Spanish mackerel fishing out of Cedar Key runs on two grounds. In summer the fish are on Seahorse Reef, offshore; in warm months they also hold inshore on the Deadman’s Key flats. This is the Big Bend coast, and what follows sticks to numbers you can use: depths, FWC reef coordinates and the nearest NOAA station. For the wider port picture, see the Cedar Key port page.
When Spanish mackerel are around Cedar Key
The season splits by zone: summer offshore on Seahorse Reef, warm months inshore on the Deadman’s Key flats. Migration and biology are covered in the Spanish mackerel species guide.
| Ground | Zone | Window |
|---|---|---|
| Seahorse Reef | Offshore | Summer |
| Deadman’s Key flats | Inshore | Warm months |
Summer on Seahorse Reef
Seahorse Reef is the summer ground for Spanish mackerel from this port. It sits offshore, and the run out is described in the next section.
Warm months on Deadman’s Key flats
The Deadman’s Key flats are the inshore option in warm months, and they save the longer sail to Seahorse Reef.
Where boats run
Trips go to one of two places: Seahorse Reef offshore or the Deadman’s Key flats inshore. The numbers below are the ones to plan around.
Seahorse Reef: a 10-mile sandbar and a longer sail
Seahorse Reef is a natural sandbar about 10 miles long. It is not an artificial reef like the FWC sites in the next section. Getting there from Cedar Key is a longer sail.
Reading conditions at CDRF1
The nearest NOAA buoy is the NDBC C-MAN station CDRF1 at Cedar Key, 29.136 N 83.029 W. It is a coastal station, so its readings describe the coast rather than the water out at Seahorse Reef.
Before you leave, check these readings at CDRF1 and in the NWS coastal waters forecast:
- Wind speed and direction
- Wave height
- Wave period
Grounds and structure
Start at Seahorse Reef, then work through the FWC artificial reefs from shallow to deep. Coordinates and depths are listed so you can mark them.
Kingfish Hole
Kingfish Hole sits on the northwest side of Seahorse Reef, so it can be fished as part of the same offshore trip.
FWC artificial reefs
The positions below come from the FWC artificial reef layer and are listed as coordinates you can enter in a plotter.
| Site | Material | Depth (ft) | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Key Reef Site 1 | FWC artificial reef | 23 | 29.1018 N | 83.2200 W |
| Cedar Key #1 | Stone crab modules, 1986 | 23 | 29.1226 N | 83.2231 W |
| Cedar Key Reef Site 2 | Pipe and pyramid loads, 1988-89 | 26 | 28.9818 N | 83.2000 W |
| Cedar Key Reef Site 3 | Pipe loads | 36 | 29.1143 N | 83.4253 W |
| Suwannee Regional Reefs, Site A | Concrete cubes | 40 | 28.9863 N | 83.3177 W |
| White City Bridge rubble | Steel and concrete | 55 | 29.1668 N | 83.6496 W |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Cedar Key Reef Site 1 and Cedar Key #1 sit close together near 83.22 W, both in 23 ft. Cedar Key Reef Site 3, at 36 ft, is the deepest of the sites with Cedar Key in the name. White City Bridge rubble is the deepest and westernmost point listed, at 55 ft and 83.6496 W.
Not for navigation
These are charted reef positions from the FWC layer. Chart layers and coordinates are not for navigation; use official charts.
How it’s fished and who fishes it
Cedar Key charters for Spanish mackerel are organized as trips, either inshore on the flats or offshore to Seahorse Reef.
Trip-based fishing
Local Spanish mackerel fishing is trip-based, and each trip goes to one of the two zones above. Technique for the wider region is covered in Spanish mackerel in the Gulf (see also the wider Gulf of Mexico guide).
Local charters: Porter and Collins
Two captains list Spanish mackerel from Cedar Key:
- Hookin It Charters and Tours, Capt. Jayson Porter. See the Hookin It Charters listing.
- Saltwater Outlaw Fishing, Capt. Tracy Collins. A fourth-generation Cedar Key native with 34 years on the water. See the Saltwater Outlaw Fishing listing.
FAQ
When is the season for Spanish mackerel around Cedar Key?
Summer, on Seahorse Reef offshore. In warm months the Deadman’s Key flats also hold fish inshore.
What is Seahorse Reef?
Seahorse Reef is a natural offshore sandbar about 10 miles long, not an artificial reef. Reaching it from Cedar Key is a longer sail.
Where is Kingfish Hole?
Kingfish Hole is on the northwest side of Seahorse Reef.
Which Cedar Key artificial reef is deepest?
White City Bridge rubble is the deepest, a steel and concrete reef in 55 ft at 29.1668 N 83.6496 W, per the FWC layer. Coordinates are not for navigation.
Which buoy should I check before running out?
Check NDBC C-MAN station CDRF1 at Cedar Key, 29.136 N 83.029 W. It reads coastal conditions, so use the official forecast for wind, wave height and period.
Who runs Spanish mackerel charters from Cedar Key, and what else can I fish for?
Capt. Jayson Porter (Hookin It Charters and Tours) and Capt. Tracy Collins (Saltwater Outlaw Fishing) list Spanish mackerel. For other fish, see the coastal and offshore gamefish guides.
