadow line
- Tackle
- 7 ft medium-heavy spinning rod, 4000–5000 reel, 30–40 lb braid
- Rig
- 2–3 ft of 40–60 lb fluorocarbon (bridges are rough on line); 2/0–5/0 circle hook
Mangrove (gray) snapper
10" total length minimum and 5 per person within the 10-snapper aggregate in state waters (12" and 10 per person in federal waters); open year-round. Reef fish gear rules apply.- Bait
- Live shrimp, pilchards or small pinfish; cut ballyhoo or squid, with chum to bring them up
- Tackle
- 7 ft medium-light spinning rod, 3000–4000 reel, 15–20 lb braid
- Rig
- 3–4 ft of 20–30 lb fluorocarbon (they are leader-shy); 1/0–2/0 non-stainless circle hook on a knocker or split-shot rig
Barracuda
15–36" fork length slot, with 1 fish over 36" per person or boat per day (whichever is less); 2 per person, 6 per boat; open year-round; applies in state and adjacent federal waters off Monroe County.- Bait
- Live pilchards, pinfish or ballyhoo, or a whole needlefish
- Tackle
- 7 ft medium spinning rod, 4000–5000 reel, 20–30 lb braid
- Rig
- 12–18 in of #4–#6 single-strand wire (their teeth cut mono); 2/0–4/0 hook
Access
- Fished by
- Charter a boat; Bring your own boat
- Skill
- Beginner
- Position
- About 24.9517, -80.5883 (NOAA tide station 8723787).
Snake Creek is an operating drawbridge with no designated fishing span; fish it by boat and give way to traffic waiting for the bridge.
Not for navigation. Positions are approximate. Use official charts, watch your depth and respect private property and posted signs.