Red grouper out of Venice at a glance
Red grouper fishing out of Venice, Florida, is a year-round bottom fishery. Liquid Lifestyle describes bottom fishing here as year-round, with no seasonal split to plan around. Boats work three bands: nearshore reefs at 4 to 7 miles, Swiss Cheese hard bottom, and grounds 30 to 40 miles out. Biology and general tactics are in our red grouper guide. This page covers the port’s numbers. For the wider coast, see the red grouper fishing in the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico offshore fishing guide.
- Season: year-round bottom fishing
- Nearshore reefs: 4 to 7 miles out
- Natural hard bottom: Swiss Cheese
- Far grounds: 30 to 40 miles out
- Working depth: about 70 ft
Where boats run
The fishery breaks into three bands: nearshore reefs, natural hard bottom, and the long run offshore. Most trips choose the band first and the spot second.
Nearshore reefs, 4 to 7 miles
Venice Reef Charters lists reefs 4 to 7 miles out. The named Venice and M-series reefs are detailed in the next section.
Swiss Cheese hard bottom
Swiss Cheese is natural hard bottom. Boats drift it and mark fish.
30 to 40 miles out
Top Priority runs 30 to 40 miles out, the longest of the three runs.
Reading conditions before the run
NOAA C-MAN station VENF1 (Venice, FL), at 27.072 N, 82.453 W, is the nearest buoy. Use it for wind, and for waves if the station reports them. It reports conditions at one fixed point near the coast, and conditions 30 to 40 miles out can differ. Check VENF1 and the official NWS marine forecast before the run.
Named grounds and structure
Swiss Cheese is natural bottom. Everything in the table below is placed structure. Bearings are listed as the source gives them.
| Site | Structure | Depth | Position as sourced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venice Reef Site I4 / Reef 14 | Venice Bridge and Pier | 25 ft | 0.8 nm at 230° from Venice Inlet |
| Venice Reef Sites 1 and 2 | Old bridge materials and concrete rubble | – | – |
| Venice Reef V-1 to V-5 | Limestone boulders | – | – |
| M-9 | Tanks | 60 ft | 15.5 nm at 205° from New Pass Gulf marker |
| M-10 | Upside-down barge and sailboat hulls | – | – |
| M-11 | Reef balls | – | – |
| M-13 | Concrete culverts, sites 1 to 5 | – | – |
| M-15a and M-15b | Culverts, rubble | – | – |
Venice reefs
Reef 14 (Site I4) sits in 25 ft, 0.8 nm at 230 degrees from Venice Inlet, which makes it the closest listed reef to the inlet. Sites 1 and 2 are old bridge materials and concrete rubble. V-1 to V-5 are limestone boulders.
M-series reefs
M-9 holds tanks in 60 ft, 15.5 nm at 205 degrees from the New Pass Gulf marker rather than Venice Inlet. M-10 is an upside-down barge and sailboat hulls. M-11 is reef balls. M-13 is concrete culverts, sites 1 to 5. M-15a and M-15b are culverts and rubble.
Chart positions here are for planning, not navigation. Confirm them on an official chart before you run.
How red grouper are fished here
Local boats use two methods, drifting live bait and bottom fishing, both in about 70 ft. Rigs and general reef technique are covered in our reef fish guides.
Drifting live bait
Boats drift with live bait. On Swiss Cheese, they drift and mark fish.
Bottom fishing
Bottom fishing is the other local method, worked on the structure listed above.
Depth
Red grouper are fished in about 70 ft.
Who fishes them out of Venice
Three operators list red grouper fishing out of Venice. Top Priority runs 30 to 40 miles out.
| Operator | Boat | Captain named |
|---|---|---|
| Top Priority Fishing Charters | 34 ft Yellowfin center console | Capt. David |
| Playin’ Hookey Fishing Charters | 20 ft Sea Hunt Open Fisherman | Capt. Peter Koenig |
| The Miss Venice Deep Sea Fishing | – | Captain Joe |
FAQ: red grouper fishing out of Venice
Is there a red grouper season split at Venice?
No seasonal split is given. Liquid Lifestyle describes bottom fishing here as year-round. For rules, see the Regulations section above.
How far do Venice boats run for red grouper?
Venice Reef Charters lists reefs 4 to 7 miles out. Top Priority runs 30 to 40 miles out. Swiss Cheese hard bottom is the natural ground.
How deep do they fish?
About 70 ft. The listed structure runs shallower and deeper: Reef 14 sits in 25 ft and M-9 in 60 ft.
What is the closest artificial reef to Venice Inlet?
Reef 14 (Site I4, Venice Bridge and Pier), in 25 ft, 0.8 nm at 230 degrees from Venice Inlet. Treat the position as a planning figure, not for navigation.
Which buoy covers Venice?
NOAA C-MAN station VENF1, at 27.072 N, 82.453 W. It is a single coastal point, so pair it with the official NWS marine forecast.
Which charters list red grouper out of Venice?
Top Priority (Capt. David), Playin’ Hookey (Capt. Peter Koenig), and The Miss Venice (Captain Joe).
