King mackerel fishing out of Hernando Beach is shallow-water fishing over rock and artificial reefs. The structure runs from about 2 miles out, near Gomez Rocks, to about 20 nautical miles west at Bendickson Reef. Most of it sits in 18 to 26 ft of water. This guide covers where boats run, the named grounds, and who fishes them. Launching and local conditions are on the Hernando Beach port page, and this page stays on the grounds along the Nature Coast.
When king mackerel are around Hernando Beach
This page covers where to look from this port. Timing and movement are covered on the species and regional pages. For how kings move and what water they want, see the king mackerel guide. For the wider migration picture, read about king mackerel along the Gulf coast (see also the Gulf of Mexico region guide). Set your timing from those pages, then pick a ground here.
Where boats run from Hernando Beach
The water stays shallow throughout, at roughly 18 to 26 ft on the named structure. The choice is between a short trip to Gomez Rocks and the long run west to Bendickson Reef.
| Run | Distance | Bottom | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gomez Rocks | About 2 miles out | Offshore rocky bottom | About 20 ft |
| Bendickson Reef (Army tanks) | About 20 nautical miles west | Army tanks | 26 ft |
Gomez Rocks, about 2 miles out
The short run is about 2 miles out, near Gomez Rocks. The bottom there is offshore rock at about 20 ft. The ground is Gomez Rocks (north and south), described as pilings with rocks between them.
The long run west to Bendickson Reef
The Bendickson Reef Army tanks sit about 20 nautical miles west of Hernando Beach, in 26 ft. Check the official marine forecast before a run this long.
Grounds and structure that hold kings
Most of the named grounds are artificial reefs. Gomez Rocks is the one natural rock ground.
| Site | Structure | Depth (ft) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bendickson Reef (Army tanks) | Army tanks | 26 | About 20 nautical miles west of Hernando Beach |
| Bendickson Reef (concrete culvert sites) | Concrete culverts | 25 | |
| Ghost Ship | Decommissioned concrete sailboat | ||
| A.H. Richardson Reef | Concrete culverts | 18 | |
| Richardson Reef (Skyway concrete rubble) | Skyway concrete rubble | 20 | |
| Jim Champion Reef (sites 1 to 4) | 20 | ||
| Reef Ball Reef | 25 | ||
| Gomez Rocks (north and south) | Pilings with rocks between them | About 20 | About 2 miles out |
Depths are approximate. Structure shown on the Chart Contours layer is for planning where to look. Chart layers are not for navigation.
Bendickson Reef sites
Bendickson Reef has two named sites. The Army tanks sit in 26 ft, about 20 nautical miles west. The concrete culvert sites sit in 25 ft.
The Ghost Ship
The Ghost Ship is a decommissioned concrete sailboat placed as reef structure and fished as its own named ground.
Richardson reefs
Two reefs carry the Richardson name. A.H. Richardson Reef is concrete culverts at 18 ft. Richardson Reef is Skyway concrete rubble at 20 ft.
Jim Champion Reef
Jim Champion Reef has sites 1 to 4, all at 20 ft.
Reef Ball Reef
Reef Ball Reef sits at 25 ft.
Gomez Rocks
Gomez Rocks is the closest named ground: pilings with rocks between them, on rocky bottom at about 20 ft, about 2 miles out.
How kings are fished here and who fishes them
Every named ground sits in 18 to 26 ft. The bottom is culverts, rubble, tanks, a concrete hull, or rock and pilings.
Fishing the shallow structure
With such a narrow depth range, structure type is the main difference between grounds. Culverts and rubble hold at 18 to 20 ft. The tanks and Reef Ball Reef sit a few feet deeper. The same structure holds other fish too; for those, see the coastal and offshore gamefish guides.
Angling Adventures
The Angling Adventures offshore charter lists king mackerel among its offshore targets. It runs a Sea Fox 256, a 26-foot offshore boat with twin 150 HP Yamaha outboards, which gives a size benchmark for these grounds if you run your own boat.
FAQ: king mackerel fishing out of Hernando Beach
How far out are the closest king grounds?
About 2 miles out, near Gomez Rocks, on rocky bottom at about 20 ft.
How deep is the water on the reefs?
The named structure sits in 18 to 26 ft. A.H. Richardson Reef is the shallowest at 18 ft. The Bendickson Army tanks are the deepest at 26 ft.
What is at Bendickson Reef?
Army tanks at 26 ft, about 20 nautical miles west of Hernando Beach. There are also concrete culvert sites at 25 ft.
What are Gomez Rocks?
A north and south ground described as pilings with rocks between them, about 2 miles out.
Is there a charter that targets kings here?
Angling Adventures lists king mackerel among its offshore targets. It runs a 26-foot Sea Fox 256 with twin 150 HP Yamaha outboards.
