Coquina & AMI Beach Troughs

68 — WINDOW

Bradenton Beach / Holmes Beach

Walkable Gulf beach program for pompano, whiting, cruising snook, and mackerel when southeast wind lays the surf down. The target is the trough between dry sand and the first bar, not the horizon.

This spot targets species that are in their active season right now. The current tide stage is not ideal for this setup.

Best window around high tide Sun 6:57 AM

Location

Tides & Moon

Tide data unavailable

Between phases — focus on tide timing over lunar influence

Major feeding5:06 AM – 7:06 AM5:06 PM – 7:06 PM

Minor feeding11:06 PM – 12:06 AM11:06 AM – 12:06 PM

Live Conditions

Water82.4°F

Wave2.0 ft

WindNNW 8 mph

Tidelow

Air82°F

Rain0%

Conditions Match

Conditions check

How it matches right now

Tide: outgoing / incoming; low
Wind dir: E, SE, NE; NNW
Wind speed: ≤10 mph ideal; 8 mph
Wave height: 0.5–2 ft; 2.0 ft
Water temp: 64–80°F; 82.4°F
Light: Daytime; Daytime

✓ ideal ~ close ✗ outside range

Personal logbook

Log this trip with conditions auto-captured from the live feed.

Current Read

Why it scores 68 right now

This spot targets species that are in their active season right now.
The current tide stage is not ideal for this setup.
Light breeze keeps the presentation manageable.
Water temperature is workable, but not ideal for this program.
Wave height is in the range this spot wants.
This is a cleaner daylight read than a pure low-light play.

Tactics

Hooks, baits, and lanes for Coquina & AMI Beach Troughs

Pompano — two-hook trough rig

Use a two-hook pompano rig with small floats, No. 1 or No. 2 hooks, and enough pyramid or sputnik weight to hold. Tip with sand fleas, peeled shrimp, or shrimp Fishbites. Start in the first trough before casting past the bar.

Whiting — short cast

Downsize to small shrimp pieces on a light double-drop rig and cast just past the shore break. Whiting often feed inside the pompano line. If taps are constant but hookups are low, shorten the bait and hook gap.

Beach snook — low-light walk

At first light or late afternoon, walk slowly and throw a small white paddletail or live pilchard parallel to the sand. Keep the bait in the trough. Stop when you see shadows, then cast ahead of the fish instead of at it.

Mackerel — bait busts

Keep a silver spoon or small Got-Cha ready. When glass minnows or sardines shower, cast to the edge of the bust and retrieve fast. Add a short bite leader if cutoffs start.

Target Species

Florida Pompano

Keep casts in the troughs first; only bomb it long if the first cut is dead.

FWC recreational rule set: 11" fork minimum, 6 per harvester, open year-round.

Whiting

Move with the clean-water pocket and stay close to the first or second trough.

Check current local limits before harvest; use this card as a trip cue, not your final legal source.

Snook

Fish edges, current seams, and low-light bait movement instead of blind fan casting.

East coast harvest is seasonal and permit-based; on April 17, 2026 the east coast harvest window is open.

Spanish Mackerel

Cast ahead of surface schools parallel to the beach. Speed kills — if you're not moving the lure fast, you're doing it wrong.

FWC: 12" fork minimum, 15 per harvester. Open year-round.

Access

Coquina Beach offers public parking, restrooms, and a long walkable shoreline.
Anna Maria Public Beach and Manatee Beach are useful north-side alternatives when the trough looks cleaner there.
Fish outside posted swimming zones and move when beach traffic builds.
Florida saltwater fishing license required for shore fishing unless exempt.
Bring a small shoulder bag, bait cooler, and sand spike so you can walk until you find the deeper lane.

Hazards

Do not cast near swimmers, shorebirds, or turtle nesting areas. Move instead of forcing a bad lane.
Light surf can still hide rip current cuts. Read the water before wading.
Clear water means pompano see heavy rigs. Downsize hooks and floats when the bite gets picky.
Afternoon sea breeze often adds side sweep. Carry pyramid and sputnik sinkers.
Hot sand and long beach walks punish overpacked carts.

Highlights

Spring beach troughs produce pompano and whiting on sand fleas, shrimp, and shrimp-flavor Fishbites.
Flat Gulf mornings let you sight-fish snook cruising just off the sand.
Spanish mackerel and jacks show when bait schools get pushed tight to the beach.
Outgoing afternoon flow can make potholes and trough edges more defined.
This is the best family-friendly option when the inshore docks are too tight or technical.